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USDA Lunch Guidelines
You may have seen on TV or read in the
newspaper that the US government (USDA) is changing the
guidelines for school lunches. Mrs. Dugan, our cafeteria
manager says that many of the new menu items are already in
place at St. Lawrence. We serve low-fat or fat-free milk
and have lowered the sodium (salt) and fat in all lunches
for several years. Whole grain bread is being served and
soon whole grain pasta and tortilla shells will be offered.
We already serve some fresh veggies and dip, but more fresh
vegetables and fruits will be on the trays soon! Obesity
continues to be a problem in this country. St. Lawrence
wants all its students to be healthy and ready to learn.
Health News from Nurse D-C for
Sixth-Grade parents!!!!!! The State of Ohio requires that
students must have a T-dap (Tetanus, Diphtheria and
Pertussis) immunization booster by the start of the
2012-2013 school year. Please check with your doctor and
send in proof if your student has already received this
shot.
Thank you for your cooperation
Hand Sanitizer
Thanks to the kindness of an anonymous
donor we are sending home a small bottle of hand sanitizer
with every student. We hope that this extra reminder to
“wash your hands” will help decrease the coughs, colds,
diarrhea, vomiting and all other contagious problems being
experienced within our families and our schools this
winter! Remember hand washing is the best defense against
illness!
Hand Washing
I need to remind everyone that hand
washing is the #1 best way to keep from getting sick! We
are seeing a lot of different symptoms among the children
lately, such as colds, coughs, vomiting and diarrhea so
extra efforts should be taken. Don’t forget to wash your
hands with soap and water or hand sanitizer after you use
the bathroom, before you eat, after you blow your nose, and
if you forget to cough in your sleeve and use your hands be
sure to wash them! You should also wash hands when you get
home from school and after you have been playing with your
pets. Stay Well and Healthy!
Dental Sealant Program
TODAY parents of grades 2-8 students will
find packets in their Thursday envelopes about the dental
sealant program. The Cincinnati Health Department Dental
Team will be here February 13-17 to do dental exams and
sealants.
The dental sealant program is my favorite
health program each year. It’s effective, painless and
FREE! To make it fun we will enter classes who return 100%
of the forms completed and signed in a drawing for a pizza
party!! My goal is to have every form returned, completed
and signed, and at least 110 students screened!
Please be sure to check “yes” or “no” and
sign in BOTH places marked.
Everybody SMILE!
2012 is here!
Let us make at least some small changes
to live healthier lives. Maybe reducing the amount of
"fast food" by making burgers and fries a sometimes treat
only! Skip the elevator and take the steps. Get
more sleep - turn the TV off and go to bed early!
Adults should try to get the recommended 7-8 hours of sleep
a night. Make an effort to find time for a little bit
of relaxation every day, perhaps by enjoying a hobby,
catching up with a friend with a phone call or over lunch,
or simply by praying. Everyone needs a little down
time.
Best Wishes for a Happy, Healthy
2012!
Flu Season
We had 85 students in Preschool through
Grade 8 who received a free seasonal “flu” vaccine this week
from the Cincinnati Health Department. A big thank you goes
out to our terrific volunteers-Mrs. Davis and Mrs. Kinney!
Parents and Grandparents don’t forget to
get your seasonal flu vaccine (Seniors, Medicaid pays for
it!) Most pharmacies, as well as your family doctor can now
give the vaccines. NO ONE wants the flu!
Remember seasonal flu can be serious to
young children, seniors, those with asthma and other
breathing problems, and those who are immune compromised.
Please everyone keep washing your hands
with soap and water (or hand sanitizer). Don’t forget to
“cover your cough”.
Price Hill Dental Clinic Has a
Pediatric Dentist on Staff!
WOW! Great News! The Price Hill Dental
Clinic at 2136 W. 8th Street now has a Pediatric Dentist on
staff. This means that all students in preschool through
grade eight can now receive dental care right here in the
neighborhood.
Call Rose at 357-2704 to schedule an
appointment soon. Remember that “baby teeth” are important
too. They hold a spot for permanent teeth and decayed baby
teeth can cause pain and infection.
The Cincinnati Health Department will be
at St. Lawrence School in February, 2012 for grades 2
through 8.
Policy on Lice
The cooler weather of fall has arrived
and unfortunately so has LICE! Lice are very small insects
(the size of a sesame seed), which live on your head. They
bite and feed on blood. They lay eggs called “nits” which
attach to the hair shaft. Nits are white or gray and feel
hard like a seed. Lice do not jump or fly but can move very
fast!
Lice do not spread disease but cause
intense itching of the scalp. St. Lawrence School has a “No
Nit-No Lice” policy for the comfort of all our students and
so we will have the very best environment in which our
students can learn.
If your child has
live lice or nits, do not send to school. Check with
your doctor or pharmacist for the best method of eliminating
lice. Please call so that classmates can be checked. Your
child will need to be checked by the office or school nurse
before returning to class.
Head lice can happen to anyone. Teach
your child not to have “head-to-head” contact with other
children. Do not borrow hats, headbands and hair holders of
any kind. Here at St. Lawrence all students use a large
plastic bag to hold coats, hats, scarves, etc.
Reducing Fat in our Diets
The governments latest “dietary
guidelines” which outline what we should be eating says we
need to reduce the amount of solid fat
(butter/margarine, beef fat) cholesterol (eggs), sugar,
salt, fatty meats, and high calorie foods like cookies and
cakes. So what is left to eat that tastes great? How about
foods like crisp apples, pears and grapes! Cold low-fat or
1% milk goes great with a sandwich. Try to eat less “fast
foods” by cooking from “scratch”, meals such as tossing
whole grain pasta with some tomato sauce, lean chicken and
spices. Add dried fruit to unsweetened cereal. Mix plain
yogurt with a touch of honey for a great dessert. Crunchy
vegetables such as celery, broccoli, and cauliflower taste
great dipped in a low-fat ranch dip. Eating healthy can
become a way of life simply by stopping to think about what
you are putting in your mouth. Try it and you might not only
like it but feel better for it!
Help with Asthma Medications
If you must pay a co-pay for every asthma
or emergency medicine your student needs, there is great
news! The American Lung Association-Schott Foundation Grant
money now gives $100 monthly to help families pay the co-pay
for Albuterol and steroid inhalers, Epi-pens and Singulair.
All prescriptions must be filled at Remke/Biggs.
The application is very simple and does
not need a doctor signature. Please call Ms. D.C., your
school nurse, at 921-4996 for an application. Call Gail
Seitz at 985-3990 for more information.
Every student with asthma (even exercise
induced asthma) needs an inhaler at school. If your student
needs an Epi-pen you need to supply the office with one to
be kept at school.
Please be sure to read the blue
flyer coming home in the Communication envelope today. I
cannot stress enough the importance of keeping the school
office and myself up-to-date on your child’s medical
conditions and medications. All information is kept
confidential and only shared on a need to know basis. We
need to work as a united team to keep our children healthy,
safe, and at their best.
Milk Matters
MILK MATTERS- for your
Child’s Healthy Mouth-That’s because milk and other dairy
foods (foods made with milk) are very good sources of
calcium.
CALCIUM is a mineral
that helps make teeth strong and healthy. Even before baby
teeth and adult teeth come in, they need calcium. Once
teeth come in they continue to take in calcium so they can
develop fully.
CALCIUM makes gums
healthy. Getting enough calcium as a young adult may help
prevent gum disease later in life.
CALCIUM makes jawbones
strong and healthy too. Jawbones need to be strong-they
hold the teeth in place!
A generous grant from the Greater
Cincinnati Foundation will make it possible for our
kindergarten students to have milk at snack at least twice a
week! Enjoy!
Immunizations
The state of Ohio requires certain
immunizations of all students. Parents of kindergarteners
if you have not yet turned in your child’s immunization
(shot) record PLEASE TURN THEM INTO THE SCHOOL OFFICE AT
ONCE, if you have not already done so. If you receive a
letter from the school nurse saying that certain shots are
still needed, call your doctor for an updated shot record or
take your student to your doctor or clinic to receive the
needed immunization. If your student has not received the
needed immunizations (or is not in the process) to receive
them, he/she will not be able to attend school after October
6, 2011. Thank you for your cooperation. We want every
student to be healthy and ready to learn!
Hello to all my friends at St.
Lawrence School!
I am delighted to be back for my eighth
year of keeping everyone healthy here at St. Lawrence!
Parents if you have a student who is new at our school
(kindergarteners and other grades) please be sure we have
current immunization records on file in the office at once.
This is an Ohio State Law. It is also state law that if
your student must take medication at school we must have a
current medical permission form signed by you and the
child’s doctor on file in the school office. If you have
not sent in the necessary forms please do so immediately.
Health Hints for a Successful School Year: I hope everyone
has a successful and healthy 2011-2012 school year. Below
are a few tips on making this school year the best that it
can be.
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Washing your hands with soap and water is a very
important part of staying healthy. Don’t forget to wash
your hands before you eat, after you use the toilet, after
coughing or sneezing and when you get home.
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Get a
goodnight sleep. A child should get at least 8 hours of
sleep each night, although some may need 10-12 hours to feel
fully rested.
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Eat a good breakfast every morning either
at home or at school. Include some milk, juice and some
protein to get your brain and body moving and ready to
learn.
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