Dear William Tyler Page Elementary Community,

This letter is to inform you  that we were notified that a student in first grade who was last present on Tuesday, October 5 tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19).  We  were notified on Wednesday, October 6 of the positive tests.  Following Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) guidelines, we notified individuals who were known to have close contact with these individuals 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 for COVID-19. Please visit  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/contact-tracing/contact-tracing-plan/appendix.html#conta ct for additional information 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, 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-like 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 and https://www.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 safe and healthy school environment.