Covid-19 Mitigation

Radnor Township School District reviews information from a number of sources to make decisions regarding Covid-19 protocols, including but not limited to the CDC, CHOP PolicyLab, the PA Department of Health, and the American Academy of Pediatrics. Administrators from RTSD also participate in regular meetings with health professionals who are experts in the field, as well as communicate weekly with other districts in Delaware County to discuss best practices and new information.

Were You Wearing A Mask?

No

• All unmasked and unvaccinated students who were less than 6 feet from a confirmed positive case for 15 minutes or more ARE considered “Close Contacts."
  • Provided the exposure occurred outside of their household, asymptomatic vaccinated students who were 3 or more feet from a confirmed positive case should wear a mask at all times for 7 days.
    • This includes during recess and Physical Education classes
    • Students may take their masks off during lunch and snack time
  • Asymptomatic unvaccinated students, or those asymptomatic vaccinated students with an in-household exposure, need to quarantine for 5 days or participate in the Test-to-Stay Program.

Yes

• All masked students who were less than 6 feet, but at least 3 feet, from a masked student who tested positive ARE NOT considered “Close Contacts” regardless of vaccination status and do not need to quarantine.

Scenario A

If you are a close contact anywhere except in your household and have been boosted OR completed the primary series of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine OR completed the primary series of the J&J vaccine, then:

• Wear a mask around others for 7 days
  • This includes during recess and Physical Education classes
  • Students may take their masks off during lunch and snack time
• If you develop symptoms get a test and stay home

Scenario B

If you are a close contact and are unvaccinated, or regardless of vaccination status have been exposed by a member of your household, then:

• Stay home for 5 days. After that continue to wear a mask around others for 5 additional days; OR
• Implement Test-to-Stay Program to allow the student/staff member to stay in school:
  • Test on days 1, 3 and 5 from exposure
  • If you develop symptoms get a test and stay home

If you have no symptoms, you may participate in the Test-to-Stay Program. It is strongly recommended that the member of your household who is Covid-positive isolate themselves from the rest of the family and/or wear a mask in the home when isolation is not possible.

Quarantine

Individuals who do not have Covid-19, but who were exposed to someone with Covid-19 for at least 15 minutes in a 24 hour period, may be considered a close contact and may need to quarantine at home for 5 days. These asymptomatic individuals may elect to participate in the Test-to-Stay Program if they are unvaccinated, or if the exposure occurred in their household, to remain in school.

Isolation

Individuals who test positive for Covid-19 are required to isolate at home for 5-10 days. The length of the isolation is dependent upon symptom improvement.

Regardless of Vaccination Status

• Isolate at home for 5-10 days if you contract Covid-19
• The individual with Covid-19 may return after day 5 if:
  • The individual wears a mask while around other people for days 6-10, AND
  • The individual has no symptoms, or have resolved or improving symptoms and is fever-free without the use of fever reducing medication

No, Covid-positive students and employees may not test out of isolation, and must stay at home for 5-10 days after they test positive. The building nurse will identify and communicate the return-to-school/work date based on when symptoms first began.

• Students who are required to isolate/quarantine will have the opportunity to view class via a fixed camera
• Teachers will not share screens and chat will be disabled
• Students may ask questions orally and should plan to follow along using the materials posted on Schoology

Parents/guardians of an RHS student who tests positive for Covid-19 and feels well enough to attend class through Zoom are asked to complete this form* to help shorten the timeframe necessary to make these arrangements. As a reminder, students who are ill and Covid-positive are encouraged to rest and take a sick day. Again, they need only to attend virtually if they feel well enough to do so.

*NOTE: The form is currently for RHS only; requests at other schools should go directly to the principal.

Yes, the district will accept verbal confirmation of a positive or negative at-home Covid-19 rapid test from a parent/guardian. Should a student arrive to school presenting COVID-19 symptoms after a negative At-Home Test, RTSD reserves the right to rapid test the student at school or require parents to get their child tested for Covid-19 by a healthcare provider.

The Test-to-Stay program is an option that allows some asymptomatic close contacts to stay in school instead of quarantining. Students and employees can opt to not participate in program. This would result in the individual being required to quarantine.

Parents/guardians are required to provide transportation for the entirety of the Test-to-Stay timeline. Three-plus feet of distancing is not possible on buses for students who sit directly next to a student participating in the Test-to-Stay program. Students may return to riding the bus after their Test-to-Stay timeline is completed.

Radnor Township School District is offering walk-in rapid testing to any RTSD student or staff member who wishes to get tested every Tuesday and Thursday through at least February 2022. We will alternate locations for this program in an effort to make getting a test as convenient as possible for our families.

When are the rapid testing events in RTSD?  

• Every Tuesday and Thursday Except District Holidays 
• After School Through 5:15 p.m.  

Where are the rapid testing events?

• 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the Month (through Dec. 21, 2021): Radnor High School
  • Dates: Nov. 16, Dec. 7, Dec. 21
  • Testing location at school: Main Lobby 
• 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the Month (beginning Jan. 4, 2022): Radnor Middle School
  • Dates: Jan. 4, Jan. 18, Feb. 1, Feb. 15
  • Testing location at school: Cafeteria
• 1st and 3rd Thursdays of the Month: Radnor Elementary School 
  • Nov. 18, Dec. 2, Jan. 6, Jan. 20, Feb. 3, Feb. 17
    • NOTE: The previously scheduled Dec. 16 testing event was canceled due to RES being the site of the second-dose vaccination clinic for 5-11 year olds
  • Testing location at school: Health Office
• 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the Month (through Dec. 14, 2021): Radnor Middle School 
  • Dates: Nov. 9, Dec. 14
  • Testing location at school: Cafeteria
• 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the Month (beginning Jan. 11, 2022): Radnor High School
  • Dates: Jan. 11, Feb. 8, Feb. 22
  • Testing location at school: Main Lobby
  • NOTE: The previously scheduled Jan. 25 testing event at RHS was canceled due to the hosting of booster clinics for students age 12+ 
• 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the Month: Ithan Elementary School  
  • Dates: Nov. 11, Dec. 9, Jan. 13, Feb. 10, Feb. 24
  • Testing location at school: Room 5
  • NOTE: The previously scheduled Jan. 27 testing event at IES was canceled due to the hosting of booster clinics for students age 12+ 

Who can get a rapid test?  

• All K-12 students and staff members who wish to get tested can go to any testing event at any location. Elementary students can go to our secondary schools and vice versa.  

What do you need to bring to get a rapid test?  

• Obtain and Bring a QR Code with Identification Information (see below) 
• Pre-registration is not required

How do I create a QR Code for identification purposes?

A QR Code is needed for each student and staff member who is getting a rapid test to allow our nurses to confirm the individual's identity. 

1. Click https://register.pennrapidtest.org/ (Note: The app is not compatible with Internet Explorer, but should work on most other web browsers)
2. Follow instructions to create a personalized QR code 
3. Take a screenshot of the QR code and store it in your device or cut/paste the screenshot onto a Word document and print it out (Please print out prior to testing) 
4. You may create as many personalized QR codes as you wish – each time you create a new one, you’ll enter your demographic data

How do I provide parental consent so my student(s) can get tested?

A parent/guardian must provide their consent to enable their student(s) to receive a Covid-19 rapid test. Access the consent form here. You can also scan the QR Code below.

Athletics and Activities

• RTSD is running clubs, sports, activities and PE classes.
• PE students wear masks during PE classes held indoors but masks not required outdoors
• Student-athletes required to wear masks when indoors on the sideline or bench during inside activities, but not when engaging in physical activity.
• Due to the Accessibility and Wellness Project at RHS, fields, gyms and the pool may be unavailable due to construction.

Assemblies

• RTSD runs assemblies and in-school events in-person when possible during low and moderate transmission levels.

RTSD will accept verbal confirmation of a positive or negative at-home Covid-19 rapid test from a parent/guardian.

• Books and materials will no longer require a quarantining between use
• Supplies can be shared among students provided hygiene practices are in place, such as hand-washing

Classrooms

• Students afforded a minimum of 3 feet in the classrooms for grades K-12.
• Distancing made to the greatest extent feasible.

Lunches

• Students permitted 6 feet spacing while eating.
• RTSD continues use of cards for lunch scanning, and multiple eating locations will be used at RMS and RHS.

Buses

• RTSD again follows protocols for reduced bus capacity and sits a maximum of 46 riders per bus.

• Fire and other emergency drills conducted as they were pre-Covid.
• Hallways not divided using arrows and lines on the floor.
• Stairwells not up or down only.
• Students permitted to use lockers.

• RTSD uses established cold and flu season cleaning protocols to begin the year, and monitors and adjusts staffing as necessary.
• RTSD begins the year with additional nursing support to ensure that every building has two nurses on site.

As another layer of Covid-19 protection, RTSD will begin a pool testing program starting with all RTSD 5th-graders on January 3, 2022. All 5th-grade families received an email on Dec. 19 providing details and seeking consent by end of day Tues., Dec. 21 from those interested in participating. The goal is to extend this program to other elementary grades as it progresses.

Pool Testing in RTSD

Pool testing as a mitigation strategy was first discussed at the October School Board Meeting (view video) and is method of testing that allows for one lab test to be conducted on a combined pool of specimens obtained from separate individuals to detect the Covid-19 virus. Pooled tests that return positive results require each specimen in the pool to be retested individually to determine which individual(s) are positive. Thus, with parent/guardian permission, participating students in a classroom can be effectively and efficiently tested at once. Pool testing has been proven effective in helping prevent spread and allows us to better understand what type of spread is happening in our community and where. Pool testing is being made available to interested schools and districts free-of-charge by the state.

• Families who registered for online instruction have been enrolled in our stand-alone cyber program, the Radnor Cyber Academy, which is partnered with the CCIU/BVA.
• This program is aligned to PA Common Core Standards and will have a Radnor point of contact to support students and families.

• Should your child have any of the following symptoms you should keep your child home and contact your school nurse for guidance.

• Parents/guardians asked to independently screen their children for symptoms prior to school each day and contact their school nurse if their child does not pass this check.

• Staff asked to independently screen themselves for symptoms prior to leaving for work each day and stay home if experiencing symptoms

• Currently, RTSD does not plan to request that families and staff complete the daily screening survey that was in place during the 2020-21 school year

The "Test-to-Stay" program allows asymptomatic students and staff who have been identified as close contacts during Covid-19 contact tracing to continue to remain at school if they take rapid Covid-19 tests over the course of the program and continue to test negative. 

• Prior to the Test-to-Stay program, when a close contact was identified, the district notified the state of a positive case and then was required to quarantine close contacts.
• The district tracked data from last and this school year and looked at the states that have a Test-to-Stay program and found that when there was a positive case in school, and close contacts have been notified, the students who were asymptomatic did not become positive most of the time, yet they were quarantined. 
• Under the Test-to-Stay program, students and staff who qualify and choose to participate in the program would be tested on days 1 or 2 of the close contact; days 3 to 4 of the close contact; and days 5 to 7 of the close contact. Students and staff can remain at school/work as long as each test returns a negative result.
• Participation in the Test-to-Stay program is optional and parent/guardian written permission for students is required.
• Parents/guardians may also opt to have their child quarantine instead of participating in the program.
• Unless the student can provide their own transportation (such as RHS student-drivers), a parent/guardian will be responsible for transporting their student(s) to and from school to receive the rapid test at the school
• Families and students who participate in the Test-to-Stay program will be responsible for assisting district nurses in administering the test to the student(s)

Test-to-Stay Protocol

If a staff member or student is confirmed as a COVID-19 close contact, the following steps should be taken: 

1. Nurse contacts the staff member or student’s parents to inform them that they are a close contact of a positive case. 
2. Nurse provides information for quarantine period.  
   • Student: Provided that the student is asymptomatic, they can either remain at home and Zoom into the classroom OR consent to testing and enter the “Test to Stay” protocol.  
   • Staff: The staff member can elect to use sick days and produce sub plans or if asymptomatic, enter the “Test to Stay” protocol for staff. 

 If zooming into classroom, the student and teacher follow the established 24-48 hour set up and iPad. 

• Student: If electing “Test to Stay”, the parents of the student would need to consent to test on days 1, 3, and 5 of the quarantine period, and remain asymptomatic. The parents of the student would need to sign the consent form, create a QR code and report to the nurse on days 1, 3, and 5 at the start of each day. The parents would be required to provide transportation for the entirety of the quarantine process to be present for the results of the test on days 1, 3, and 5, and because 3+ feet of distancing is not possible on buses for those who sit directly next to students. 
• Staff: If electing “Test to Stay”, the staff member would need to consent to test on days 1, 3, and 5 of the quarantine period, and remain asymptomatic. The staff member would need to create a QR code and report to the nurse on days 1, 3, and 5 at the start of each day. 

• Radnor schools limit visitors into the buildings during the school day under low and moderate transmission levels.
• Daytime visitors restricted should Delaware County be in the substantial and high transmission levels.
• Visitors expected to follow all masking, distancing, screening, and hygiene expectations.
• RTSD reopens facilities for community use after school or on the weekends.
• After-school groups expected to follow masking and distancing, and should anticipate an increased cleaning fee.