Parents, we are currently experiencing a higher level of COVID activity in the community than last year.  Testing is an important part of our strategy for keeping school open during this time. 

We all know how challenging life has been during the pandemic and the stress it has caused on families -- especially when it comes to having to quarantine for symptoms or a close contact situation. Long quarantines are not ideal for learning and social development. The CDC and the state recently changed the requirements for the length of quarantine for someone who has come into close contact with a person diagnosed with COVID.  You can read our letter here. Testing plays an important role in shorter quarantine times.

In an effort to reduce the amount of time our families have to wait for COVID test results, we can now provide testing for staff and students who have been identified as a close contact to someone with COVID, or who have symptoms, here at the school. This will also help reduce the strain on local medical offices and the hassle of getting your kids to a testing location. 

There are a few things we would like you to know:

We will never test a student without a signed permission slip and the parent present. The parent or student is usually the one to administer the shallow nasal swab. This swab only needs to be inserted ¼ to ½ inch into the nose.

We currently offer two different tests to our students and staff.

• Rapid antigen tests. We currently offer this test to quickly screen for a positive. If a rapid test comes back negative, it is followed with a PCR test to confirm the results.  
• PCR tests. This test will be given with parental consent after a student has experienced COVID-19 symptoms and the rapid test showed negative. Parents will not be charged for this test, but if you have insurance, your insurance will be billed. You will be sent a link after giving consent for the test, and you will enter your insurance information there. Your student’s results will also be available to you within the next 48-72 hours.

We are not a public testing site. We cannot offer testing for anyone other than our students and staff as it is needed. (Again, please be assured that we will not test anyone without explicit consent and a signed permission form)

If members of your family who are not students in Lyle School develop symptoms, it’s still important to get tested.  

Where can you get tested?  The first step is to call your medical provider or the Klickitat County Public Health Department at 509-773-4565. The health department's hours are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The following medical clinics all offer PCR testing for non-patients by appointment:

• North Shore Medical Group in Bingen
• MCMC in The Dalles
• Klickitat Valley Health in Goldendale

For contact information and more testing site options, go to  https://www.gorgeimpact.com/testing