Health & Wellness

Currently, masking indoors or outdoors is not required. If a division reaches a 10% positive case threshold we reserve the right to instate a 10-day indoor mask mandate for all students and employees in that division. Assuming the rate comes back under the 10% threshold by the end of those 10 days, students and employees will be allowed to remove masks indoors at that time. Should Montgomery County or the State of Maryland reinstate a mask mandate, we would also consider its application to our community, as well.

Masking Upon Quarantine Return:

When an individual returns from quarantine they should continue to mask indoors and outdoors for at least five school days.

It is recommended (but not required) that students take a rapid test to ensure no infection after a direct exposure to an individ- ual in their household. Students may continue to attend School unless they develop symptoms or tests positive for COVID-19.

We recognize that it is hard to hold back a student for what used to be a common cold, but it’s essential that we all remain vigilant. If a person is sick with cough or fever, they must stay home regardless of illness and test regularly. If a person has any other cold-like symptoms, they should be testing daily before coming into school. 

If a student or employee test positive for COVID they should notify Nurse Herringa directly (lori.herringa@holton-arms.edu). Also notify the division assistant (students) or supervisor (employees).

The CDC recommends quarantining five days from the first date of symptoms. For the health and well-being of the entire community, we will require quarantining from either the first positive test date or no more than 2 days prior to the test date if symptoms started earlier. For example, if someone tests positive on Sunday, but is home with symptoms on Friday, Day 0 is Friday and the earliest return date is Wednesday.

Masking Upon Quarantine Return:

When an individual returns from quarantine they should continue to mask indoors and outdoors for at least five school days.

Please consider masking and taking other COVID safety measures when off-campus, as well. We know social gatherings and other activities are returning to normal, but we still need to practice responsible COVID mitigation. Individual teachers may request students wear a mask indoors for the duration of their class. And masking will be required of anyone in the nurse's office/infirmary. Students should continue to pack a mask each day.

While on campus, students are expected to wash their hands or use hand sanitizer frequently. Sanitizer stations are located throughout the buildings and in classrooms.

Under the guidance of the CDC (see exception for K-12 indoor classrooms) and Maryland Department of Health (see page 3), we are no longer performing intensive contact tracing any longer. The Department of Health is only requiring those who live
in the same household or have intensive exposure (i.e., sleepover or sports teams without masks) to contact trace. Typical classroom exposure is not a qualifying contact any longer.

If you have any questions, please contact Nurse Lori Herringa (lori.herringa@holton-arms.edu).

We continue to closely monitor the recommendations from the CDC and American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers regarding ventilation. We are taking the following steps according to their guidelines:

• Maximizing outdoor air in the HVAC system as much as possible;

• Increasing the level of air filtration as high as possible in all locations while still allowing the system to function;

• Increasing the frequency of all filter changes;

• Operating ventilation units 24 hours per day when possible and increasing system running times.

• Continue to encourage outdoor air flow by keeping windows open throughout the building when weather allows. 

Because the risk of COVID-19 surface transmission is considered minimal, cleaning will generally return to normal levels and frequency. In the event that a student or teacher has a suspected case of COVID-19 during the School day, the potentially infected classroom will be closed until it can be thoroughly disinfected. 

Given the speed and prevalence of transmission, surveillance testing is not recommended; the virus is spreading so rapidly that PCR results simply take too long to be useful. However, rapid testing at home does provide an effective strategy for
slowing the spread of the virus. Holton will revisit this position should the rate of infection spike locally or in the school community.

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