Dear Watkins Mill High School Community,

This letter is to inform you that we were notified of the positive cases below.

• A student who was last present on 12/20 has tested positive for COVID on 12/22. We were notified on 12/22.
• 1 Staff member who was last at WMHS on 12/21/21, tested positive on 12/21/21.  We were notified on 12/22/21
• A student who was last present on 12/22 has tested positive for COVID on 12/22. We were notified on 12/22.
• 1 Staff member who was last at WMHS on 12/20/21, tested positive on 12/21/21.  We were notified on 12/22/21
• Grade 12 Student: Last present on Monday, December 20, 2021 tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19) on Wednesday, December 22, 2021. We were notified on Wednesday, December 22, 2021 of the positive test.
• 1 Staff member who was last at WMHS on 12/21/21, tested positive on 12/22/21.  We were notified on 12/22/21
• 3 students who was last present on 12/22 has tested positive for COVID on 12/22. We were notified on 12/22.

Following guidance from the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) it was determined there has been no risk of exposure to other students or staff on-site.

Based on contact tracing guidelines, staff and students do 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#contact for additional information on how the CDC, MCPS and DHHS defines and identifies close contacts.

We encourage you to closely monitor for symptoms of COVID-19, such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, and other coronavirus signs of illness. If any of these symptoms develop, please stay home and do not report in-person to the school building. You should contact your healthcare provider immediately for advice and get tested for COVID-19. Please contact the school if there is a development of COVID-19-like symptoms. Staff or 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://montgomerycountymd.gov/COVID19  for additional information on COVID-19, including free COVID-19 testing and vaccination sites.

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