Communications
Clear, consistent communications is critical to building support for the testing program within your community. This page includes examples and templates to help you with each step of the communications process.
What you can find here…
Three Phase Communications Plan
Before Launch
2 weeks before launch day
Host webinar for school leaders, teachers, and staff
Host webinar for parents and caregivers
Create webpage / send detailed email with program basics
Identify program champions within your district or program
Launching the Program
1 week before launch day & first week of launch
Send introductory email communications to families & staff
Post on social media platforms
Principals/Directors send school or site specific communications
After Launch
1 week after launch day & moving forward
Send or post a communication 1-2 times per week to update on program, share results, and increase participation
2 weeks post launch: host another webinar for school community
Organize phone campaign to increase program participation
Introducing the Program
Toolkit Template:
Slide Deck for Introducing Routine COVID Safety Checks to Your Community
Click the link to download & customize
Toolkit Template: Introducing the Program to Families
This template contains:
Introductory Email
Text message
Robo-Call
Facebook, Instagram and Twitter Posts
Click the button to download & customize
Toolkit Template:
Take Home One-Pager for Parents
Toolkit Template:
Introducing the Program to Educators
This template contains an introductory email.
Click the link to download & customize
Key Messages for Students and Families
Routine COVID Safety Checks are one layer of protection that helps us attend school in person safely
Routine COVID Safety Checks can quickly detect, trace, and isolate COVID-19 positive individuals. This will help us lower the risk of transmission and allow us to have more consistent in-person instruction.
Safety Checks are quick and easy and are not painful or invasive
Participating in the safety check is free
The program is voluntary but is strongly encouraged to help reduce the spread of COVID-19
Guardians need to sign a one-time consent form for their students to participate in routine safety checks
The process is fast, easy, and does not hurt. Here are some video examples. We recommend you use one of these or create your own featuring a school leader or student
Video: Child Self-Swabbing
Social Story:What if I need to be tested for COVID-19? Developed by Community Autism Resources
Tips for Communicating with Students and Families
Remind families that “no news is good news”: if they don’t hear back about results, they can assume their student is negative
Communicate regularly with students and families about how the program is going
Ensure that consent forms are in multiple languages and available both on paper and electronically
Create and widely distribute a FAQ (see examples)
Ensure any communication about the program is accessible and available in multiple languages. Utilize video if possible for greater accessibility
Create a short video showing how the test is performed, ideally in collaboration with a school leader and / or a student
Host a Facebook Live or Zoom webinar to review the safety check process and answer questions and concerns from students and parents / guardians
Post about Routine COVID Safety Checks regularly on social media and on your school website
Send regular texts, robo calls, and/or email about testing
Include in Superintendent / Principal newsletter
Key Messages for Educators and Other School Staff
We are offering Routine COVID Safety Checks as an additional layer to the protocols we have been taking to ensure that staff and students are as safe as possible
Routine COVID Safety Checks can quickly detect individuals positive with COVID-19. This will help us lower the risk of transmission in schools and allow us to have more consistent in-person instruction.
Schools that have implemented testing programs have done so smoothly with minimal interruptions to teaching and learning
The safety check is fast, easy, and painless
Tips for Communicating with Educators and Other School Staff
Host a webinar to clearly outline your plan for Routine COVID Safety Checks
Highlight the processes you have put in place to reduce concerns around disruption to class time. This should include clear scheduling logistics and staffing with timelines
For example: Medford Public Schools utilized testing stations for students to walk through; during week 2 of their program, full elementary school classes were able to come in and out of the station in under 5 minutes
Provide a clear FAQ that is posted on staff websites and included in other staff communications
Statewide Union Support for Routine COVID Safety Checks
February 4th MTA / AFT-MA Webinar on pooled testing program
Getting Consent
Consent Form Templates
in Multiple Languages
Click the link to download consent forms in multiple languages, developed and maintained by DESE
English Spanish Chinese Portuguese Arabic Haitian Creole
Why do you need consent?
As with most school programs involving students, you will need to get permission from parents and guardians. Because this is a medical procedure and in some cases you’ll need to report follow-up test results to public health officials, it’s important to get everyone’s consent up front - even educators, staff, and students who are 18 and over. An individual only needs to submit one form to give consent for safety checks each week.
FAQ: I’m already doing symptomatic testing with BinaxNOW and have consents for that. Do I need another consent form?
Answer: Yep! This program is slightly different so you’ll need to get everyone to sign a new consent. The new consent form covers all COVID testing: pooled testing, Binax, and any individual PCR follow ups.
What specifically do I need consent for?
Administering the pooled test
Administering and reporting any follow-up tests
Consent forms must include consent to transmit student information via the provided technology platform
Parents / guardians of all students should be informed that they may opt out of the voluntary testing program or revoke consent at any time for any reason.
How to Collect Consent
School districts should determine which method(s) of collecting consent work best for their district and families.
Four Options for Collecting Consent and
Building Your Safety Check Team Roster
When determining which method(s) to use, consider your community, including: literacy levels, translation needs, email access/responsiveness, preference for phone conversation and verbal consent, preference for paper communication, preference for electronic google forms, etc.
None of the testing service providers require you to utilize a platform’s electronic consent, but you will be required to input/upload information and confirm you have obtained consent at certain points in your testing process.
Best Practices & Tips For Getting Consent
Provide consent forms in multiple languages.
Offer support over the phone for those who need assistance or have questions.
Some districts have found it useful to have a “due date” to encourage sign ups prior to starting testing, but make sure it is clear that students can join the program at any time by submitting the consent form. Nearly all districts find that the size of the program grows over the weeks as word spreads among families that it is safe, gentle, and effective.
Tip! Google forms are a great way to quickly and easily collect consent from families and staff.
Email us at CovidEdTesting@shahfoundation.org for our google form templates and help setting them up.
Consent
FAQs
for vendors in the current DESE Program
Am I required to upload my roster to the platform before routine safety checks start?
CIC Health: No, you only need to add those who need follow-up testing
Project Beacon: Yes, you need to add your initial roster before you begin pooled testing, but can add new people as you go!
Ginkgo: No, you only need to add those who need follow-up testing
Besides names, what other information goes into the platform?
All vendors: Public health law requires you to report contact and demographic info for anyone who receives a follow-up test, including: First and last name, Date of Birth, Sex, Race, Ethnicity, Full address, Parent first and last name, Parent contact phone/email
What platform will I upload the roster to, when it’s time.
CIC Health & Project Beacon: Project Beacon platform
Ginkgo: Concentric by Gingko platform
Can individuals electronically consent and get added to my roster automatically?
CIC Health & Project Beacon: Yep! Send them the Project Beacon software unique link.
Ginkgo: Yep! Send them the Concentric software unique link!
In addition to the software systems provided by test vendors, many districts keep a comprehensive list of which people are signed up for testing outside of the software, in a spreadsheet or an existing school database.
Be sure to update your roster - wherever you keep it - as new people sign up for your testing program!
Launching the Program & Increasing Participation
Signing students, staff and educators up is an ongoing process. Be sure to announce when the program begins via all your various platforms!
From Lexington Public Schools
From Plympton Public Schools
From Holyoke High School
Increasing Participation in the Program
Engage school leaders (principals, teacher leaders, school parent council members, coaches, etc.)
Repetition: establish a regular drumbeat about the programs importance
Build community: share why this is important to the school and the community
Goals: Set and share public goals for participation
Keep it simple: schools collect consent / permission forms for programs all the time. Don’t over-complicate it & think about what strategies have worked for you in the past.
Toolkit Template:
Flyers for Students and Families
Ongoing Communications
Launching the program is only the beginning! Regular communications via email and social media help showcase the results of the program and increase participation numbers.
From Attleboro Public Schools
From Medway Public Schools
From Medfield Public Schools
Communicating about Positive Cases
When you get a positive result, it’s critical to think about how you communicate with your community. When you are in an on-site pooling model, you will need to plan for clear and timely communication with those who need to return for follow-up testing. The details of what you communicate will depend on your specific follow-up testing protocols and schedule.
This section contains key messages and templates for communications about positive cases.
Key Messages
To your community - message this finding as a success and a reason for more people to participate in the program.
Stay calm and be clear about what a positive pool does and does not mean. It does mean that a positive case has been found in the school. It does not mean that everyone in the positive pool is infected or a close contact. It does not mean that everyone in the classroom of the positive case is infected or a close contact.
For on-site pooling, provide clear instructions to members of a positive pool about how and when to return for follow-up testing.
Toolkit Template (On-Site Pooled Testing):
Positive Pool Communication Phone Script
Click the link to a copy and customize.
Toolkit Template (On-Site Pooled Testing):
Positive Pool Communications Email Template
Click the link to a copy and customize.
Communications Templates and Examples
Example Introductory Communications
Template: Slide Deck for Introducing Pooled Testing to Your Community
Template: Introducing Pooled Testing to Families
Template: Pooled Testing Launch Comms to Educators and Staff
Staff & Pooled Testing Tips (Watertown) (scroll down for sample email)
Testing program launch letter and consent - English and Spanish (Holyoke)
Example Introductory Webinars
Template: Slides - Introducing Pooled Testing
Example Consent Forms and Related Communications
DESE Consent Forms Templates: Folder contains consent forms for minors and adults in English, Spanish, Chinese, Portuguese, Arabic, and Haitian Creole
Example FAQs
Example Ongoing Communications
Example Swab Collection Videos
Example District Websites