COMMUNICATIONS
Building support & buy in for pooled testing among parents and families
Key messages to share with students and families about pooled testing:
Pooled testing will help us get back to school safely for in-person instruction
Pooled testing can quickly detect, trace and isolate individuals positive with COVID-19 transmission. This will help us lower the risk of transmission and allow us to have more consistent in-person instruction
Testing is quick, easy and is not painful / invasive
Participating in the pooled testing program is free
The program is voluntary but is strongly encouraged to help reduce the spread of COVID-19
Sign a one-time consent form for your student to participate in pooled testing
Tips for communicating with students and families:
Remind families that “no news is good news” -- if they don’t hear back about test results, they can assume their student is negative
Communicate regularly with students and families
Ensure that consent forms are in multiple languages and available by paper and electronically
Create and widely distribute a FAQ
Ensure materials are accessible and available in multiple languages. Utilize video if possible for greater accessibility
Create a short video showing how the test is performed. Ideally this is in collaboration with a school leader and / or a student
Host a Facebook Live to review the testing process and answer questions and concerns from students and parents/ guardians
Post about testing regularly on social media
Post on your school website
Send regular texts, robo calls and/or email about testing
Include in Superintendent / Principal newsletter
Template Outreach Materials are coming soon!
Template Letter for Parents / Guardians from DESE - available in English & Spanish
Talking to Students About Testing
Create and share videos that clearly show the testing process to show that it is fast, easy and does not hurt. Here are some examples - use one of these or create your own featuring a school leader or student!
Watertown School Nurse Conducting a Swab: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fNMg3Bo9Gc&t=19s
You can also create a social story to help talk to students about testing. Here is an example Social Story: What if I need to be tested for COVID-19? Developed by Community Autism Resources.
Share the videos and Social Stories widely with your students and families.
Building support & buy in for pooled testing among teachers
Individuals within your building may be concerned about disruption to class time, risk of exposure and other concerns about pooled testing and/or in person learning.
Key messages to communicate with your staff:
Pooled testing is an additional layer to the protocols we have been taking to ensure that staff and students are as safe as possible
Pooled testing can quickly detect, trace and isolate individuals positive with COVID-19 transmission. This will help us lower the risk of transmission and allow us to have more consistent in-person instruction, bringing peace of mind to staff and families
We are working to develop a smooth system that does not interrupt teaching and learning
Tips for communicating with staff:
Host a webinar to clearly outline your plan for pooled testing
Highlight the processes you have put in place to reduce concerns around disruption to class time. This should include clear scheduling logistics and staffing with timelines
For example: Medford Public Schools utilized testing stations for students to walk through; during week 2 of their program, full elementary school classes were able to come in and out of the station in under 5 minutes
Provide a clear FAQ that is posted on staff websites and included in other staff communications
Resources and examples from other schools to communicate with students, families, and your community:
Template Letter for Parents / Guardians from DESE - available in English & Spanish
Harvard Public Schools:
Somerville Public Schools:
Wellesley Public Schools: