BARRINGTON HIGH SCHOOL www.barringtonhigh.

org
220 Lincoln Avenue, Barrington, Rhode Island 02806 Tel: 401-247-3150 Fax: 401-245-6170

Joseph D. Hurley, Principal Edward M. Daft, Assistant Principal

George E. Finn, Director of Athletics/Student Activities Allison F. Scanlon, Assistant Principal

“A National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence”

September 28, 2021

Dear Staff, Parents/Guardians, and Students at Barrington High School,

On Sunday September 26, 2021, Barrington High School was notified that a student in grade 12
and a staff member tested positive for COVID-19. The student’s last day in school was Thursday
September 23rd and the staff member’s was Friday September 24th. No students and five staff have
been identified as close contacts. All staff have been vaccinated and will be tested but are able to
remain in school.
On Monday September 27, 2021, Barrington High School was notified that a student in grade 10
and five students in grade 12 tested positive for COVID-19. The students were present in school.
There were 8 unvaccinated close contacts who will be directed to test and quarantine.
On Tuesday September 28, 2021, Barrington High School was notified that two students in grade
12, two students in grade 11, and two students in grade 10 tested positive for COVID-19.
Barrington High School is still in the process of contract tracing for these students. There were
five unvaccinated students, to date, who will be directed to test and quarantine.
Several of these cases are connected to Barrington High School sports teams and associated
activities. We would like to remind our students to maintain COVID protocols on and off the field,
including avoiding the sharing of water bottles, masking where required, and social distancing.
We appreciate the support of our students and families in engaging in our onsite testing
protocols. As a result of onsite testing, we were able to immediately identify positive close
contacts and additional cases. If you have not completed the testing consent form, and would
like your student to test in school, please complete this link. As a reminder all athletes are
subject to testing.
RIDOH has delegated the responsibility of contact tracing within schools to school administrators and
nurses. RIDOH may or may not contact you directly. As such, the administration contacted the
students and staff impacted today September 29, 2021. If you or your child were not contacted by the
administration, you/they are not under a request to stay at home. RIDOH will continue contact tracing
external to the school.
Close contact means being within 6 feet of someone with COVID-19 for 15 minutes or longer over a
24-hour period.  Being that close to a person with COVID-19 for 15 minutes or longer over a 24-hour
period means you could contract COVID-19 from the person. People spread COVID-19 through small
droplets of saliva that get into the air around them when they talk.  Someone close by can breathe in
those droplets and contract COVID-19.  Even when wearing a face mask, a person with COVID-19 could
spread the infection to someone in close proximity.  
Unvaccinated close contacts must quarantine test immediately with a PCR test (stay at home) for 7 days
from date exposure, re-test on day 5 or later with a PCR, and return to school on day 8 with a negative
PCR test in accordance with Executive Order 21-94. Those who do not test must remain home 14 days
after the day they were in close contact with the person with COVID-19, and return on day 15 if
symptom-free.
Vaccinated close contacts must be tested immediately in school and then again with a PCR in 3-5 days
after exposure in accordance with Executive Order 21-94 and wear a mask in indoor public places until
they receive a negative test. Vaccinated individuals do not need to quarantine unless symptoms develop,
then retest-as always monitor for symptoms for a full 14 days.
Even if a person is not a close contact, all staff and students should watch for symptoms of COVID-19.
Symptoms of COVID-19 can include a cough, fever and chills, muscle and body aches, headache, runny
nose or stuffy nose, sore throat, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, and a recent loss of taste or smell.
Children usually experience symptoms that are milder than adults. 
Anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 should stay home from school, notify the school of their symptoms,
and contact their healthcare provider for advice. Staff or students with symptoms can call the PreK-12
COVID-19 Test Scheduling Service at 844-857-1814 to schedule a test.  You do not have to pay for
testing. Even if you don’t have health insurance, you can get a test.  The classrooms, bathrooms, and
other spaces used by the students and staff will be cleaned before students/staff return in accordance
with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Rhode Island
Department of Health. 

Should you have any questions, please contact Nurse Lafreniere lafrenieret@barringtonschools.org
or Principal Hurley hurleyj@barringtonschools.org. For additional information about COVID-19, visit:
https://health.ri.gov/covid/

Sincerely, 

Joseph D. Hurley
Principal

JDH:caa

Barrington Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, national or ethnic origin, gender, religion, disability, age, sexual orientation,
sex, gender identity or expression, citizenship, or status as a disabled veteran, or past or present honorable military service, or any other protected category with
respect to access to, the provision of, or employment in its educational services, programs, and activities, including admissions, athletics and other BPS program as
required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title
VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1965, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and other federal and state laws that prohibit discrimination. The following
person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Equity Officer, Assistant Superintendent; 401-245-5000 x 2.
You may also direct inquiries directly to the Office for Civil Rights (Boston Office), U.S. Department of Education, 8th Floor, 5 Post Office Square, Boston, MA
02109-3921, Telephone: (617) 289-0111; Facsimile: (617) 289-0150; Email: OCR.Boston@ed.gov. If you require an accommodation to attend a meeting or program
at a school, call the Equal Employment Officer at least two business days in advance of the meeting or program. If you require an accommodation to attend a
District meeting or program, call the Equity Officer at least two business days in advance of the meeting or program, or the school principal to attend a
building-based event.