Silver Spring elementary requires kindergarten class to mask up following COVID-19 outbreak

SILVER SPRING, Md. — A COVID-19 outbreak at elementary school in Silver Spring has prompted a kindergarten classroom to require masks for 10 days, according to Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS).

At least three kindergartners tested positive at Rosemary Hills Elementary School. In a letter sent Tuesday to families, Principal Rebecca Irwin Kennedy informed parents of the mask requirement. The students will have to wear them until Sept. 11 according to an MCPS spokesperson who also told WUSA9 that similar practices have been put in place during influenza outbreaks. 

The decision at Rosemary Hills comes as the county is dealing with an uptick in COVID-19 cases involving students and MCPS staff members according to another letter sent Wednesday by the systems Medical Officer Patricia Kapunan.

"Since last Friday, more students and staff members have reported new cases of COVID-19, with classroom outbreaks occurring in a few schools across the county. This rise in COVID-19 cases is not unexpected, as our community gathers together, following a modest summer surge," Kapunan wrote in the letter. 

MCPS says that under their current policies, schools will directly notify staff and families when three or more positive cases are identified in a classroom. A school system spokesperson clarified that three COVID-19 cases in a school is not considered an outbreak, but three cases in a classroom is.

The school system says their medical officer will determine the assessment of an outbreak with guidance from Montgomery County's Department of Health and Human Services. 

"For COVID-19, other measures may be temporarily introduced during outbreaks, including screening testing, distancing, and masking to control spread in a specific space where transmission is high. Multiple strategies are used, and students who cannot safely and consistently mask due to young age, a medical condition, or developmental disability are not required to do so," Kapunan added in the letter. 

MCPS says that because they have no reporting structure in place for positive cases, they are heavily relying on parents to notify schools when their student has tested positive. During the pandemic, the school system had a system to report cases and help with contact tracing. 

"I personally don't mind if my children have to wear masks. They have never complained about breathing issues. Obviously those that have those issues should be accommodated. However, I think steps need to be taken because we know how bad it can get," Zaim Baig told WUSA9.

Other parents like Dawn Iannaco-Hahn are questioning the clarity and consistency regarding the COVID-19 protocol. "They can take their masks off to eat and drink and that's fine, and they will still be safe and there won't be spread. But as soon as their done eating and drinking they have to put their mask back on, it makes no sense at all," she says.

Iannaco-Hahn says she supports everyone's personal decision to use masks, however she specifically questions the efficacy of the plan when it comes to outbreaks in the higher grade levels. "It's impossible to keep track of that at a middle school and high school level. Those kids switch classes every time," she added. 

Montgomery County Public schools says there is no mask mandate in place at any of their campuses.