Dear Parent/Guardian,
Our district has been working on implementing a pooled testing program for our schools. Pooled testing is an opt IN program, meaning your child will only be enrolled and tested if you fill out and return the permission form. This program is provided by the State of Maine and is at no cost to families.
Pooled testing involves weekly testing, mixing several test samples together in a “pool” and then testing the pooled sample with a PCR test for detection of SARS-CoV-2.
If a pooled test result is negative, then all individuals within that pool are presumed negative and may remain in school. If a pooled test result is positive, then all individuals in the pool must be retested individually to identify the positive case. The rapid point-of-care antigen test will be used for this follow up testing. The positive person will be sent home to isolate and others will remain in school.
Pooled testing participants will be notified of the positive case and may continue to participate in school based activities but should quarantine from community activities for 10 days. If your child is not enrolled in pooled testing and they are identified as being a close contact of the positive case, they will have to stay home and quarantine from all activities for 10 days.
If you would like your middle school child to participate in pooled testing, please go tohttps://testcenter.concentricb... in order to complete the consent process. If you are providing consent for more than one child, please complete the process once for each child. If needed, you will find directions on how to complete the consent form here. The access code you will need on the second screen is ZOG6R9. Please note that the high school access code is different and the elementary schools are sending home paper consent forms.
If you have questions and/or concerns about this program or require a paper consent form please reach out to Angela Palmer at 685-3128 ext.1120 or angela_palmer@maranacook.com.