Dear Parents,
I am writing to you today to explain how we will be enhancing our mitigation strategies following Winter Break to add a test-based mitigation strategy. These changes are based, as always on our guiding principles of keeping our students and employees safe while supporting the social, emotional and academic learning of our students in service to our families--and delivering on the promise of an AIS education in line with our mission and core values.
These changes will safely allow more Secondary students to opt for on-campus learning every day beginning in the second semester, Monday, January 25th. Secondary students will remain in the Cohort Model through to Friday, January 22.
The testing based strategy will allow us to detect asymptomatic individuals, quarantining them proactively thus adding an additional layer of protection to further prevent the transmission of COVID on campus.
This new strategy, combined with our other tried and tested mitigation strategies, will allow more secondary school students to safely access on-campus learning, and allow us to dispense with the current cohort model (A & B) in secondary for the second semester. Students in Grades 3K through Grade 10 will, however, remain in their language-based pods. The pod strategy allows us to limit any required quarantine to a smaller group of students and prevents the need for quarantining an entire grade level, or sending one of our schools (such as middle school or the ELC) into quarantine.
Please be assured that remote learning will also remain an option for families that chose this option. Remote learning will most likely be an option until we see widespread distribution and use of the forthcoming vaccines and the end of the current pandemic. At time of writing we do not have a timeframe for this, so please forgive our vagueness here.
It will be compulsory for all secondary students who wish to return to campus to take the initial baseline testing, and then consent to participate in the random screening testing program thereafter. All employees will also be required to take the rapid tests upon our return in January. All employees will then be part of the random screening program moving forward.
Our own lived experience and the experience of our peer schools here in Atlanta has demonstrated that in-person learning can be conducted safely provided that it is done in conjunction with proven mitigation efforts. Based upon our COVID-19 Task Force’s research and recommendations, together with the now widely available, reliable and easy to administer rapid tests we are adding the additional step of mass testing and subsequent random screening testing. Schools that practice the basic and common sense mitigation protocols (such as pre-screening and mask wearing) that have opened during the pandemic, here and overseas have not become a significant source of COVID spread. Our mitigation efforts have been more conservative than many of our peer schools. These will remain and we will now add in the added measure of testing.
We have determined that we do not need to mass test, or random screen and test primary school-aged children. This decision was made based on recommendations from our Task Force experts after examining the research to date. It is also based upon our own data and experience in having had zero transmission on campus in the primary school with up to 90% of primary school students accessing on campus learning for several months now. We will, of course, continue with all our mitigation efforts in primary school and supplement these, as mentioned above, with the additional test based strategy for our primary school faculty and staff.
Much more detail and information is shared in the attached presentation but we wanted to first share a high level overview.
Overview:
The portable, easy-to-use, Rapid Antigen Testing, “BD Veritor Plus System” for COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) delivers reliable results in 15 minutes. All tests will be administered on campus by health professionals through our testing agency partner, Atlanta Urgent Care. Should a student or employee receive a positive test result, they will be immediately quarantined as per our usual protocols and required to seek further medical guidance and follow up with the standard PCR test.
This test based approach allows us to add the ability to detect asymptomatic individuals to our repertoire of COVID mitigating actions. This is important because currently we screen out symptomatic individuals through our wellness checks, but we are not able to detect individuals who do not exhibit symptoms.
The process for screening has been carefully crafted by working closely with our medical advisors on the COVID-19 Task Force. The AIS population has been segmented based upon their roles and ages. For example, we will split the faculty into two groups primary and secondary faculty because the ways they teach and interact with students is very different. Similarly, we split the secondary school students into upper school and middle school for testing purposes. This will allow us to closely monitor and detect asymptomatic individuals in each distinct population, even down to a grade level cohort.
Link To Video:
Schedule for January 2021
Please note the following schedule for employees return to work and testing:
Monday, January 4
Tuesday, January 5
Please note the following schedule for secondary students returning to on campus learning:
Monday, January 4
Tuesday, January 5
Remote learning only for Cohorts A and B
Baseline Mass Testing for Cohort B (opting for on campus learning)
On campus learning for 3K - Grade 5 (with remote option)
Wednesday, January 6
Remote learning only for Cohorts A and B
Baseline Mass Testing for Cohorts A & B (opting for on campus learning)
On campus learning for 3K - Grade 5 (with remote option)
Thursday, January 7
Remote learning only for Cohort A
Baseline Mass Testing for Cohort A (opting for on campus learning)
On campus learning for Cohort B (with remote option)
On campus learning for 3K - Grade 5 (with remote option)
Friday, January 8
Remote learning only for Cohort A
Baseline Mass Testing for Cohort A (opting for on campus learning)
On campus learning for Cohort B (with remote option)
On campus learning for 3K - Grade 5 (with remote option)
Monday, January 11
Random screening begins (all employees and secondary students)
On campus learning for Cohort A (with remote option)
Remote learning for Cohort B
On campus learning for 3K - Grade 5 (with remote option)
Monday, January 18
Random screening continues (all employees and secondary students)
On campus learning for Cohort B (with remote option)
Remote learning for Cohort A
On campus learning for 3K - Grade 5 (with remote option)
Monday, January 25
SECOND SEMESTER BEGINS
Random screening continues (all employees and secondary students)
On campus learning for Cohorts A & B (with remote option)
On campus learning for 3K - Grade 5 (with remote option)
Questions & Answers
How does this affect Primary School students:
We have determined that we do not need to mass test, or random screen and test, primary school-aged children. This decision was made based on recommendations from our Task Force experts after examining the research to date. It is also based upon our own data and experience in having had zero transmission on campus in the primary school with up to 90% of primary school students accessing on campus learning for several months now. We will, of course, continue with all our mitigation efforts in primary school and supplement these, as mentioned above, with the additional test based strategy for our primary school faculty and staff.
How does this affect Secondary School students:
All secondary school students wishing to return to on campus learning beginning Monday, January 25th will need to have a) taken part in the mass testing program to establish our baseline data and b) be enrolled in the subsequent random sampling and screening program.
As mentioned in the above, we will break the student population into groups based on grade level. Older and more mature students are known to play a more active role in the transmission of COVID, and as such, the older students will experience more frequent random screening. The number of individuals who will be asked to participate in our random screening will vary week to week based on our own data and the local rates of transmission in Atlanta. We will share those numbers and the results with the community on a weekly basis as part of our regular COVID-19 updates.
Will all Secondary students participate in the testing program?
Secondary students who elect on-campus learning, who come onto campus for academic testing, or who participate in extracurricular activities, are required to participate in the program to be eligible for these and any other on campus learning, events and activities. Once the baseline is established random screening testing will be conducted. If a student is selected for a random screening test, the test must be completed in the time window allocated in order for that student to remain eligible for on campus learning, events and activities.
What do Secondary parents need to do for their student(s) to participate in on campus learning?
Elect the on-campus learning option for your student(s) Link to survey. Please complete by Friday, December 18. Complete the COVID-19 baseline testing survey no later than December 18, 2020. You will receive the survey on Thursday, December 17 by email. Through a form in this survey, you will provide consent for testing, consent to release test results to the school nurse, and be able to schedule your appointment. You may elect to have your response sent to you as a record of your appointment.
Arrive at your appointed time with your child and insurance information to be tested at the drive up clinic.
Your student must be registered for on-campus learning. Remote learners will have their SchoolPass account inactivated and will not be able to access on campus learning, events and activities until they opt into the test program. If registered as an on-campus learner and a required test is missed, the students’ School Pass account will be inactivated until they make up the test at the next available testing opportunity.
How does the testing program work?
Thursday morning, December 17, parents will receive the COVID-19 baseline testing survey via email that will collect the information and consent needed as well as allow you to schedule your test appointment. This survey will need to be completed by December 18, 2020. You will need to submit your insurance information, complete the consent to treatment and the medical release section allowing the results of the test to be confidentially shared with the school nurse. Atlanta International School will cover any shortfall between your insurance coverage and the cost of the rapid test.
Completion of the on-campus learning survey, the COVID-19 baseline testing survey, and completing the baseline test in January will be required to attend in person school beginning Thursday, January 7th for Cohort B and Monday, January 11th for Cohort A.
When do I need to complete the COVID-19 baseline testing survey scheduling my child’s testing appointment?
All secondary students who elect on-campus learning will be required to complete the COVID-19 baseline testing survey consenting to the program and scheduling their testing appointment on or before Friday, December 18, 2020.
AIS will send you the COVID-19 baseline testing signup survey via email in the morning on Thursday, December 17. If you miss your appointed time you may sign up for a makeup appointment by re-submitting your answers or by contacting jsitzman@aischool.org. If you do not receive the survey by the end of the day Thursday, December 17, 2020 please contact jsitzman@aischool.org.
Where will the baseline testing be conducted?
The baseline tests will take place at AIS in a drive-up clinic style setting on Monday, January 4 through Friday January 8, 2021. Testing will be available from 8:00 am - 2:30pm on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Testing will be available from 9:00am - 2:30pm on Thursday and Friday, January 7 and 8. Parents will sign up for their preferred day and time and will arrive at AIS to have the drive-up test performed. Students will remain in the vehicle until they have received a negative test result. Both prescreening (School Pass) and the initial negative baseline test will be required for each secondary student BEFORE they enter the school.
Will students miss instructional time?
Students who are testing during lesson time will miss some instructional time when they are getting their test. Given the rapidity of the test and the automation of the process, we are working to keep this at a minimum. Teachers are aware of this and will accommodate as needed.
How will ongoing screening testing be conducted?
After the first round of testing, we will continue to host Atlanta Urgent Care onsite for the ongoing random screening tests. If selected for screening tests, students, faculty, and staff will be notified on the Monday of that week that they will need to report for testing on either Tuesday or Wednesday of that same week. This ongoing testing will be conducted weekly or every two weeks. The initial baseline data we obtain from the mass testing of secondary students and employees will inform the number of students per grade level randomly sampled and the initial frequency of our first rounds of random screening.
May I accompany my student for testing?
Yes. The initial baseline testing will be an on campus drive-up test site. Please follow the carline route as indicated in the survey and a map can be found here. Parents should remain with their students in the car for the initial baseline screening tests. For the subsequent random screening testing, parents may opt not to accompany their student. If you accompany your child to the random screening testing, you will be notified on site of the results. If you choose to allow your student to be tested in your absence, your student’s results will be available on the Atlanta Urgent Care portal. If your student tests positive, they will be quarantined in our clinic and you will then receive a phone call from the school nurse so that you can return to school to pick them up from school immediately. All individuals who are quarantined will receive a specific return to school/ return to work plan from our school nurse as per our current standard operating procedure.
How will I be informed of the test results?
The baseline tests will be conducted as a drive-up style testing. Results will be available within 15 minutes of having the sample collected. You will be notified on-site of your student’s results. Your student’s results will also be made available through the Atlanta Urgent Care portal. If your student’s test is positive, and they do not have a parent present, the school nurse will call you immediately and ask you to pick up your child. All individuals who are quarantined will receive a specific return to school/ return to work plan from our school nurse as per our current standard operating procedure.
What if I miss my child’s initial baseline testing appointment?
If you miss your appointed time you may sign up for a makeup appointment by re-submitting your answers or by contacting jsitzman@aischool.org.
Please note, all students who participate in on-campus learning, events and activities will be required to participate in baseline testing and ongoing random screening testing. Should your child begin 2021 and the second semester in remote learning and you later decide to allow them to return to campus, you will first need to indicate this in your response to the on campus/ remote learning survey. You will then be required to book a testing appointment with Atlanta Urgent Care to obtain a baseline negative test for your student. Both the negative initial test and School Pass are needed to access on campus learning, events and activities.
What if I miss a subsequent random screening appointment?
If you miss your appointed time you may sign up for a makeup appointment by re-submitting your answers or by contacting jsitzman@aischool.org.
We are offering testing over two days so if an appointment is missed it is likely that a makeup appointment will be available. However, if the entire testing window is missed that learner will transition to remote learning until a negative test through Atlanta Urgent Care is obtained. Students who miss testing windows will have their School Pass account disabled and will not be able to access campus until they make up their test.
May I obtain a private test for my student initially?
No, we will only accept test results from Atlanta Urgent Care for our initial baseline testing and subsequent random screening. If you miss your appointed time you may sign up for a makeup appointment by re-submitting your answers or by contacting jsitzman@aischool.org.
What if I want my student to remain a remote learner and transition to in person in the spring?
You would need to sign your student up for in-person learning in the appropriate survey for when you want in-person learning. All students will be required to have a baseline test and to participate in the ongoing random screening testing program to access on campus learning, events or activities. If your student is a remote learner, but participates in extracurriculars, including sports, they MUST also participate in the testing program. Those who do not participate in the testing program will have their School Pass inactivated and they will not be able to access on campus learning, events or activities.
Please note:
Students who elect to not participate in AIS’ testing program will not be able to attend any on campus learning, events and activities.
Students who do not participate in the testing program will be remote learners.
Students who test positive will be remote learners until they can safely return to on campus learning as per our school nurse directions and our standard return to school protocols.
Students who live in a household with confirmed positive COVID case/cases will be remote learners until they can safely return to on campus learning as per our protocols.
All faculty and staff who are working on campus are required to participate in the testing program.
Our testing policy will be in place for at least the third quarter of this current school year and possibly through to the summer break. We will update our policies and protocols as new information becomes available, widespread vaccination becomes the norm and the pandemic is brought under control.