The Jamestown Public Schools District is implementing a “test-to-stay” program.

Test-to-stay is a quarantine protocol that can allow students and staff to attend school or work during a period when they might have otherwise been quarantined. Unvaccinated students or staff members, who are asymptomatic, would be allowed to attend school or work if they test negative for COVID-19 during the five days after exposure to the virus. Students or staff who are symptomatic would not be eligible for the program.

Those who develop symptoms would not be allowed to attend school and must notify the school nurse. Likewise, if any household contacts have symptoms, the individual may not attend school and must notify the school nurse.

Dr. Kevin Whitaker, district superintendent, addressed the announcement at a meeting this week of the Jamestown Public Schools Board.

“All that information can be found on our website,” Whitaker said. “The information went out last week on Friday to faculty and staff. Test-to-stay is different from Binax-to-stay. Binax-to-stay is, ‘I come to school, I feel fine, and at some point during the day, I feel symptomatic. I get a rapid test and I can stay in school.’ Test-to-stay is, ‘I am unvaccinated — there are all these criteria — but while I’m at school, I was exposed as a close contact to a positive case. I am not positive, but I was exposed to a positive case. The parents have given consent for testing and I don’t have any symptoms — I can test either at school when it’s discovered that I’m a close contact, or at home on the first day and on the last day. In the interim, day one, day two, day three, day four, and day five, I can come to school so long as all those things remain.'”

Whitaker also reminded parents and families that the district is still distributing COVID-19 testing kits, which parents can inquire about.

“I would encourage families to reach out to buildings about the test kits, that way you will have COVID tests available.”

Students or staff must be tested at least two times during the period in which they would quarantine, according to the protocol. The first test must occur immediately after in-school exposure, and the second test must occur five days after exposure or on the next school day if a weekend or holiday is interfering with the timeline.

Parents or staff members must provide consent for themselves or their children before their involvement in the program. Students or staff must also quarantine at home when not working or attending school. Students or staff may not use school transportation or attend school if symptoms develop. Those who develop symptoms during the school day must be picked up or leave school immediately.

For more information on this program and parent or staff consent forms, visit https://www.jpsny.org/TTS.