South Summit Elementary School students quarantining after a potential measles exposure Jan. 5 will use printed learning packets to study at home.
South Summit Superintendent Greg Maughan told KPCW that video conferencing technology used during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic won’t work in this case.
“During COVID, if you experienced trying to teach online and trying to teach in person at the same time, it's really not possible. It's not feasible,” he said on KPCW’s “Local News Hour” Jan. 13. “Teachers are certainly willing and wanting to work with students and parents as much as we can to try to help keep the kids current and prevent them from getting behind.”
Teachers prepared the learning packets before Summit County’s first positive measles case was confirmed this year.
Maughan said the school district has been planning its response with the Summit County Department of Health, staff and parents since the end of the summer.
“We were able to start getting documents, as far as people's immunization documentation and things, which really helped,” he said. “Because the number [of people quarantining] would have been a lot higher than what it was.”
The superintendent said about 20 students and a few staff are staying home since being exposed.
The quarantine period is three weeks, so they’ll be able to return to school Monday, Jan. 26.
Those who have received doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine have not had to stay home. Health experts say one dose is 93% effective at preventing measles infections, and 97% effective after two doses.
Symptoms of measles usually begin seven to 14 days after exposure and can include a cough, high fever and red, itchy rash. Complications of the virus can be life-threatening.
Maughan added that the county health department has also been meeting with the North Summit and Park City school districts since the summer to plan for measles.
The case identified at South Summit Elementary School was Summit County’s only confirmed case as of Jan. 13.
Overall, the state health department says at least 199 cases of measles have been diagnosed statewide since June 2025.
