What To Know About Braintree's School Safety Reopening Plan

Braintree MA

27 August, 2021

3:58 PM

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BRAINTREE, MA — The Braintree School Committee on Wednesday shared the district's COVID-19 protocols for reopening schools. Yes, masks are still required inside for all students, faculty, staff and visitors, at least until Oct. 1. But there's plenty of changes to last year's pandemic safety measures parents need to be aware of, before Braintree students return to the classroom on Sept. 1. The biggest changes are there are no more physical distancing requirements or hybrid classes this year. Students are in-person, five days a week. High school and middle school classes are going back to their rotating bell schedules, like in 2019. COVID-19 exposure protocol is also a lot more relaxed than the previous school year. Students who test positive for the virus will still need to self-isolate for at least 10 days. They can return to school on the 11th day as long as they are symptom-free without needing medication. Repeat testing will not be required to return to school. Where the changes come is in how close contacts are defined. Rather than 6 feet, students are only considered a close contact if they were within less than 3 feet of someone who tests positive for 15 minutes or more. This applies whether the close contact was masked or unmasked. If a student is vaccinated an asymptomatic, they aren't required to quarantine or get tested. But if a student is unvaccinated and asymptomatic, they don't necessarily have to quarantine, though they still can if that's what the parent or guardian wants their child to do. Instead, students can enter the "Test and Stay" program. The seven-day program means if a student is exposed, they go to the nurse's office and get tested for five days. As long as they test negative, the student can return to class and participate in sports. They are required to quarantine when not in school or at extracurricular activities. "We don't default to a positive," said Tom Devin, the chair of the school committee. "We use a test and stay program. We're trying to use common sense with this and not send kids home." Protocols for sporting events were not yet clear, but school officials said the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is considering providing students with rapid, at-home COVID-19 tests they can present to their coach before a game or practice. Unvaccinated students who are symptomatic must quarantine at home and get tested on day five after exposure. School officials said they must quarantine through day seven and can return to school on day eight as long as their test comes back negative. Bus transportationBuses will once again be running at full capacity. On Aug. 20, school officials notified families if their child is eligible for bus transportation. Social distancing isn't required on school buses, but per federal mandate, all the windows still need to be open. Masks are also still required, but close contact protocol doesn't apply to students when riding the bus. When will the mask mandate be lifted.The mask mandate is in place until at least Oct. 1, but according to DESE, middle and high school students won't have to wear masks after the mandate expires, as long as their school has at least an 80 percent vaccination rate. School Nursing Director Kristen Houlihan said 50 percent of Braintree students ages 12-15 are fully vaccinated, and 80 percent of 16-19-year-old students have also gotten both shots or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. This means elementary school students, who are not yet eligible for the vaccine, will stay masked after Oct. 1. Devin said the school committee will meet again before the end of September to reevaluate the mask policy.