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Dear SSCPS Families,
Thank you for your continued partnership during this unprecedented school year. In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, we have been working closely with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) to offer free rapid COVID-19 testing for symptomatic staff and students participating in any type of in-person instruction. The purpose of this letter is to ask your permission to test your child should he or she develop symptoms at school. While we have asked all students and staff who are sick to stay home, there may be members of our school community who first present symptoms while in school. Being able to test your child at school will not only expedite results and therefore help you determine next steps to protect your student and your family, but also provide some peace of mind that a test is available and can be delivered by a nurse if the need arises. The Rapid Antigen COVID-19 Diagnostic Test is FDA approved and delivers results in 15 minutes. Our school nursing staff has been thoroughly trained on how to administer the test using a nasal swab. The decision to administer the test will be made by the school nurse. If your child develops symptoms at school, you will be called immediately. You will be asked over the phone if you would like to have a Rapid Antigen COVID-19 Diagnostic Test done. This test will only be administered when you arrive at the school to pick up your student. When you arrive you will call the front desk and let them know you are here. The nurse will then come out in full PPE (mask, gown, gloves, face shield) with your student. You will be directed to pull into a designated spot. At this time the student will sit inside the car, if younger they may sit on your lap. You will be asked to put the car window down. The test will be administered by placing a cotton swab into each nostril about 1 inch and moved in a circular motion. Then the cotton swab will be brought inside where the rapid testing will be completed. At this time you are allowed to start driving home. The test takes 15 minutes to get a result. You will then be notified of the results by telephone and given instructions on further quarantine/isolation guidelines. If the test results are positive:
If the test results are negative:
The SSCPS Health Office will report all test results to DPH and positive test results to DESE’s Rapid Response Help Unit. This is a voluntary program and you can enter at any time. To give permission for your student to participate in the Rapid Antigen COVID-19 Diagnostic Test, including permitting the school to share the test result information with the Department of Public Health and Project Beacon (a third party non-profit organization contracted to compile consent for testing and to share test results), please follow the directions you will receive from Project Beacon after creating an account by using the following link: https://app.beacontesting.com/register/with-code?code=EKMBEX A paper permission form may be requested if you cannot access the online site. At South Shore Charter Public School, we are extremely grateful to our committed staff and families that continue to show great flexibility and resilience as we navigate through this school year. It takes all of us working together to contain the spread of this virus. If you have questions regarding the Rapid Antigen COVID-19 Diagnostic Test, please reach out to one of the nurses in the SSCPS Health Office Thank you, Susan Dupras, RN [email protected] Darcie Edwards, RN [email protected] Barbara Folan, RN [email protected] Jaime Kjelgaard, RN [email protected] -- Alicia E. Savage Executive Director South Shore Charter Public School 781.982.4202 Ext. 101 www.sscps.org  Happy New Year! We would like to remind SSCPS families that the USDA extended free meals for all students through June 30, 2021. This allows every student access to breakfast and lunch at no charge. We encourage families to take advantage of this opportunity that will provide nutritious meals to both in-person and remote learners.
SSCPS offers “Grab and Go” meals free to ALL enrolled SSCPS students during remote learning. Meals are distributed twice a week on Mondays and Wednesdays from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM. Meals can be picked up at the K- 8 building at 100 Longwater Circle, Norwell. When SSCPS returns to in-person learning, daily meals can be ordered on a weekly basis. In order to receive Free Meals, families must register and place an order for your child(ren) through FamilyID.com. Please visit the SSCPS Familyid Programs webpage to register your child for meals. To learn more on how to register your child click here to watch a quick video. If you need any assistance with FamilyID registration, please call (781)205-2800 or email [email protected]. All meal orders will be placed directly through this system. If you are unable to travel to SSCPS to pick up your meals please let me know and I can assist you. Project Bread also offers information on how and where to receive free meals in your local community. Click here to find a list of where you can receive free meals for your children. Update: P-EBT Household Resources What is P-EBT? The Pandemic - Electronic Benefits Transfer (P-EBT) Program was created in Spring 2020 to provide funds for families to buy food while schools were closed due to COVID-19. More P-EBT funds are being issued for the 2020-2021 school year. Funds for October & November were issued on December 30th. You will get P-EBT if you qualify for free or reduced-price meals under the National School Lunch Program AND are in a hybrid or fully remote learning situation. Eligible students in hybrid learning situations: you will get $58.60 per month Eligible students in remote learning situations: you will get $117.20 per month Using P-EBT does NOT impact you or your student’s immigration status. The public charge rule does NOT apply to P-EBT funds. What can I buy? Buy food like fruits, dairy, breads, meats/poultry/fish. Use P-EBT at stores that accept SNAP, like grocery or corner stores, and online at ALDI, Amazon or Walmart. How to use your P-EBT benefits? For questions related to P-EBT card status and activation? For questions related to lost P-EBT cards Need More Food Help? If you get P-EBT you are likely eligible for SNAP, monthly food funds. Apply at DTAconnect.com. Additional places to receive “Grab and Go” school meals by visit meals4kids.org. Finally, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call 781-982-4202 ext. 156 or email [email protected]. Charlene Salamone |
