Hark! The Herald.
Friday, October 20, 2017
Progress Reports - home today!
Be on the lookout - Progress Reports will be in backpacks or bags today!
Make sure to look for them, and please contact teachers directly if there are any questions.
All-school Halloween Party!
Following Trick-or Treating this year, we will have an all-school party in Rand Hall, instead of individual classroom parties. There will be:
treats
games
music
lights,
decorations, and fun!
We anticipate a start time of approximately 2PM, and we'll continue until 4PM. Children who are still here at 4PM will be dismissed to after-care until their parents can pick them up. Parents are, of course, invited to our party, and are welcome to leave (with your children!) at dismissal time.
If you were planning on providing a classroom treat, please continue to do so, but bring it to Rand Hall.
The more treats, the better!
I'm looking for volunteers, as well. I have some decorations that I'm making that require some construction and set-up. I could always use another set of eyes, hands, and some additional input, as far as placement. I plan on being here Monday, 10/30, after school, and perhaps sometime in the evening, as well, to accomplish this task. Anyone willing to join me, please let me know.
On Halloween Day, I can't get here until 1pm, so I would need volunteers to help set up tables and treats.
Donations of Halloween themed treats, drinks, decorations, table cloths, plastic ware, napkins etc., are welcome!
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me at bobthies@smsvt.info.
Thank you for the rolls!
Thank you all for your generous donations of toilet paper and paper towel rolls, at this time, I am well stocked. I will let you know if I need more.
Best,
Mr. Thies
Afterschool Snack Wish List:
Although the AMP (Afterschool Meal Program) has ended, our new Nutrition Program expert & Aftercare teacher, Mrs. Anderberg (Ms. Bobbi Jo) has been making the children beautiful snacks.
If you would like to donate to her efforts, she will make good use of the following:
Juice boxes
Gluten free quick oats
vanilla extract
white flour
gluten free flour
sugar
fruits & veggies are always appreciated
Thank you to all who have already so generously donated. We all appreciate you very much.
Next Week at SMS:
Monday;
- SMS Soccer Game vs. Trinity Christian @ SIT field
Wednesday:
- Student Mass - Families are always welcome to join us as we celebrate Mass.
Friday:
- SMS Soccer Game @ Winchester, NH
Collecting for Groundworks Collaborative:
It's not too late to join the drive to take care of our neighbors this winter. See the list below. We will be collecting throughout the month of October. Thank you for your generosity!
Around town...
Kristallnacht Commemoration at the Colonial Theater in Keene, Nov. 9th @ 7 p.m.:
Afterschool Offerings at BEEC:
Tick Reminder:
Protect, Check, Remove, Watch for Ticks through Thanksgiving
BURLINGTON – Ticks are back for one more meal before winter, and health officials warn this means a high risk to Vermonters in a year that already has a record rate of the tickborne disease anaplasmosis.
Anaplasmosis is spread by the bite of an infected blacklegged tick — the same tick that transmits Lyme disease, babesiosis, Borrelia miyamotoi and Powassan virus. According to the Vermont Department of Health, the number of cases of anaplasmosis has dramatically increased from three (3) cases in 2010 to two hundred and one (201) cases in 2016. More than one-third of Vermonters reported to have anaplasmosis were sick enough to be hospitalized.
Ticks are generally active when the weather is warm, and lay low in late summer when they molt from smaller nymphs into larger adult ticks. Tick-related hospital visits increase this time of year when the adult ticks come out to feed before winter sets in.
Bradley Tompkins, an infectious disease epidemiologist with the Health Department said that between now and Thanksgiving, people should take extra care to protect themselves from tick bites. “We’re very concerned about the rate of anaplasmosis that we are seeing all over Vermont, and especially in the southern part of the state,” said Tompkins. “Even though it’s only October, we have already exceeded last year’s case count.”
The Health Department has been working with the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets and Lyndon State College to study the prevalence of disease in the state’s blacklegged tick population. Between 2013 and 2016, more than 2,000 ticks were collected and tested. According to Tompkins, 60 percent of the ticks tested positive for at least one disease.
“These numbers mean it’s even more important to be on your guard,” Tompkins said. “It’s easy to think of ticks as a summer concern, but they are out in force right now. If you’ll be one of the many Vermonters enjoying the outdoors — hiking, doing yard work, or out hunting, especially deer, grouse and hare hunters who spend a lot of time pushing through thick brush — make sure you know how to avoid tick bites.”
The best way to prevent tickborne diseases is to prevent tick bites — Be Tick Smart:
PROTECT
- Avoid areas where ticks live.
- Use EPA-registered tick repellent.
- Cover up to keep ticks off your body.
CHECK
- Don't let ticks hitchhike inside on your clothing.
- Check your whole body for ticks.
REMOVE
- Remove the tick as soon as you can.
- Stick with the removal method that is proven to work.
WATCH
- Keep an eye out for symptoms of tickborne illness.
- Symptoms may include fever, headache, joint pain, muscle aches, fatigue or nausea. Not all people with Lyme disease report a rash. Symptoms may begin as soon as three days after a tick bite, but can appear as long as 30 days after.
- Contact your health care provider if you do get symptoms. Tell them about recent outdoor activities and any tick bites you may recall.
Go to healthvermont.gov/BeTickSmart for more information about avoiding tick bites and tickborne diseases.
A Reminder from the Health Department:
It’s flu season, and school is a place where germs are shared generously among students, teachers and school staff. The single best way to protect your entire family against flu is for all people aged six months and older to get an influenza vaccine each year. Young children are among those at higher risk of flu complications. Every year thousands of children younger than age five are hospitalized because of flu illness, and while it is rare, some children die from flu each year. A recent study published in the medical journal Pediatrics is the first of its kind to show that flu vaccination significantly reduced a child’s risk of dying from the illness. The study looked at data from four flu seasons between 2010 and 2014, and found that flu vaccination reduced the risk of flu-associated death by nearly two-thirds (65 percent) among healthy children, and by half (51 percent) among children with underlying high risk medical conditions. Therefore, children, parents and school staff should be vaccinated in the Fall, preferably by the end of October because it takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies to develop in the body that protect against flu.
It is especially important for household contacts and caregivers of those with a higher risk for flu-related complications (children <5 years and adults ≥ 50 years) to be vaccinated. In addition to the flu shot, you can encourage the following precautions to help stop the spread of germs:
· Keep kids home when they’re sick. And try to avoid close contact with people who are sick.
· Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue away after use and wash your hands. If a tissue is not available, cover your mouth and nose with your sleeve, not your hands.
· Wash your hands with soap and water often, especially after you cough or sneeze. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
· Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs spread this way.
Both children and adults can get vaccinated at their health care providers’ office. Adults can also be vaccinated at public clinics or at pharmacies around the state
We're here for you!
Email: kimmorrell@smsvt.info
Website: www.smsvt.info
Location: 48 Walnut Street, Brattleboro, VT, United States
Phone: 802-254-6320
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Saint-Michael-Roman-Catholic-School-163298257197450/
Twitter: @StMikesVT