Some MA Schools Delay Reopening For COVID Testing

MASSACHUSETTS — A growing list of Massachusetts school districts —including Burlington, Lexington and Newbury — say they will either delay opening or cancel classes entirely on Monday to allow teachers and staff to get tested after the winter break.

The delays come at the same time the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education said 200,000 rapid COVID tests that were to have been distributed to teachers and school staff members had been delayed because of "national supply chain constraints."

That plan, announced earlier this week and quickly blasted by the state's largest teacher union, was meant to make sure every teacher and school staff member could take two COVID tests before schools reopened on Monday.

With the delayed arrival of the tests, the Massachusetts Teachers Association is pressuring DESE Commissioner Jeff Riley to cancel school across the state on Monday to allow for coronavirus testing.

"We recognize that delaying some students’ return to school poses challenges for families. But if there were a blizzard on Sunday evening, nobody would question the wisdom of declaring Monday a snow day," MTA president Merrie Najimy said.

Among the districts that have canceled so far:

• Burlington is having a staff development day Monday to allow teachers to get and take the tests. "We are also concerned with the amount of staff who could be out on Monday," Burlington Superintendent Eric Conti told WCVB, which first reported this story.
• Cambridge Public Schools canceled school on Monday, Jan. 3, and Tuesday, Jan. 4, to allow more time for testing for students and faculty following the holiday break.
• Lexington schools canceled Monday classes before the delay was announced to make sure teachers and staff could get tested. "Hopefully COVID-19 tests promised to MA schools arrive soon," Superintendent Julie Hackett said in a tweet.
• School will start two hours later than usual Monday in Newbury so teachers can collect the tests and KN95 masks the state is also sending to local school districts.

Patch will update the list above as we hear of more school cancellations and delays for Monday.