Parkville High Principal Posts Note About Tuberculosis Case

By Jeff Seidel

Parkville High School's acting principal posted a note on the school's web site in an attempt to relax some of the fears some people may have about a student who had tuberculosis there.

Acting principal Matthew Ames said the school has taken numerous measures to ensure there's no problems relating to this.

"The infected individual was contagious prior to the end of the school year; therefore, the Department of Health has collaborated with the School System to identify potential contacts—members of the Parkville High School Community who may have had prolonged exposure to the infectious individual," Ames wrote in the 

The note explains that though it's difficult to get the disease through the kind of contact people have in school, the Department of Health sent out letters to about 60 people of the Parkville High community saying they could be a possible contact. 

The rest of the school should receive a letter saying they're not affected by this and no TB test would be needed. 

Plus, the Department of Health is going to hold a free walk-in clinic on Aug. 13 from 8 a.m.-noon at the school for those who have to get testing. 

The Department of Health also has an information line available for people from the Parkville High community. You can call the Department to ask questions on this subject at 410-887-2711. 

There's also basic information on TB on the Baltimore County web site at www.bcps.org -- look under "What's Happening."