A message from Superintendent Wiles
Dear GCSD Families,
The Guilderland Central School District has received an additional supply of COVID-19 rapid test kits from New York State and will be using these resources to provide one test kit to each K-12 student attending school in the district. We hope this will help to ease the difficulty families are experiencing when looking for test kits.
How to obtain one test kit for each student in your household enrolled in a GCSD school
GCSD families can pick up test kits in a drive-through distribution that will be held in the front parking lot of Guilderland High School on Friday, Jan. 14, 4:00-6:30 p.m. Each K-12 student enrolled in a GCSD school is entitled to one test kit. To register to pick up your family’s allotted number of test kits, please complete, print and bring this form to the test kit distribution at GHS on Friday, Jan. 14. If you are unable to print the form, please write all of the necessary information on a piece of paper that you will bring to the test kit distribution. Test kits must be picked up and signed out by an adult. Test kits will not be sent home with students.
When to utilize the COVID-19 at-home test kit
These test kits are for K-12 students of GCSD only, not for other family members and should be used as part of the health and safety protocols to keep students learning in person. Once you acquire the test kit, we suggest keeping it until needed. Possible scenarios for the use of a rapid at-home COVID-19 test would be:
- If a student begins experiencing COVID-like symptoms. According to GCSD COVID-19 Return to School Protocols, a negative COVID-19 test result is required to return to school after illness. You can visit the GCSD COVID-19 testing location or use a rapid, at-home COVID-19 test kit. If using a rapid test kit, it is recommended that two (2) rapid tests be conducted at least 36 hours apart to confirm the results.
- If a vaccinated student is identified as a close contact, a test could be administered as a safeguard and for peace of mind.
Should a positive result occur from an at-home COVID-19 test
It is important to follow all of the directions on the package insert when conducting an at-home COVID-19 test. Should a positive result occur, you must follow do the following:
- Immediately self-isolate, even if vaccinated;
- Report positive self-test results on the Albany County Department of Health portal using this form;
- Report positive self-test results to your school building administrator/school nurse;
- Inform your primary healthcare provider.
Reminder: revised quarantine guidelines are in effect
Effective Jan. 12, GCSD has adopted new quarantine guidelines, which have shortened timelines and criteria for those in quarantine. You can review the up-to-date guidelines on the district website.
As I’ve stated many times before, our commitment is to keep our schools open for in-person instruction while ensuring the health and safety of our students and staff. Our hope is that the revised quarantine guidelines and at-home COVID-19 rapid test kits will help us in this aim.
Sincerely,
Marie Wiles, Ph.D.
Superintendent