Superintendent Shepherd announces that Floyd County Schools will be offering a free voluntary COVID-19 Test to Stay option for students beginning Monday, November 1, 2021.
Shepherd says, “We are offering a Test to Stay program for students to be able to attend in-person learning. The Test to Stay option only applies to students who are in quarantine and who are asymptomatic.” Shepherd continues, “Parents can decide to choose this option to have the opportunity for their children to stay at school for instruction. If parents choose not to take advantage of this opportunity, then their child will complete the quarantine they have received following the guidelines from the Center for Disease Control and the Kentucky Department of Public Health. For example, if a student is on the academic team and is participating in the Test to Stay Program, that student will attend school if negative but not attend any academic meets or practices during the modified quarantine period. This is one more part of our steps to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and keep our schools open for in-person learning.”
Floyd County Schools will offer testing to students who have been quarantined due to a school exposure. The testing program will serve as a modified quarantine that allows students to remain in school. Our Test to Stay program is not designed as a return to an athletics program. Students who use this program and stay at school for instruction only are advised to continue the quarantine when they are outside the school setting (home and community) for the duration of the 10 day period. Athletes and students participating in activities will be required to complete their quarantines before returning to those extracurricular and cocurricular activities. Testing will be performed on 5 consecutive days. If the test is NEGATIVE the student will be allowed to remain in school. If the test is POSITIVE the student will return home to isolate under the guidance of The Floyd County Health Department.
The COVID-19 testing is free, quick, and easy. Health professionals will be performing tests using a nasal swab that is done by gently swabbing the inner part of the lower nostril. This test is not painful as the longer swabs that reach higher into the nose are not used. Testing will be conducted in the gym and will take place daily from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM. Results will be available within 20 minutes. Information about children will only be shared for public health purposes and in accordance with applicable law and policies protecting student privacy and the security of our students’ data.
To learn more or obtain a permission form, please visit https://t.ly/HNvl or call the school your child attends. Permission forms will also be available at the testing sites.