The Abrams Panther ROAR
Parent Newsletter, October 21, 2022
Now that we have closed out the first quarter of the school year, it is great to see everyone settled into classroom routines and learning. It's been exciting to see parents coming into the school to join students at breakfast and lunch. It's also been a lot of fun to see our students playing together in the morning before school too!
We want to express our sincere thanks to all of the families who supported our book fair during conferences. Our book fair had the highest earnings ever, and the sales are enabling us to add many new books to our library and to classroom libraries. Thank you!
As we are sure you have noticed, our APEX fun run is in full swing! The funds raised through this fun run support many additional needs of students at Abrams, from extra playground activities to Field Day shirts for everyone. We hope that families can come to join us on Thursday of next week for the fun run - hopefully outside, but if the weather does not permit, in the gym.
We have included our drop-off and pick-up procedures at the bottom of this newsletter for your information. We appreciate your following these guidelines to help keep our students safe.
Sincerely,
Lois Skaggs and Savannah Smith
Coffee and Conversation and POPS Meeting
- Dates to Remember
- Upcoming Events
- School Effectiveness Planning
- Community Forums
- Volunteer opportunities and needs
- Q and A
Morning Playground Time
Picture Retake day is October 26th
APEX Fun Run
Classroom Halloween Parties
Students will be able to wear their Halloween Costumes on Friday, October 28th as part of Red Ribbon Week! We will not have students in costume on Monday, October 31st.
Guidelines for Costumes:
- Students must have footwear that allows them to participate in school - PE, recess, etc.
- Student costumes must not be gory or scary
- Students may not wear masks as part of their costumes
- Weapons are not allowed as part of any costume
Halloween Parties:
- Classroom parties will be taking place after lunch
- All food items must be store purchased due to guidelines around transfats
Title I Parent Right to Know
Mark your Calendar!
- October 26 - Fall picture Day
- October 27 - Apex Fun Run
- November 3 - Coffee and Conversation
- November 9 - Thanksgiving Feast
- November 17 - 2nd grade Run, Turkey, Run
- December 2 - SAVE THE DATE for the Community Engagement Forum
SAVE THE DATE: Second Grade Performance
Thanksgiving Drive
SAVE THE DATE: Abrams Thanksgiving Feast
Most classes will eat in the cafeteria, but some will eat in their classrooms. Teachers will be sending out more information, but families are encouraged to come purchase tickets from the Abrams office.
This is a very exciting event for your children! They look forward to having their families join them for lunch. We ask that you please consider joining us for this fun event!
Student Arrival and Dismissal
Our carpool line will start moving at 7:10 am. Please do not enter the carpool line until you are directed to do so, as we do have one school bus that will access the front drive of the school.
Arrival:
To access the carpool lane, families must come up Burris street from the east and turn right into the Abrams parking lot. There are no left turns allowed into the parking lot between 7 am and 7:30 am.
Please do not park in the front parking lot at Abrams and wait to drop students off.
- Students may be dropped off from vehicles ONLY at the front of the school building, at the lane directly in front of the school.
- Parents who wish to stop their vehicles and walk students to their classrooms must park in the lot at the rear of the school
- Students may cross Chiles Ave ONLY at the crosswalk, staffed by Fort Carson soldiers.
- Students may cross Wetzel ONLY at the crosswalk, staffed by Fort Carson soldiers.
- Students may access the back playground through the gates off of the bus parking.
We are asking that if at all possible, families consider accessing Abrams from the back of the school, either using O’Connell from the south side of Abrams or Hare Ave from the north side of Abrams.
When coming through the carpool line, please do NOT drop students off in front of the kindergarten playground. Please pull all the way forward and drop students off in front of the school. This helps us to keep the carpool line moving and get cars off of the surrounding streets.
If you need to get out of the car to assist your child, please park in the lot behind the school off of Wetzel Avenue and walk with your child to their building access door. Please do not get out of your vehicle in front of the school as it holds up the line.
Please do not allow students to exit your vehicle at the bus loading zones at the rear of the school. All students being dropped off by car must be dropped off at the front of the school for safety.
Dismissal:
Please do not park in the front carpool lane when picking students up.
Parents picking up students at dismissal time should park in the lot at the rear of the school and proceed to either the kindergarten blacktop (Kindergarten students only) or the basketball court. Students must present their dismissal card to the teachers on duty before leaving for the day.
Nurses Corner
Non-COVID-19 Respiratory Illnesses & Pathogens
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
Pathogen: Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) causes respiratory tract illness in people of all ages. Most children get an
RSV infection by the time they are 2 years old. The virus may present as an upper respiratory infection usually lasting
less than 5 days. However, some infants and young children may be at higher risk for more severe illness from RSV
including the following: premature infants, very young infants (<6 months old), children under two years with chronic
lung disease or congenital heart disease, children with weakened immune systems, and children with neuromuscular
disorders. These children may be at higher risk for more severe illness, such as bronchiolitis, bronchitis, or pneumonia.
They may require hospitalization and intensive care measures.
Incubation Period: Ranges from 2 to 8 days (typically 4 to 6 days). RSV is more commonly transmitted during peak
respiratory illness months in the fall, winter and early spring.
Symptoms may include: rhinorrhea (nasal discharge or runny nose) and sneezing, decreased appetite, cough (which
may be associated with wheezing and/or difficulty breathing), pharyngitis (sore throat), chills, headache, fatigue, and
fever. Fever is more common in children and may or may not be present in adults. In infants less than 6 months, the
only symptoms of RSV may be irritability, decreased activity, decreased appetite, or apnea.
Transmission/Communicability: Direct and indirect contact with contaminated nasal and oral secretions through
coughing and sneezing. Infected persons are usually contagious for 3-8 days. Some patients with weakened immune
systems can be contagious for 4 weeks or longer. Virus-containing droplets can briefly be transmitted through airborne
contact. The virus can settle on hard surfaces such as railings or tables for several hours, or on soft surfaces such as
hands, tissues or bed sheets for shorter amounts of time.
Vaccination: There is no FDA-authorized or FDA-approved vaccine for RSV at this time. Potential vaccines for RSV are
currently undergoing research and development.
Influenza
Pathogen: Influenza (flu) is a respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. There are two main types of influenza
virus (types A and B), and human influenza viruses cause seasonal flu epidemics each year. Anyone can be infected with
the flu, and serious complications can happen at any age. However, adults that are 65 years of age and older, people of
any age with certain chronic medical conditions, pregnant women, and children <5 years of age are at higher risk of
developing serious flu-related complications
Incubation Period: About 2 days, but can range from 1 to 4 days.
Symptoms may include: Fever, chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches,
fatigue. Vomiting and diarrhea are symptoms that are more common in children than adults. Not everyone with the flu
will have a fever.
Transmission/Communicability: Direct and indirect contact with contaminated nasal and oral secretions or droplets
made when people cough, sneeze, and talk. Droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people nearby. Less often, the
virus can be spread by contact with a contaminated surface or object. Infected persons can spread it to others up to
about 6 feet away. Infected persons are usually contagious in the first 3-4 days after illness begins, but some people
Guidance for Prevention & Control of Non-COVID-19 Respiratory Illnesses in School & Childcare Settings
especially young children and people with weakened immune systems, might be contagious for a longer time.
Flu is more commonly transmitted during peak respiratory illness months during the fall, winter and early spring.
Vaccination: The best way to prevent flu is with the flu vaccine. Everyone 6 months of age and older are recommended
to receive a seasonal flu vaccine each year, with rare exceptions. Children can get vaccinated as soon as vaccines
become available through healthcare providers, clinics or pharmacies. It is recommended that children receive their flu
vaccine no later than the end of October. Some children ages 6 months to 8 years require two doses of flu vaccine, and
those children should get the first dose as early in the season as possible. For further CDC guidance on flu vaccination
for children, see Flu & Young Children.
Other Respiratory Illnesses & Pathogens
Pathogens & Illnesses: Other common respiratory viruses may include human parainfluenza viruses, rhinoviruses,
adenoviruses, etc. These pathogens can cause diseases such as the common cold, croup, bronchiolitis, bronchitis,
and/or pneumonia.
Incubation Period: Ranges from 1 to 14 days. In general, most respiratory viruses are more commonly transmitted
during peak respiratory illness months during the fall, winter and early spring.
Symptoms: Common symptoms may include rhinorrhea (nasal discharge or runny nose) and sneezing, cough, pharyngitis
(sore throat), headache, chills, or fatigue. Symptoms of croup may also include a sharp, barking cough (usually at
night), and labored or noisy breathing. In cases of more severe illness such as bronchiolitis, bronchitis, or pneumonia,
cough may progress to wheezing and/or difficulty breathing. Fever may or may not be present.
Transmission/Communicability: Direct and indirect contact with contaminated nasal and oral secretions through
coughing and sneezing. Virus-containing droplets can briefly be transmitted through airborne contact. The virus can
settle on hard surfaces such as railings or tables for several hours, or on soft surfaces such as hands, tissues or bed
sheets for shorter amounts of time. People with the common cold are usually contagious for a few days before
symptoms appear and while symptoms are present. People with parainfluenza viruses may be contagious for 1-3 weeks
after symptoms begin.
Published from:
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
Abrams Elementary School Inclement Weather Dismissal Procedures
In the event of inclement weather, including any of the following:
· lightning danger
· extreme winds
· extreme cold
· large amounts of precipitation
Abrams students will be dismissed at the end of the day by the following procedures:
· Bus Students: These students will be escorted to the buses by staff members as long as it is safe to do so.
· Kindergarten Students: These students will be picked up from the doors they enter the school from.
· 1st – 5th grade Walkers: These students will leave from the cafeteria
· 1st – 5th Car Riders: These students will need to be picked up from the gym (these doors are closest to the basketball court) by parents or guardians.
· 1st – 5th Daycare: These students will be in the care of Mesa Daycare staff.
STUDENTS WILL NOT BE DISMISSED UNLESS IT IS SAFE TO DO SO.
Information will be communicated to families via Remind and Facebook status.
Abrams Elementary School
7:25 am First Bell
7:30 am School Starts
2:25 pm Student Dismissal
Email: lskaggs@ffc8.org
Website: https://www.ffc8.org/Abrams
Location: 600 Chiles Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80902
Phone: 719-382-1490
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AbramsElementary