Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) recently partnered with the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) to participate in a voluntary free weekly COVID-19 screening program for students and staff.
This is a pilot program in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to provide increased testing resources to schools. Participation in the program will help CCPS plan for a full and safe reopening in August for the 2021-2022 school year.
Five schools are piloting the program starting Monday, May 24. The pilot schools are:
The voluntary program is only available for staff at the pilot schools, students at those schools attending classes in person and anyone who falls in those categories who is not experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. Staff from the program’s laboratory partner, eTrueNorth, will oversee testing at the pilot schools and process all results. The test used in the pilot program is the nasal swab PCR test, which a student or staff member will administer themselves. eTrueNorth staff will also help any test taker, as needed. Program volunteers will not test more than once a week and the test schedule does not interfere with instructional time.
Test results are shared directly with parents and staff who register for testing. Only positive results will be confidentially shared with the CCPS Office of School Safety and Security to ensure the individual is quarantined to minimize exposure risks. This is part of the school system’s existing COVID-19 Standard Operating Procedures when a positive result is reported.
While the pilot program is limited to the aforementioned schools, parents interested in their child participating, as well as employees who want to participate while enrolled or staffing a summer program, can register in advance online. More information about registering for the screening during summer will be shared closer to the start of the programs.
Parents or staff members with questions about the program can contact Jason Stoddard, CCPS director of school safety and security, at jstoddard@ccboe.com or 301-392-5550.
About CCPS
Charles County Public Schools provides 27,000 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 37 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.
The Charles County public school system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability in its programs, activities or employment practices. For inquiries, please contact Kathy Kiessling, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (students) or Nikial M. Majors, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (employees/ adults), at Charles County Public Schools, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building, P.O. Box 2770, La Plata, MD 20646; 301-932-6610/301-870-3814. For special accommodations call 301-934-7230 or TDD 1-800-735-2258 two weeks prior to the event.
CCPS provides nondiscriminatory equal access to school facilities in accordance with its Use of Facilities rules to designated youth groups (including, but not limited to, the Boy Scouts).
This is a pilot program in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to provide increased testing resources to schools. Participation in the program will help CCPS plan for a full and safe reopening in August for the 2021-2022 school year.
Five schools are piloting the program starting Monday, May 24. The pilot schools are:
- St. Charles High School
- Henry E. Lackey High School
- Milton M. Somers Middle School
- Arthur Middleton Elementary School
- Thomas L. Higdon Elementary School
The voluntary program is only available for staff at the pilot schools, students at those schools attending classes in person and anyone who falls in those categories who is not experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. Staff from the program’s laboratory partner, eTrueNorth, will oversee testing at the pilot schools and process all results. The test used in the pilot program is the nasal swab PCR test, which a student or staff member will administer themselves. eTrueNorth staff will also help any test taker, as needed. Program volunteers will not test more than once a week and the test schedule does not interfere with instructional time.
Test results are shared directly with parents and staff who register for testing. Only positive results will be confidentially shared with the CCPS Office of School Safety and Security to ensure the individual is quarantined to minimize exposure risks. This is part of the school system’s existing COVID-19 Standard Operating Procedures when a positive result is reported.
While the pilot program is limited to the aforementioned schools, parents interested in their child participating, as well as employees who want to participate while enrolled or staffing a summer program, can register in advance online. More information about registering for the screening during summer will be shared closer to the start of the programs.
Parents or staff members with questions about the program can contact Jason Stoddard, CCPS director of school safety and security, at jstoddard@ccboe.com or 301-392-5550.
About CCPS
Charles County Public Schools provides 27,000 students in grades prekindergarten through 12 with an academically challenging education. Located in Southern Maryland, Charles County Public Schools has 37 schools that offer a technologically advanced, progressive and high quality education that builds character, equips for leadership and prepares students for life, careers and higher education.
The Charles County public school system does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability in its programs, activities or employment practices. For inquiries, please contact Kathy Kiessling, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (students) or Nikial M. Majors, Title IX/ADA/Section 504 Coordinator (employees/ adults), at Charles County Public Schools, Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building, P.O. Box 2770, La Plata, MD 20646; 301-932-6610/301-870-3814. For special accommodations call 301-934-7230 or TDD 1-800-735-2258 two weeks prior to the event.
CCPS provides nondiscriminatory equal access to school facilities in accordance with its Use of Facilities rules to designated youth groups (including, but not limited to, the Boy Scouts).