Panther Lake Elementary School classroom in Kent closed due to COVID-19

A classroom at Panther Lake Elementary School, 10020 SE 216th St., has been closed by the Kent School District due to COVID-19.

“As of (Wednesday) Sept. 29 one classroom is closed,” according to the district’s COVID-19 dashboard and school status map. “Otherwise, the building is open and offering in-person instruction to students in the remaining classrooms. The school contacted all impacted families of the closed classroom on Sept. 29.”

This is the only classroom or school closed at this time. The district closed a classroom at Daniel Elementary and one at Covington Elementary earlier in September, the first closures since school began Aug. 26.

Classrooms are typically closed for about 14 days, according to the district. Remote learning is set up for the students within a couple of days after the closure.

The district considers closure of a classroom after consultation with Public Health — Seattle & King County

and will be considered when:

• Two or more students or staff in the same room/area test positive for COVID-19

• The cases have symptoms that start within 14 days of each other

• The cases are not associated with one another in another setting (household, club, etc.)

A COVID-19 outbreak in a school is considered when the following have been met:

• There are two or more COVID-19 cases among students or staff

• The cases have a symptom onset or positive test result within a 14-day period of each other

• The cases are epidemiologically linked

• The cases do not share a household

• The cases are not identified as close contacts of each other in another setting during the investigation

At this time, individual case counts for students and staff by school are not being posted by the district, only classroom and school level closures.