Paint Branch High School Pauses Boys’ JV and Varsity Basketball Season Due to COVID-19 Outbreak

Paint Branch High School has announced that they are pausing practices and games for their Varsity and JV Varsity Boys Basketball program after 16 students and one staff member tested positive for the Coronavirus between Dec. 3 and Dec. 6.

Boys JV and Varsity Basketball games vs Springbrook on 12/7/21 have been postponed. Make up TBA. https://t.co/oomT9ECyal

— PB Athletics (@pbhs_sports) December 6, 2021

The following letter was sent home to parents and students of the school.

This letter is to inform you that we were notified of several positive cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) over the weekend.  We would like to thank you for taking COVID-19 seriously, following protocols, and reporting back to us when there is a positive test so that we can protect our school community.

December 3, 2021

Student who was last present at Paint Branch High School on December 3, 2021 tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19) on December 3, 2021. We were notified on December 3, 2021 of the positive test.

Student who was last present at Paint Branch High School on December 3, 2021 tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19) on December 4, 2021. We were notified on December 4, 2021 of the positive test.

Student who was last present at Paint Branch High School on December 3, 2021 tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19) on December 5, 2021. We were notified on December 5, 2021 of the positive test.

Student who was last present at Paint Branch High School on December 3, 2021 tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19) on December 3, 2021. We were notified on December 6, 2021 of the positive test.

Student who was last present at Paint Branch High School on December 3, 2021 tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19) on December 6, 2021. We were notified on December 6, 2021 of the positive test.

 

December 4, 2021

One staff member who was last present at Paint Branch High School on December 4, 2021 tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19) on December 4, 2021. We were notified on December 4, 2021 of the positive test.

Five students who were last present at Paint Branch High School on December 4, 2021 tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19) on December 5, 2021. We were notified on December 5, 2021 of the positive test.

Three students who were last present at Paint Branch High School on December 4, 2021 tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19) on December 5, 2021. We were notified on December 6, 2021 of the positive test.

Student who was last present at Paint Branch High School on December 4, 2021 tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19) on December 6, 2021. We were notified on December 6, 2021 of the positive test.

 

In an abundance of caution the school is taking the following actions:

 

Collaborating with the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) outbreak team, which is a group that will assist the school with contact tracing and communication.

Closing our Early Child Development Program for 10 days.  The program for Preschool students will close on Tuesday, December 7, 2021.  Preschool students will be able to return to our program on December 17, 2021.

Pausing practices and games for our Varsity and JV Varsity Boys Basketball program.

Sharing some additional announcements on the Panther Report regarding the importance of adhering to best mitigation practices (mask wearing, sanitizing, staying home when sick, and getting tested for COVID-19 as needed).

We will host a vaccination clinic at Paint Branch High School.  Booster doses (and potentially 2nd doses) of the vaccine will be available Saturday, December 11, 2021 from 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM.  A link will be shared to register as soon as it is available.  It is anticipated that walk up appointments will not be available due to demand for this clinic.

We encourage our students to take advantage of the “Say Yes to the Test” program available in MCPS.  COVID-19 Testing Will Help Reduce Quarantine and Keep Students and Staff Safe:  Video and More information

 

Screening Testing: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends random asymptomatic COVID-19 testing because it detects and can limit the spread of the virus, even in the absence of visible symptoms.

Students that have parent permission can be tested every Wednesday from 10:00-11:30 in room 1024.

Rapid Testing: Staff from the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will determine whether a COVID-19 rapid test should be administered when a student presents to a health room with potential COVID-19 symptoms.

Parents/guardians only need to fill out one form to provide consent for both types of tests.

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  the Montgomery County Public Schools and Montgomery County Government websites for additional information on COVID-19 resources, including free COVID-19 testing and COVID-19 vaccination sites.

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 for additional information on how the CDC, MCPS and DHHS, defines and identifies close contacts.

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