Schools and COVID: Flathead principal quarantined, new cases in Whitefish, Lake County
A Flathead High School principal is in quarantine and new cases of COVID-19 have been reported over the weekend at Flathead High School and at Muldown Elementary School in Whitefish.
Flathead High School Principal Michele Paine sent out an email to families Monday morning and a prerecorded video was played to students during morning announcements that she had been placed in quarantine after a relative, whom she lives with, tested positive for COVID-19.
“I will continue to work from home during my quarantine and am not experiencing any symptoms,” Paine said in the email.
“We also had several additional student cases this weekend. All of our cases at FHS so far come from infections during social events and family contact. None of our positive cases are the result of infection at school,” Paine said.
Whitefish School Superintendent Dave Means said three individuals tested positive for COVID-19 at Muldown Elementary in a letter sent to families Sunday evening, but didn’t indicate whether they were students or staff.
"Please note that we will strictly adhere to privacy laws during a health pandemic outbreak and will not disclose identifiable information of those who have been affected," the advisory to families stated.
According to the Flathead City-County Health Department, all close contacts have been notified and given instructions related to quarantine and if there was a need for testing at both Flathead and Muldown.
Flathead High School remains open and will continue to operate with no additional restrictions in place from Flathead City-County Health Department.
Muldown also remains open. “At this time, Muldown is still operating in the same manner with the exception of one grade level due to quarantine protocols," Means said in the letter.
All other grade levels at Muldown are open and following current operating guidelines for all staff and students not under quarantine restrictions.
School officials will continue to monitor the situation and will provide further information if and when it becomes available, Means noted.
LAKE COUNTY and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Health on Friday reported cases in St. Ignatius Middle and High Schools, K. William Harvey Elementary and Ronan Middle School.
Lake County/CSKT Tribal Health completed its case investigations and notified close contacts, who have been placed in quarantine and given the option to be tested. At this time, there isn’t evidence of spread within the schools, according to a press release sent Friday from Lake County-CSKT Unified Command Center Public Information Officer Robert McDonald.
“With the re-opening of schools, we fully anticipated there to be cases of COVID-19 in the school setting. In preparation for that, conversations with school leadership have been ongoing since spring. We have faith in our school administrators, faculty and staff that everyone is doing the best that they can to keep the children in our community safe. However, even with the best laid plans, illness is bound to sneak in, whether it be the common cold, influenza, COVID-19, etc.
Please be patient with the schools, clinics, hospitals and public/tribal health as we navigate through these unchartered waters of COVID-19 together. It is important that everyone recognize that each entity is working hard to do their best in the situations thrown their way. Be supportive and refrain from spreading rumors as it causes unnecessary hysteria and makes contact investigation more difficult,” the release stated.
Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com