Summer School COVID Testing Strategy from CPS Health and Wellness

In order to continue to keep students and staff safe, CPS will continue to provide COVID testing throughout summer school. The summer testing strategy will include a continuation of the surveillance in-school testing program, a continuation of our Modified Test to Stay Program, and compliance testing for unvaccinated student-athletes and unvaccinated staff. Testing will take place from July 5-29, 2022 for summer programs that register students in Aspen.

Summer In-School Surveillance Testing

All staff and students that consented to test during the regular school year will be eligible to participate in summer school testing. Regular weekly testing will be provided by Thermo Fisher.

Modified Test to Stay

After hearing positive feedback from parents and school leaders, the Modified Test to Stay program that was piloted at 40 schools during last school year will continue to be an option for summer school programs.

We know that keeping students and staff in the classroom safely is absolutely critical to learning and development, and giving individuals the Test to Stay option is an important tool.

Here's how the program works:

Unvaccinated students and staff that are identified as a close contacts will have three options:

Work/learn from home for five calendar days per CDC guidelines and wear a mask on days 6-10

Continue to work/learn in-person by submitting proof of full vaccination to their school

Continue to work/learn in person through Test to Stay.

Individuals who exercise the Test to Stay option must:

Test negative on the next immediate Monday or Thursday and the following Monday or Thursday following exposure and submit their results to cps.edu/covidresults

Remain symptom free

Wear a mask in school for ten calendar days following exposure

When a case is confirmed, the Office of Student Health and Wellness (OSHW) will reach out to the school leader and ask if they would like to offer the Test to Stay option to the unvaccinated close contacts of that case. OSHW will then walk the school leader through implementation of the program, and will provide a guide with protocols and communications templates for communicating with individuals who have been exposed.

Compliance Summer Testing

Unvaccinated student-athletes will also be required to test this summer using rapid antigen test kits. Distribution plans for testing kits are in development in collaboration with the Office of Sports Administration. Unvaccinated athletes will be required to test twice a week (Monday and Thursday) and report the results to cps.edu/covidresults.