Keep Well this Winter
Launch the media gallery 1 playerMighty Gophers, our school year is FLYING by and we have accomplished SO much thus far! Miss Joni from the University of Mo Extension Office taught us about combating germs with excellent hand washing techniques. We sure love Miss Joni! The Northeast Mo Health Council (NMHC) team provided FREE dental screening and fluoride varnishing to our entire elementary student population for the Preventive Services Program. 116 kids participated, and 20 were found to need to see the dentist to help their teeth. This FREE program helps our children by promoting good oral hygiene and detecting early problems. Hopefully, more of our students will take advantage of this FREE service next fall.
This fall NMHC purchased a state-of-the-art mobile dental truck and started a WONDERFUL traveling dentist program to help bring dental services to children in need twice a year, setting up shop at some of our local schools. Green City was chosen to be the first school they visited, and our students were the first ones ever to be in their new van! NMHC performed 23 student visits while they were here this fall. We are so thankful for this new much-needed service to our community and look forward to their return in the spring!
The Sullivan County Health Department had a FREE influenza vaccine clinic here at the school for our 5th-12th grade students and our employees. 43 smart people were vaccinated to help protect them against the flu this season. Even though it is now December, it’s not too late to contact Lisa McClaran RN from the SCHD at 660-265-4141 for a flu shot to help protect you for the rest of the flu season.
Rose Smith from the Missouri Lions Saving-Sight program provided FREE vision screenings to our Pre-K through third grade classes, along with some of the Parents as Teachers kids. We had 97 percent of our students participate this year! Four kids were referred for further evaluation of their vision. This very fast, FREE screening detects SEVEN vision problems that can make it harder for our kids to see and to learn. Children as young as six months can be screened.
Also this fall, Speech Pathologist Lisa Buck and the Truman State University students provided FREE hearing screenings to many of our Elementary and High School students. This screening helps to detect hearing problems that, like vision problems, are barriers to our student’s ability to learn. We are very appreciative of this valuable service to our school.
This coming spring, Lisa McClaran RN from the SCHD will return with our annual tetanus/meningitis vaccination clinic provided to the 7th grade and senior classes to help prepare them for eighth grade and college. The NMHC return for second fluoride varnishing, and they will bring the new traveling dental truck for another visit. Miss Joni continues to visit and teach our elementary and high school students about healthy nutrition and life styles throughout the year.
As we head into winter, we are seeing more headaches, stomachaches, coughing, sore throats, and general “I don’t feel good” complaints from our students. If your child has been vomiting or fevered during the night, in the morning you need to contact the school nurse and keep them home. We are in the middle of flu season, and other illnesses like strep throat are going around as well. To help stay healthy, please remember to:
**eat a healthy breakfast **drink plenty of water **get plenty of rest
**wear coats, hats & gloves when playing outside in the cold or wind **wash hands often
We work hard! We play hard! We are GC! Beth Beyer, RN