Melrose Schools Testing Returned Extremely Low Positive Rate

MELROSE, MA — Less than half of 1 percent of students and staff tested during last week's program were positive for the coronavirus, the superintendent announced Tuesday evening.

Only nine of the 1,532 tests conducted over four days came back positive, five students and four adults. Two of the adults tested were not students or staff; Superintendent Julie Kukenberger said it was due to translation issues.

The testing was only eligible for students and staff who are learning or working in the schools.

The School Committee approved Kukenberger's request for a $284,766 transfer to fund the four days of testing, which cost $107,240 — or $70 per test. That leaves $177,526 to help fund further testing.

What that further testing will look like is still up in the air. Kukenberger presented three plans — including one offered by the state — during the meeting.

The district went fully remote during the week of testing coming out of winter break. Kukenberger called it "probably one of the toughest decisions I've had to make this year."

Mike Carraggi can be reached at mike.carraggi@patch.com. Follow him on Twitter @PatchCarraggi. Subscribe to Melrose Patch for free local news and alerts and like us on Facebook.