Dear Silver Spring International Middle School Community,

This letter is to inform you that we were notified of four positive cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) on Monday, December
20, 2021 and one positive case on Tuesday, December 21, 2021. 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.

Notified December 20, 2021:
• An individual in 6th grade who was last present on Friday, December 17, 2021, tested positive on Monday, December
20, 2021. We were notified on Monday, December 20, 2021.
• An individual in 7th grade who was last present on Thursday, December 16, 2021, tested positive on Thursday,
December 16, 2021. We were notified on Monday, December 20, 2021.
• An individual in 7th grade who was last present on Thursday, December 9, 2021, tested positive on Monday, December
20, 2021. We were notified on Monday, December 20, 2021.
• An individual in 8th grade who was last present on Friday, December 17, 2021, tested positive on Saturday, December
18, 2021. We were notified on Monday, December 20, 2021.
Notified December 21, 2021:
• A staff member who was last present at Silver Spring International Middle School on Monday, December 20, 2021,
tested positive on Tuesday, December 21, 2021. We were notified on Tuesday, December 21, 2021.

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 individuals who tested positive for COVID-19. For additional
information on how the CDC, MCPS and DHHS, defines and identifies close contacts, please visit the following webpage:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/contact-tracing/contact-tracing-plan/appendix.html#contact

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.

For additional information on COVID-19 resources, including free COVID-19 testing and COVID-19 vaccination sites,
please visit the following websites: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/coronavirus and
https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/

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