MCLA Donates COVID-19 Tests to North Adams Public School System
NORTH ADAMS, MASS. —Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) will donate up to 150 Coronavirus test kits to North Adams Public Schools (NAPS) available for optional testing for all hybrid or in-person NAPS staff on Monday, November 23. NAPS will be administering the tests at special testing clinics throughout the district.
“We are grateful to be able to provide this essential service to our community partners at this time,” said MCLA President James F. Birge, Ph.D. “The relationship between the College and the City of North Adams is long-standing and invaluable, and in times of need it is our responsibility to help our friends. I want to commend our students, faculty, and staff for their vigilance to keep our campus community as safe as possible this semester. I am thankful they rose to the challenge and followed health and safety protocols throughout the fall. Because of their efforts, the College was able to maintain a low positivity rate that now puts us in a position to be able to help our neighbors.”
“The spirit of collaboration that exists between and among the City of North Adams, our school district, and partners like MCLA is an unbelievable asset during the best of times, but it is a true blessing in these challenging times,” said North Adams mayor Tom Bernard. “I appreciate the steps President Birge and the team at MCLA have taken to keep their students, staff, and faculty – as well as our entire community – safe, and I am especially grateful today for the college’s friendship and generosity in making additional testing capacity available for North Adams Public Schools staff.”
There will be no cost associated, and the tests are intended for staff who are not experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 but would like to be tested. Those experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 should not come to the clinic and instead should contact their personal healthcare provider or call the COVID-19 Hotline through Berkshire Health Systems at 1-855-26-5465.
About MCLA:
At MCLA, we’re here for all — and focused on each — of our students. Classes are taught by educators who care deeply about teaching, and about seeing their students thrive on every level of their lives. Nearly 93% of our graduates land competitive jobs or are accepted by some of the best grad schools in the country. We engage in the most nationally relevant conversations by hosting some of the most celebrated thinkers and speakers on our campus in the Berkshires of Massachusetts, an area known for its mountain ranges, hiking trails, and panoramic views. Our home town of North Adams is brimming with young, creative energy, and our students contribute to that every day. In nearly every way possible, the experience at MCLA is designed to elevate you as an individual, a leader, and a communicator, fully empowered to make your impression on the world.
For more information, go to www.mcla.edu.