HEADER MESSAGE
August 25, 2021
COVID-19 Testing Program Details and Procedures
Dear Rochambeau Community, (cliquez ici pour le français)

This message is to provide you with additional information about the COVID-19 testing program for our school’s students, faculty and staff. The benefits of this testing program include allowing our school to test, receive test results (within 24 hours) and notify individuals of a positive test result before coming to school or work. You may also wish to review the information shared last week. (“August 19, 2021 - Keeping our Community Healthy this School Year”)
‌
This message includes 5 key items - reminders as well as new information and instructions for COVID-19 testing:
  1. Participation in this testing program is required. This includes students, faculty and staff members, regardless of their vaccination status. 
  2. Testing required before the first day of school for all students, faculty and staff members, regardless of vaccination status. Testing is available on campus on Friday, August 27 (see details below) or you may seek testing from your own healthcare provider (see details below).
  3. Weekly Testing Schedule: Starting September 3, weekly testing will be conducted on each of our school campuses during school hours or you may seek testing from your own healthcare provider (see details below).
  4. Testing Registration: Register with our school’s testing provider, Capital Diagnostics
  5. How to prepare for COVID-19 testing
1. Participation is Required
Participation in this testing program is required. This includes students, faculty and staff members, regardless of their vaccination status.

You have the choice not to participate in on-campus testing and may obtain testing through another healthcare provider and provide us with the results. 
2. First Day of School Requirements
Test results required before the first day of school on August 30.

Results of COVID-19 testing are required before arriving for the first day of school for all students, faculty and staff members, regardless of their vaccination status. Tests must be administered within the 3 days prior to the first day of school: August 27, 28 or 29. To assist our community, testing is available at our Forest Road Campus on Friday, August 27 or you may seek testing from your own healthcare provider.
Testing at the Forest Road Campus:
Friday, August 27 from 8am - 4pm

  • Test type: Real-time RT-PCR tests (“PerkinElmer® New Coronavirus Nucleic Acid Detection Kit”). These will be administered by an anterior nasal swab that is inserted approximately 1/2 inch to collect a sample for 10-15 seconds. Click to read CDC fact sheet. This type of swab collection technique is less invasive than some other tests (nasopharyngeal swab) and is generally well tolerated by patients, including very young children. 

  • Testing Location: Forest Road Campus, 9600 Forest Road, Bethesda, MD 20814. 

  • Parking and Location Information: Testing stations will be located in the “Access Road” pick-up and drop-off area. Families should park in the visitor parking lot and will approach one of 6 testing stations as directed. Families should enter the parking lot from Montgomery Drive and will exit onto Forest Road. If you are using GPS mapping, you may use this link to the entrance of the Access Road parking lot and refer to this map of our parking lot.


  • Results reporting: Test results will be provided to families and to the school directly by Capital Diagnostics. Families will have access to their health records electronically.

  • Testing Day Schedule: To conduct the testing in an orderly and efficient way, and to minimize waiting times for families, we ask that you follow the schedule below based on the alphabetical order of your family surnames. If the time associated with your family is not possible for you, we will welcome you throughout the day and appreciate your understanding if you experience a wait time.
Testing options with your own healthcare provider:
Aug. 27, 28, or 29
Persons who wish to obtain testing outside of school may do so. 

  • Test timing: Tests should be conducted on August 27, 28 or 29. 

  • Test types: We can accept results from either PCR or Antigen tests. 

  • Results reporting: Families who choose this option must upload their test results to their child’s enrollment account (checklist), “COVID-19 Test Upload”. https://rochambeau.schooladminonline.com/ (Due to the timing of the testing, this checklist form will only be available starting on August 27.) 

  • Resources for COVID-19 Testing in our area: To assist families, we have prepared a list of several local testing locations with good reputations. This is not a comprehensive list or an endorsement of any clinic, but a resource we hope is helpful.
First Day of School - August 30
Students who do not provide COVID-19 test results, either from on-campus testing or other healthcare provider, will not be permitted to attend on-campus classes on the first day of school. If necessary, parents will be called to pick up their child.
3. Weekly Testing Begins September 3rd
On-campus testing will be conducted on Fridays on a weekly basis on each campus, though there are specificities for some of our student, teacher and staff groups.
  • September 3 and 10: Testing is required for all students, faculty and staff, regardless of vaccination status. On-campus testing available, off-campus testing if you choose.

  • Starting September 17: Persons who are fully vaccinated do not need to continue weekly testing. Students at the Maternelle (TPS - GS) will move to testing every 2 weeks rather than weekly testing.

  • High School Varsity and other Mixed Grade Level Sports and activities: Weekly testing is required for all participants in mixed grade level sports or activities, regardless of vaccination status. (Team coaches, teachers, club animators, or other school staff will provide direction to the students involved in these activities.)

  • Test results will be reviewed weekly by our school. While we believe the plan and schedule for testing outlined above will meet the needs of our community, we will continuously monitor the situation. If we observe increases or decreases in positive test results within our community, or a significant change to the local health conditions, we may adjust the frequency or scope of testing.
Testing Procedures
On testing days, our partners at Capital Diagnostics have worked with us to implement a plan to adapt to the needs of our students. 

  • Maternelle and young elementary students (TPS - 3rd grade): We anticipate testing to be conducted inside the classrooms by a small team of trained, vetted healthcare professionals. They will be particularly attentive to providing a calm and reassuring atmosphere for these young students.

  • Older elementary students and secondary students (4th - 12th grade): We anticipate a designated testing area on campus where students will come by class and/or appointment to meet with a small team of trained, vetted healthcare professionals.

  • Testing is quick and should take about 15 min per class.
Test results will be reviewed weekly by our school.
While we believe the plan and schedule for testing outlined above will meet the needs of our community, we will continuously monitor the situation. If we observe increases or decreases in positive test results within our community, or a significant change to the local health conditions, we may adjust the frequency or scope of testing.
4. How to register for the testing program: all students, faculty & staff
ALL students, faculty and staff should register with Capital Diagnostics, regardless of vaccination status.
Registration is quick and easy:

  • Enter the Office Location Code: MDHRTFS.

  • No payment is required at the time of registration or testing. This program is being offered at no out of pocket costs for families and in cooperation with the state of Maryland. Use the school testing code for payment information “Maryland K12 Schools”.

Helpful tip!
When responding to the question about “School grade level”, please use the “American” format:

TPS, PS and MS = “Pre-K”
GS = “Kindergarten”
CP = “1st grade”
CE1 = “2nd grade”
CE2 = “3rd grade”
CM1 = “4th grade”
CM2 = “5th grade”
6e = “6th grade”
5e = “7th grade”
4e = “8th grade”
3e = “9th grade”
2de = “10th grade”
1er = “11th grade”
Tle = “12th grade”
5. How to Prepare for COVID-19 Testing
Testing is quick and easy and the anterior nasal swab style of this test is generally very well tolerated for all patients, including young children. Still, we understand that some of our younger students would benefit from extra support as we begin this testing program.

  • Family Discussions: If you have not already spoken with your child about testing — why we will be doing it at Rochambeau and why it is important to keep our community members safe — we encourage you to do so. 
  • How the nasal swab test works: View this movie from Boston Children’s Hospital
  • What is it like to have a swab test? See these tips from the National Health Service (UK)
  • Helping Children Prepare: Resources from The Mayo Clinic
In the context of the current health conditions, we believe regular COVID-19 testing enhances our commitment to the health and safety of all members of our school community. We appreciate your support and careful attention to these procedures and to all the health and safety measures in place to support our school community.
Additional Useful Links