LYNN — As the third full week of the school year is completed, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Patrick Tutwiler has addressed some areas of success and concern in the Lynn Public Schools (LPS).
As anticipated, Tutwiler said there are positive COVID-19 cases in the district.
Information about positive cases within the city’s public schools is available on the LPS website; numbers are tracked on a weekly basis. There were 43 cases for the week of Sept. 22-29, according to the district’s COVID dashboard.
“Although the transmission on site is not to blame for the vast majority of them, any positive case is worthy of our attention and response,” Tutwiler said in his report to the School Committee Thursday night. “Much of the response has come in the form of activating our contact-tracing system and quarantining students according to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education guidance and based on nurse analysis.”
As of Tuesday, Sept. 28, about 180 students have been quarantined, with the majority of those students at the elementary level, Tutwiler said.
That quarantine number represents 1 percent of the district’s total enrollment, with Tutwiler acknowledging that a quarantine scenario represents significant hardship on these students and their families.
LPS is launching a test-and-stay protocol next week, which will allow students who are identified as a close contact, but have no symptoms and test negative, to remain attending school as long as they continue to test negative each day over a period of seven days.
The rollout will take place over two to three weeks, and rapid tests will be available at school.
“Much of the planning for this began immediately upon notification by the state in August, and now that the state vendor supporting the testing effort has brought on the appropriate personnel, this effort can begin,” Tutwiler said. “The weekly testing model will begin shortly thereafter.”
Tutwiler mentioned that a vaccine for children under the age of 12 is expected to be available by the end of October.
Tutwiler also shared some positive updates in his report to the School Committee.
LPS has launched nearly all of its beginning-of-the-year programs during the day and after school.
With students in school full-time, in person, LPS is offering resources and activities for students to engage academically and recreationally.
In regards to transportation, Tutwiler said more than 90 percent of riders are arriving on time to school each day.
While these areas of success should be celebrated, Tutwiler said they “should not and will not overshadow the concerns.”
“Go slow to go fast,” Tutwiler said. “Slow would be an inappropriate and inaccurate descriptor for the actions related to work to ensure a safe and successful start to the school year.”
Tutwiler said the district is carefully and thoughtfully implementing new pieces of its plan, and continues to embrace feedback and act upon its philosophical foundation, which includes clear and frequent communication.
“All of this together will provide stability and allow us to continue all facets tied to our theme: Stabilize, Heal, and Transform,” Tutwiler said.
