Testing requirements eased for non-vaccinated students at Sussex-Wantage

The Sussex-Wantage Regional School District is allowing students who are not fully vaccinated to participate in extra-curricular activities without first having to go through rigorous Covid-19 testing.

The school board on Jan. 27 unanimously agreed to amend its Restart and Recovery plan with guidelines that go against those of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the New Jersey Department of Health, which recommend extra-curricular participation only for students who are fully vaccinated and screened twice weekly when transmission is high. The resolution says the district considered that recommendation but also considered the physical, social, emotional, and academic benefits to students who participate in extracurricular activities.

The Northwest Region of New Jersey, which includes Sussex County, has recently been designated orange, indicating a high spread. This is down from red, or very high spread, where had been since the week ending Dec. 25.

“While the Board of Education is compelled to comply with the law, the law does not require students to be vaccinated for Covid-19 nor screened in order to participate in extracurricular activities,” the resolution states.

D’Agostino thanked Superintendent Michael Gall for his leadership. “I personally feel we shouldn’t discriminate against kids due to their vaccination status,” he said. “I’m glad to see all kids will be able to participate.”