Coats & Hats & Mittens - Oh My!
Launch the media gallery 1 playerWinter has finally arrived and Boy, it is chilly outside! Please be sure your kids dress in layers and have coats, hats, and gloves every day, (leaving the shorts and tank-tops at home). Although we have indoor recess during the very cold days, there is always the possibility that we may have to go outside unexpectedly. Without winter clothes, your children will quickly become very cold with their heads, arms or legs exposed to the weather. Also, please send shoes to change into if they wear their snow boots to school, so that they do not have to keep those clunky, snowy boots on all day.
We just hosted the Northeast Mo Health Council (NMHC) mobile dental van here at our school for an entire week. They had 53 dental appointments seen in their van over five school days. Twenty-one of our students got to go see the dentist and then return to class without having to leave school grounds. We are so thankful for this much-needed service to our community, and hope they come each fall for many years to come! Our student’s dental needs were met AND no missed school for them – DOUBLE WIN!!
Back In September, the DHSS Preventive Services Program team provided FREE dental screening and fluoride varnishing to our elementary students. 130 kids participated, and 14 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. They will be back to see us in March. Hopefully, parents will have even more of our students take advantage of this FREE service next fall.
The Sullivan County Health Department (SCHD) had a FREE influenza vaccine clinic here at the school for our 5th-12th grade students and our employees to help us keep well during flu season. 62 smart people were vaccinated to help protect them against the flu – a new record! Then, the SCHD nurses came back during parent-teacher conferences, and 29 more parents & students got vaccinated! Even though it is 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. This coming spring, Lisa will return with our annual tetanus/meningitis vaccination clinic provided to the 7th grade and junior classes. This clinic held here at the school helps prepare our students for their 8th and 12th grades by making sure their required vaccinations are complete and ready-to-go.
The Missouri Lions KidSight program came and provided FREE vision screenings to our Pre-K through 3rd graders, along with some of the Parents as Teachers kids. We had 97 kids screened and only ONE needed referred for further evaluation of their vision. This very fast, FREE screening detects SEVEN vision problems that make it harder for our kids to see and to learn. Children as young as six months can be screened. We are so lucky to participate in this FREE program!
Next semester, we will have hearing screenings given to many of our Elementary and High School students. This FREE screening helps to detect hearing problems that, like vision problems, are barriers to our student’s ability to learn that may go undetected. We are very appreciative to have so many valuable FREE services available to our school. Please contact the nurse if you have a student that you specifically want screened.
Have a wonderful Christmas break!
We work hard! We play hard! We are GC! Beth Beyer, RN