Frequently Asked Questions

If my child is sick, can I use an at home antigen/rapid COVID-19 test to allow them to return to school?

Yes, we do now accept at home antigen/rapid COVID-19 test results. Please contact your pediatrician for further evaluation if your child has more than mild symptoms. Regardless of the test result, if your child is experiencing symptoms of illness, please keep them home until their symptoms begin to improve and they are fever-free without the use of fever-reducing medication for 24 hours.

Will my child have to wear a mask to school?

Wellesley Public Schools is mask-optional. We ask that all mask decisions are respected.

Face coverings are key to reducing the spread of COVID-19, and are effective, especially when used in combination with physical distancing and proper hand washing. Some people are infected with COVID-19 and don’t have symptoms (asymptomatic); face coverings help reduce the spread by containing the infected person’s respiratory droplets from traveling to other people. View the CDC Guidelines

Helpful Hints:

Put your child’s name on their mask.
Pack an extra mask that your child can use during school if their mask needs to be changed. We will have extra masks but your child may feel more comfortable wearing a mask from home.

Bandanas and gaiter face coverings are not allowed because they do not seal the face and tend to be touched and adjusted more frequently by the user.
Extra masks will be available at school.

What will the protocol be for washing hands throughout the school day?

Students and staff are encouraged to wash hands:

when they enter the building
when they change class
before and after eating
after using the restroom
after recess
at the end of the day

Students will be encouraged to use soap and water when possible. Hand sanitizer stations are being installed in every classroom as well as strategic locations in each building. If you do not want your child to use hand sanitizer, please notify your school nurse.

Should my child get the flu vaccine this year?

The influenza vaccine is always important to receive in order to reduce the risk of getting sick with influenza, reduce the severity of disease if you do get sick, as well as preventing the spread of influenza to others. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the influenza vaccine will be especially critical to reduce the overall impact of respiratory illness.

If my child is diagnosed with COVID-19, will his/her/their privacy be maintained?

Your child’s name will not be revealed if diagnosed with COVID-19. No personal identification will be given to others.

If my child becomes sick at school, why do I have to pick him/her/them up as soon as possible?

If a student is assessed and found to have symptoms that are suspicious of COVID-19, it is very important to have your child picked up as soon as possible so that other students and staff aren’t exposed, and potential spread can be contained.

Why is it important for me to call my child’s school nurse when they are home sick?

Communication with your child’s school nurse about illness is very important so that nurses can track illnesses in the school and community, maximize the health and safety of all students and staff, and provide you with updated information.

Please note that these guidelines are subject to change according to updated data that we receive from CDC, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Wellesley Board of Health.

September 2023