For this letter in Spanish, please click
here.
Dear Parents and Guardians:
The winter holidays are a time for celebration and gathering with loved ones. Unfortunately, these social gatherings can also be opportunities for COVID-19 to spread within families and communities. We encourage you to take steps to avoid contracting and spreading COVID over the holidays -- getting vaccinated, masking up when possible, practicing social distancing when possible, and washing your hands frequently with soap and water.
In addition, Chicago Public Schools is excited to provide your child with a FREE at-home COVID-19 test kit.
The purpose of this kit is to test your child for COVID-19 during the winter break. These tests are only to be used by CPS students.
To ensure you receive your child’s test result in a timely fashion, YOU ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO TEST YOUR CHILD ON TUESDAY DEC. 28., AND YOU MUST DROP THE TEST KIT OFF AT YOUR NEAREST FEDEX DROP BOX ON THE SAME DAY. Find information about drop box locations and pickup hours at color.com/fedex-dropbox.
The more students get tested, the better we will be able to prevent COVID from spreading in school and in the community.
Here’s how to use your at-home COVID-19 test kit. (Visit color.com/readycheckgo-cps for a video guide on how to use your test kit).
○ NOTE: After creating your login and password, you will receive an email from support@color.com to confirm your email address.
○ NOTE: You must create a login and password for the at-home kit, even if you have already signed your child up for regular weekly testing at your school.
● Step 3: Select “I’m interested in COVID-19 services”
● Step 4: Add your child as a dependent by clicking “Add Dependent”.
○ NOTE: You will need your child’s Student ID to activate the test. If you do not know your child’s CPS ID, you can find it by checking the last progress report or report card, or on your student’s ID Card. For further information on finding your child’s CPS ID, please visit www.cps.edu/sites/back-to-school/support/cps-account.
● Step 5: Select Activate Kit.
● Step 6: Complete the Pre-Test Survey, which asks if the student currently has COVID-19 symptoms.
● Step 7: Read the information about COVID-19 Testing, check the box confirming you have read the information, and check the box consenting to the test.
● Step 8: Enter the information about the person who will be tested.
● Step 9: Open the test kit. Take the two codes on the testing tube and enter them onto the screen.
○ NOTE: If the barcode is entered incorrectly, an error message will appear at the top of the screen.
● Step 10: Use the directions in the test kit to collect the sample. For a web version of the directions, click here.
● Step 11: Drop your sample off at a FedEx Drop Box
○ NOTE: You MUST drop off the sample the same day it is collected in order to receive an accurate result. Find information about locations and pickup hours at color.com/fedex-dropbox. Make sure to drop it off on a weekday. FedEx won’t accept samples on a Saturday or Sunday. Not all FedEx stores accept samples so make sure you are dropping the sample off at a FedEx drop box.
● Step 12: Await your test result.
You can receive test results via text, email, or by accessing your account on home.color.com. For questions about your results, contact ReadyCheckGo Support by phone at 844-658-0388, Option 1 or email: readycheckgo@color.com. They are available daily, 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. CST
In addition, Color, our testing vendor, will be holding two webinars for families:
If your child tests positive for COVID-19, please notify the school, self report to the district cps.edu/COVIDresults, and isolate for 10 days. Please DO NOT send a child with a positive COVID-19 test result to school for in-classroom instruction until their isolation period is completely over. Unvaccinated household members of a positive person must quarantine.
As always, if you are experiencing any COVID like symptoms, regardless of vaccination, you must stay home and wait for test results before returning to school.
Finally, we want to remind you that vaccination is the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones from COVID-19. Vaccines are safe, widely available, and free. Furthermore, vaccinated students who are exposed to COVID-19 but do not show symptoms are not required to quarantine, and can attend school. To find a vaccine opportunity nea you, search http://vaccines.gov, text your ZIP code to 438829, call 1-800-232-0233, or visit cps.edu/vaccinations for additional opportunities.
We thank you in advance for doing your part to stop the spread of COVID-19 in schools and in the community.
Thank you,
Chicago Public Schools
