Dear WES Families, 

I hope your week is off to a great start!

Per our previous communications, WES is now requiring all students and employees to be tested twice for COVID-19 prior to the return to campus for Elementary and Middle school students in October. Children and employees who will remain at home are the only exemptions to this requirement. WES has partnered with Capital Diagnostics to offer PCR testing on campus on Thursday, October 1, and Thursday, October 8, from 1- 7 p.m. for the convenience of our families. The costs of the testing are covered by private insurance, or by the State of Maryland for those without insurance. There is no charge to families for participating. 

About PCR Testing
  • A PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test detects viral RNA, which will be present in the body before antibodies form or symptoms of the disease are present. These tests can tell whether or not someone has the virus very early on.

  • There are different types of PCR tests. One requires the examiner to probe fairly deeply into the nasopharyngeal cavity. WES is using an alternative, and less invasive, PCR test. Our test requires a swab of the nasal cavity that will be 1 cm (approximately .4 inches) deep for roughly 10 seconds. 

On-Site Testing 
  • Both the October 1 and the October 8 tests are mandatory for all WES employees and students. Only students and faculty who will not come to campus for any activities are exempt from this requirement. 
  • We will have balloons and stickers during the testing sessions to make the process a little more comfortable for our younger students. 
  • The entire testing process should take only a minute or two as there will be multiple stations. 
  • Pre-registration is strongly recommended. You can do so HERE. The site code is WEPISCOPAL. You will also need to fill out THIS consent form and bring it with you to the testing site. 
  • By signing the consent form mentioned above, you agree for Capital Diagnostics to release your child’s test results directly to the school. Capital Diagnostics will also provide results to families within 24 hours of the testing via email. 

Early Childhood:
  • Early Childhood students will be dismissed at 2 p.m. on October 1 to allow time for testing. Parents should pick-up their child at 2 p.m. at the normal pick-up spot. Staff will help parents park near the testing area.

Testing Schedule for October 1:
  • 1 p.m. - Employees are invited to start testing
  • 2 p.m. - Early Childhood students are invited to start testing
  • 3 p.m. - Middle School students are invited to start testing
  • 4 p.m. - Elementary students are invited to start testing

Walk-Up Testing
  • 1- 4 p.m. under the tent in the gym parking lot

Drive-Through Testing
  • 4 - 7 p.m. in the back parking lot near the turf field

Families with students in multiple divisions may choose a time that works for all of their family members. If you prefer to use the walk-up test versus the drive-through service or vice versa, you are welcome to do whichever works better for your student. Also, please know that if you have difficulty with the assigned time, you are welcome to access the testing at a more convenient time slot that day. There will be plenty of staff on-hand to help families find where they need to go once they are on campus.

We will monitor how smoothly the process goes on October 1 and make any adjustments as needed to the process on October 8. 

Off-Site Testing
  • You may choose to get your child tested off-campus at a site of your choice, but the test must be a PCR test. Your child will also need to be tested twice: once within seven days prior to October 5 and again seven days prior to October 13. 
  • Families who choose to test through another provider should bring a hard copy of the results to school during normal operating hours or email test results to covid@w-e-s.org. WES must receive proof of a negative test before children will be allowed to come to campus. 

You can find a FAQ about our upcoming COVID-19 testing program HERE. 

As I mentioned in previous communications, we are considering offering a regular on-site testing program for all students and employees who will be on campus. We will evaluate how our initial testing proceeds and see if the costs will continue to be covered by insurance companies before we make a final decision. 

Thank you for your continued patience and flexibility. Each week it seems we enter into more uncharted territory, and each week our students and faculty step up to the plate and knock it out of the park. While this school year will be an unusual one, I am confident that together we will make it a great one for our students.

Sincerely,
Danny Vogelman