Voluntary “pooled testing” for COVID-19 may be coming to a school near you. Alternative Organizational Structure 98 Superintendent Bob Kahler told the Edgecomb School Committee Oct. 4 about a state program which offers voluntary group testing. Kahler was Lisbon High School’s principal last year; LHS participated in pooled testing.

Twenty-five student volunteers are placed in a pool, and tested once a week. A nurse swabs the pools’ mouths. The data is placed in a test tube and sent for analysis. If there is a positive test, the entire pool is tested the next day individually to identify the positive case. 

“The goal is catching cases when they are asymptomatic, and hopefully prevent more of an outbreak,” Kahler told the Edgecomb School Committee. 

Pooled testing requires parental approval. If there is a close contact, then those in the pooled testing wouldn’t be required to quarantine. But unvaccinated students would have to quarantine, according to Kahler. 

No AOS 98 school is currently participating in the state program, but Kahler reported each one has applied. Kahler said the biggest obstacle in starting pooled testing is manpower. “The test is easy. The nurse takes care of that. It’s the record keeping which is time consuming and is a full-time job in itself.”

Mahler reported the AOS is advertising for a pooled testing record keeper. 

In other action, the committee made member Nichole Price this year’s representative to the Maine School Boards’ Association’s annual conference held virtually on Oct. 28 and 29. The committee also changed a teacher in-service date from Nov. 12 to Nov. 29. 

The committee held an executive session to discuss ongoing contract negotiations with the support staff. Kahler reported the committee took no action following the session. 

The committee meets next at 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 8.