Dear Thomas S. Wootton High School Community,

This letter is to inform you that we were notified of eleven positive cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Notified on December 20, 2021

An individual who was last present at Thomas S. Wootton High School on Tuesday, December 14, 2021, 2021, tested positive on Monday, December 20, 2021. We were notified of the positive tests on Monday, December 20, 2021

An individual 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 on December 21, 2021

An individual who was last present on Friday, December 17, 2021, tested positive on Monday, December 20, 2021. We were notified on Tuesday, December 21, 2021.

An individual who was last present on Friday, December 17, 2021, tested positive on Tuesday, December 21, 2021. We were notified on Tuesday, December 21, 2021.

Two individuals who were last present on Monday, December 20, 2021, tested positive on Monday, December 20, 2021, We were notified on Tuesday, December 21, 2021.

Five individuals who were last present on Tuesday, December 21, 2021, tested positive on Tuesday, December 21, 2021. We were notified 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. 

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 persons who tested positive for COVID-19.  Please visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/contact-tracing/contact-tracing-plan/appendix.html#contact 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.