Dear John Poole Middle School Community,
This letter is to inform you that we were notified that a student in Grade 8 who was last present at John
Poole Middle School on November 22, 2021, tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19) on
November 22, 2021. We were notified on November 23, 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 for COVID-19. Please visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/contacttracing/
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.