The West New York Board of Education today announced receipt of 8,000 COVID-19 exams, which will be provided to students of the West New York School District at no cost.
The District will be distributing the COVID exams to students this week at each school. The COVID-19 home testing kits are from Healthway Services Inc., and directions for testing are in both English and Spanish.
"Ensuring that every one of our students is healthy in school will always be our priority. COVID-19 has changed education in many aspects, but the West New York Board of Education will continue to tackle this pandemic responsibly and safely," Adam Parkinson, President of the West New York Board of Education, said.
"Throughout this pandemic, we have worked together to ensure the safety and well-being of all of our children," Clara Brito-Herrera, West New York Superintendent of Schools, said.
"In addition, we have also offered testing to our staff members within the District for the past two weeks."
The District has worked with Mayor Gabriel Rodriguez, the Town of West New York, and the Health Department throughout the pandemic.
The West New York Board of Education is especially thankful to the Township of Weehawken for assisting in securing these tests for the school district's students.
It was yet another example of the collaborative efforts among all of the North Hudson municipalities.
"Our community has been resilient throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and I am thankful to our residents for being responsible as we fight against this virus," Mayor Gabriel Rodriguez said.
"My administration will continue to work with the superintendent and the school board to provide all the necessary resources to keep our children safe."
The West New York School District returned back to full-day in-person instruction effective yesterday, Wednesday, January 18, after consulting with the West New York Department of Health.
The West New York School District would like to remind parents of the following to ensure a healthy and safe environment for all students and staff:
Parents are to screen students before they enter the building to ensure that the student adheres to the local health department and CDC guidelines.
- Do not give your child fever-reducing medication before sending them to school.
- If your child is sick (e.g. fever, vomiting, diarrhea), do not send your child to school and notify the school nurse.
- If your child has two or more other COVID symptoms (muscle aches, fatigue, congestion, headache, sore throat, runny nose, cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, loss of smell or taste), do not send your child to school and notify the school nurse.
- If your child is not fully vaccinated and is a close contact or has a potential exposure per the local health department, do not send the child to school and notify the school nurse.
The West New York Board of Education will continue monitoring the spread of the pandemic, and the latest news will be sent via robocall, text messages, and included on our website and on the respective school website.