School committee confirms end of in‑school “test and stay” and stops in‑school contact tracing

The Blackstone‑Millville School District Regional School Committee confirmed on Jan. 24 that it has discontinued the in‑school "test and stay" option and will no longer perform in‑school contact tracing for close contacts, effective immediately. Chair (speaker 1) told the committee the policy change, which was approved at a prior meeting, means the district will only test students who present symptoms at school and will send home anyone who tests positive.

Dr. DeFalco (speaker 2), who led the budget workshop portion of the meeting, said: "That is effective today, as far as the discontinuing of the test and stay and the ... discontinuing of contact tracing as well." He added that families should continue to notify Karen if there is a positive case in their home so the district can plan accordingly.

Committee members asked for clarification about differences between in‑school and out‑of‑school close‑contact rules. The chair said out‑of‑school protocols remain unchanged and noted state Department of Public Health and Education guidance has not yet been updated; Dr. DeFalco said the district had checked for updated guidance and had not received the new protocols from the state at the time of the meeting.

Several members raised concerns about the practical effect: one member noted that a student who is a close contact at school (for example, sitting near someone at lunch) might not be notified, while a student who was a close contact outside school would still be excluded under state rules. Dr. DeFalco defended the local change by noting in‑school masking and distancing, and said current in‑school measures remain in place until the district receives any new state guidance.

The committee did not record a separate roll‑call vote or further formal action in the transcript beyond the clarification and discussion. The committee moved on to budget items after confirming the procedural change.