OCSD Shares Information Regarding New State Guidance On COVID-19 Surveillance Testing, Masking In Schools

OSWEGO – Oswego City School District Superintendent Dr. Mathis Calvin III has shared the following letter detailing information for families regarding new COVID-19 state guidance.

Dear Oswego City School District Parents and/or Guardians,

I am writing to share with you three pieces of information. They are as follows:

1. NYS Department of Health Guidance – Recently, the NYS Department of Health issued new guidance to schools across the state. Included in the guidance is information that allows for parents and/or guardians to choose whether or not to allow their children to wear a mask daily while in schools; and specifications wherein students must wear a mask to school (i.e. days 6-10 when they become COVID -19 positive). Parents and/or guardians can review a copy of this new guidance by visiting the NYS Department of Health website (Guidance for Schools section of the website) at the following URL: https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/schools-youth. Should any parent and/or guardian have any questions about this guidance, we encourage you to reach out to your school’s nurse or our COVID -19 Hotline at 315-342-2050.

2. COVID -19 Testing Opportunity – Throughout this school year, our district has been participating in Operation Expanded Testing, a program supported and funded through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which provides COVID-19 PCR testing to K-12 schools at no cost. Participation in this program assists schools with ensuring the health and safety of students and staff with respect to COVID-19.

This testing program was previously only offered to unvaccinated students. Due to the districts’ increased testing capacity and our need to continue to increase our surveillance efforts, we are now opening the program to all students, regardless of vaccination status.

Parents and/or guardians should know the following:

• This is an opt-in program.  Accordingly, in order to participate in this program, parents and/or guardians must pre-register their children for the program.
• All students who are already enrolled in the program will not need to re-register to participate.
• This program is designed to assist the district with preventing the spread of COVID-19 through weekly screening testing of asymptomatic students. This program is NOT for ill or symptomatic students.
• If your child is ill or having symptoms of COVID-19, we encourage you to call your healthcare provider, school nurse or the COVID Hotline at 315-341-2050 for assistance with symptomatic testing.
• The registration process takes less than 5 minutes.
  • For students under 18 to opt into the program, please visit the following URL: https://testcenter.concentricbyginkgo.com/minor-consent
  • For students 18 and older to opt into the program, please visit the following URL: https://testcenter.concentricbyginkgo.com/invite-by-code
  • Please use the access code for your corresponding building.
    • Oswego High School OHS-2022
    • Oswego Middle School OMS-2022
    • Fitzhugh Park School FPS-2022
    • Leighton Elementary FLS-2022
    • Kingsford Park Elementary KPS-2022
    • Minetto Elementary MIN-2022
  • A FAQ document, which offers additional information about this testing program, is attached to this letter.

3. Free COVID-19 Test Drive-Thru: On April 4, 2022, from 4-6 p.m. the district will be hosting an additional COVID-19 test distribution event. This distribution event will be held at Oswego High School Liberty Street parking lot. Parents can enter Buc Boulevard from Liberty Street or Hillside Avenue and should depart from the parking lot using the Utica Street exit. All parents and/or guardians are encouraged to participate in this event.

As always, we thank our community for their support and consideration of new information that is shared.

Yours in Education,

Dr. Mathis Calvin III
Superintendent of Schools

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