WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31, 2021
VOLUNTARY COVID-19 RAPID TEST KITS
About the BinaxNOW Rapid Test

Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools (GJPS) is pleased to partner with Franklin County Public Health (FCPH) and the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) to offer a limited number of VOLUNTARY at-home COVID-19 rapid test for students and staff use prior to returning to school following spring break.

The BinaxNOW Test is a 15-minute rapid antigen test used to detect an active COVID-19 infection. The test was developed by Abbott Laboratories and approved for use by the U.S Federal Drug Administration (FDA).
Who Should Use the Rapid Test

GJPS is providing a limited number of the test kits as a proactive response to identify students and staff who may have been exposed to COVID-19 before they return to school following spring break. A limited number of kits are only available to current GJPS students and current GJPS staff members.

Symptomatic Individuals: This BinaxNOW Test is recommended for individuals suspected of COVID-19. It should be used within the first seven days of symptom onset.

Asymptomatic Individuals: For asymptomatic individuals with a known exposure or identified as a close contact to a probable/confirmed COVID-19 case, the test should be completed 4-7 days after the last exposure to the contact.

However, a negative test result will not remove the 10-day quarantine requirement if exposed to a probable/confirmed contact.

Use of these kits is DISCOURAGED for asymptomatic individuals with no known exposure or contact with a probable/confirmed COVID-19 case.  
How the Test is Administered

The at-home COVID-19 antigen testing provides rapid results in 15 minutes, while in the safety and convenience of the home. 

A trained telehealth professional guides the individual through the at-home self-test via video call.

The NAVICA mobile app downloaded to a smartphone or tablet, allows the individual to:
  • Display their COVID-19 test result
  • Review previously-stored COVID-19 test results
  • Share results with organizations, employers, and schools to verify negative test results
  • Positive test results are reported to ODH through the NAVICA mobile app.
How to Request a Test Kit While Supplies Last

A request form for the BinaxNOW test kit must be completed in advance of pick up.

Please indicate the number of test kits you are requesting by identifying your students who will be using the kit or yourself as a staff member. You may NOT request more kits than the number of students you have enrolled in Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools. 
COMING SOON GJPS VACCINATION CLINIC
Vaccination Clinic for GJPS 16-18 Year-Olds
As of March 29, children who are at least 16 years old are now eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

GJPS is working with Nationwide Children’s Hospital (NCH) to host a vaccination clinic for Gahanna Lincoln High School students to receive the two doses of the Pfizer vaccine.

NCH has indicated that children must be at least 16 years of age by the date of the clinic to be vaccinated.

Tentative Dates
The GLHS vaccination clinic will be held during the school day.
  • First dose: Friday, April 16
  • Second dose: Friday, May 7

What You Should Know
Families who want their student vaccinated will be asked to complete and submit a consent form to Nationwide Children’s Hospital. More information and the consent form will follow next week.

At this time, GJPS is only receiving 600 vaccines which are not enough for all of our 16-18 year-old students. When final details are available, we will send a registration form and students will be vaccinated on a first-come, first-served basis. We are unsure if we will receive additional vaccines at a later time and recommend families also visit Franklin County Public Health COVID-19 Vaccination Information for more information about other vaccine appointment availability.
TOO GOOD To Miss
We recognize families have been inundated with information about the pandemic, and we have worked hard to simplify communication about COVID-19 so you can find the resources that matter most to you and your family.

You can access the GJPS COVID-19 Resource Website in two ways.


  • Access the site from the homepage of the GJPS district website. If you previously had our COVID-19 information page from the district site bookmarked, you may need to refresh your bookmarks to add the new website.
CHECK Us Out
GJPS has very active Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube accounts.

Please check us out and LIKE US, give us a comment or tweet and SHARE us!

Have a question about something school related? We bet you can find the answer at www.GahannaSchools.org.
Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools | (614) 471-7065 | www.GahannaSchools.org