The Baldwin City School Board has recently approved random COVID-19 testing at BHS to those students and staff who choose to be on the list. The testing will be done by the Douglas County Health Department in November and December.

“The testing that the health department will provide is a saliva test,” USD 348 nurse Lisa Pattrick said. “Once the saliva test is complete, a Kansas City testing agency will pick up the sample, test it and have the results in 24 hours.”

The county is wanting to start testing in USD 348 on Nov. 30.They will test twice a month in the months after. They are hoping this will identify more A-Symptomatic cases within the school. 

“Testing the students will be beneficial in helping to detect any students that aren’t showing symptoms of COVID but are still carrying the virus and potentially exposing others,” Pattrick said.

Head principal Brant Brittingham also is supportive of the testing decision.

“We will better be able to trace any A-symptomatic cases that we might have walking around our buildings,” Brittingham said. “Then we could likely see just how effective our migration strategies have been vs. other districts with different producers.”

Testing will be optional for any students and staff who choose to be on the testing list. A student can only participate if their parent/guardian has signed a consent form.