RPS To Revise COVID-19 Policies for the 2022–2023 Academic Year

By Taylor Giuffre-Catalano

At last week’s School Committee meeting, held on August 15th, Lauren Buck, the Director of the city’s Public Health Department, outlined updates and changes to the COVID-19 policy at Revere Public Schools.

The bottom line: “We want to keep kids in school as much as we can, safely,” Buck stated. She explained that while there are still some CDC Guidelines “baked into the [Revere Public Schools’] policy,” there are “changes” to the protocol that students, families, and staff should be aware of before the start of the new academic year.

One of the critical changes, Buck mentioned, is the updated masking policy: Masking will no longer be required in Revere Public Schools. Under the new protocol, Buck explained, students and staff are not required to wear masks on school grounds unless “they are on their sixth day since their positive test.”

Buck explained that Revere Public Schools will remain in compliance with updated CDC and DESE guidelines in regards to a five day isolation period following a positive test, in which students and staff will be mandated to “stay at home for five day” following a positive test. On the sixth day from a positive test, or the sixth day from symptom onset, Buck explained, those individuals who were isolated can return to Revere Public Schools and are required to wear a mask for the following five days. “If students or staff cannot wear a mask for those five days,” Buck concluded, “They will be required to be isolated for ten days instead.”

COVID-19 exposure policies have also been updated, Buck explained. “In updated policy from DESE and the CDC, there is no required quarantine period for those who were exposed to COVID-19.” Buck explained that this move would allow “more kids and staff” to stay in school. The “caveat,” Buck noted, was those who were asymptomatic. She explained that if an individual is exposed to COVID-19, “regardless of vaccination status,” they are able to continue in school. Those who are exposed to COVID-19 are strongly urged to continue testing. If an individual exposed to COVID-19 tests positive, or begins showing symptoms, Buck explained it was critical to “follow the aforementioned protocols.”

There will also be new testing initiatives implemented across the school system. Buck explained a conscious movement away from pool testing, formerly a tenet of Revere Public Schools’ COVID-19 policy. Instead, Buck offered a symptomatic testing policy that is headed by school nurses. The goal, Buck explained, is to “make sure that symptomatic people stay home.” She explained that if a student or staff member is symptomatic at school, “the school  nurse determines if that individual requires rapid testing on site.” In essence, Buck’s new policy makes the decision, if a person needs to go home or back to class, up to the “nurse’s discretion.”

Both Buck and Dr. Dianne Kelly, Superintendent of Revere Public Schools, explained that there are currently 13,000 tests available to the school system to ensure COVID-19 protocol is well-executed. Buck explained that it’s critical to “continually reassess policy and make sure it’s working.” While there are certainly significant policy changes being made at the start of the upcoming school year, Buck appeared confident in the new initiatives. She explained that if an individual felt symptomatic in any capacity, “masking is strongly encouraged,” regardless of a positive or a negative test. The goal is to keep students and staff in school, while adhering to DESE and CDC guidelines, and keeping everyone safe.