Dear Poolesville Elementary School Community,

This letter is to inform  you that we were notified  that a student in sth grade who was last present at Poolesville Elementary School on Wednesday, September 29, 2021 tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19) on Thursday, September 30,2021. We were notified early on Friday, October 1, 2021 of the positive  test.   Following  Montgomery   County  Department  of  Health  and  Human  Services (DHHS) guidelines, we notified  individuals who were known to have close contact with this individual and have informed them to quarantine and monitor for symptoms,per CDC guidelines.

Per current DHHS guidance and our contact tracing process, unless you are notified  directly, your child does not need to quarantine as they were not in close contact with the person who tested positive forCOVID-19.     Please   visit     https: Uwww.cdc.govIcoronavirus/201 9-ncov/php/contact-tracing/contact­tracing-plan/appendix.html #contact for additionalinformation on how the CDC,MCPS and DHHS, defines and identifies close contacts.

We encourage you to  closely monitor  your  child  for  symptoms of COVID-19, such as fever, cough, headache, sore throat, and shortness of breath. If your child develops any of these symptoms, do not send them to school. You should contact your healthcare provider and have your child tested for COVID-19. Please contact the school if your child develops COVID-19-Iike symptoms. Students who develop symptoms,or test positive for COVID-19,will not be able to return to the building until they are medically cleared.

As a reminder, here are the steps that we can all take to keep ourselves, families,and school community safe:

• Get vaccinated when eligible
• Wear a mask, or appropriate face covering, at all times when in school and other public spaces.
• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water, especially before and after eating
• Cover your cough and/or  sneeze and immediately  wash your hands for 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer.
• Stay home if you are sick or have any COVID-19 symptoms.

Please visit  https://www. montgomeryschoolsmd. org/coronavirus andhttps://w ww.montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/ for additional information on COVID-19 resources, including free COVID-19 testing and COVID-19 vaccination sites.

We appreciate your cooperation as we work to maintain a and healthy school environment.