Hark! The Herald.
Friday, November 3, 2017
From the Desk of the Principal:
I wanted to send out a big THANK YOU to all those who came together to make the 7-11th grade Camp Hi-Rock trip such a wonderful success.
Thank you to Mrs. Thies, with all her tremendous efforts in the office, organizing and scheduling this event. Thank you to the wonderful chaperones and teachers who were as excited (or possibly more excited!) to participate in this worthwhile event than the students. Thank you especially to all the amazing students themselves, who behaved so beautifully and put forth such effort for this amazing experience.
It isn't often that these opportunities come along, where we get to plan activities together as a group outside of school. You all made me proud, and happy to see the caring citizens that our students are - of each other and of the planet.
Have a wonderful and safe weekend,
Mrs. Beam
Volunteer Opportunity: Fall Clean-up TOMORROW!
A wonderful opportunity to get some of your volunteer hours in - come help the community get ready for winter!
Bring your gloves, rakes, and willing attitude, from 9-12!!!
Reminder: Half days next week, 11/9 and 11/10
On Thursday and Friday, November 10th and 11th, students will be dismissed at noon, and Aftercare will be available until 3 p.m.
These half days are all about Parent-Teacher conferences, so please make sure you are signed up! You may contact your student's teacher directly to set up an appointment.
Thank you!
SMS Office Hours
Just a reminder that although you may find us here a little later some days, the official SMS office hours are 8 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Please do your best to catch us during those hours! Thank you!
If you need to get in touch with aftercare after 3:30, please call their mobile phone:
802-451-6260.
Parking Lot - Safety Reminder
Life is busy - we understand!
But the Parking Lot is full of children of all ages (and sizes!) during drop-off and pick-up.
PLEASE, PLEASE be extra careful and mindful when using the parking lot.
Our goal is safety, and we need your help.
Thank you!
SMS Basketball - begins Tuesday, 11/7
SMS Basketball begins this Tuesday!
Practices will be held Tuesday and Wednesdays from 3:30-5 at the Winston Prouty auditorium. Pick up is AT the Winston Prouty Center at 5 p.m.
If you have any questions regarding participation or scheduling, please contact Mrs. Kelliher at jennyk0328@yahoo.com
Project Feed the Thousands
We’re thrilled to be partnering with local business, Summit Chrysler * Dodge * Jeep * Ram, to collect non-perishable food items and monetary donations, in support of the food insecure in our community.
This year, our Project Feed the Thousands campaign will begin on Monday, November 6th and conclude on Friday, December 15th. On Monday morning at 10:00 a.m., a representative from Summit will be on-site at SMS to drop off a Jeep for the campaign duration.
Each class will be collecting food items to ‘FILL THE JEEP!’. You will find a red bucket in each homeroom for your non-perishable food donations. You may drop off monetary donations in the administrative office. Food donations (by weight) and monetary donations (by amount) will be tracked for each homeroom. T
he homeroom with the most contributions will receive a trip to WOW frozen yogurt for an ice cream party!
The SMS Chorus will represent Saint Michael School at the Fill the Bus event at Hannaford/on local radio stations on the afternoon of 12/15. Mr. Thies will be in touch with Chorus families with additional details.
Saint Michael School has a long history of service and compassion. Project Feed the Thousands is a part of our legacy of kindness. Please help us make this year the most successful campaign yet!
Reminder - Homeroom Box Tops competition began on 11/01/17!
Our all-school Box Tops competition began on November 1st! The homeroom that collects the most Box Tops between November 1st and March 1st will be treated to a Spring Sundae Soiree (YES, with all the fixings!). We have quite a way to go before we reach our annual Box Tops goal of $1,000.00 so keep on clippin'! Thank you!
Ground Works Collaborative Campaign in honor of Wesley Leonard - THANK YOU SMS FAMILIES!
Thank you for your overwhelming support during our collection of items in support of the Groundworks Collaborative Overflow Shelter. The items were delivered to the Shelter on Wednesday, 11/01.
Your generosity has real value and will make a difference in hundreds of lives. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Next Week at SMS:
Tuesday:
- Basketball Practice Begins!
- Father Schnobrich (Vocation Director, Diocese of Burlington) visits SMS
Wednesday:
- Student Mass - Families are always welcome to join us as we celebrate Mass.
- 3:15-4:30 SMS Drama Club
Thursday:
- EARLY RELEASE - 12 noon
- Aftercare available from 12 - 3
- Drama Club will meet from 12 - 3.
Friday:
- EARLY RELEASE - 12 noon
- Aftercare available from 12 - 3
Tis the season of family! Tis the season of giving! Tis the season for SMILES!
This year, you can support Saint Michael School when you make any Amazon purchase! Saint Michael School is a participating AmazonSmile 501(c)3 organization. This means a portion of every Amazon purchase can support our wonderful school community.
You must be wondering, “What do I need to do to make sure SMS is receiving credit when I make purchases on Amazon?”
So happy you asked! It’s EASY! All you need to do is click this link: smile.amazon.com/ch/03-0181252 and then shop as you normally would.
Boom! Easiest fundraising ever!
When you go to Amazon, make sure you access AmazonSmile and make all our smiles at SMS a bit brighter.
#SeasonOfSmiles
Around town...
Kristallnacht Commemoration at the Colonial Theater in Keene, Nov. 9th @ 7 p.m.:
Presentation at Hilltop Montessori: November 16th
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