What a year! Well as it winds down, I want to thank you for all of your patience and understanding with our Covid testing requirements and quarantine procedures. You have been an awesome Heights community! What a great team!

Ok, now I have to remind families with medication at school to make a plan to pick up daily medications and emergency medications as they are not supposed to be stored over the summer school break. Just give me a call or an email to make a plan for pick up.

I also want to remind you that I need updated medication forms for the upcoming year. Each new school calendar year requires new updated medication forms. These forms are available on my website or on the main SPS health page. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qQQoB-y4TCXNkSDTtO7zpClk6qyk4yI0/view?usp=sharing)

It is important to keep yearly physical exams scheduled with your child’s pediatrician. When you get these completed, please send a copy to the health office for your child’s health record at school. This is required for grades K, 4, 7, and 11 but good to send in yearly if you don’t mind.

If your child has a new health diagnosis, please keep me updated as this is important if there is an emergency at school. This is the information I would share if needed in an emergency with 911.  

Have a great summer, relax, enjoy, be safe and I look forward to seeing you around Sharon and in September!

Nurse Cathy

Allergy season is here and many students have runny noses and itchy, watery eyes at school. If your child has these symptoms and is uncomfortable, you may want to check with your doctor or local pharmacist for recommendations to alleviate the symptoms. There are over the counter eye drops and medications that may help (to give at school, will need an order form from medical provider)

With warm weather here and no air-conditioning in our building, children will perspire and sometimes smell of body odor. Please make sure child is bathing daily and if needed using deodorant. Clean clothing and socks help decrease odor as well.

Remember to continue to drink fluids like water throughout the day and to dress in layers at school. Often, the classes will warm up and it is good if the child can remove a layer to be more comfortable and put on a coat or sweatshirt to go outside if it is cooler.

Please remember to send your child in with snacks as needed and a water bottle.

Here are some helpful suggestions that can prepare your child for the school day and possibly decrease unnecessary calls home or disruptions in their school day.

• Start your child's day off with breakfast. If they are not hungry right when they wake up, they may be hungry a little later in the morning. Pack an extra snack for that "just in case morning" when you are rushing around and may miss breakfast or for when your child is not interested in eating right away

• Pack an extra snack for just in case. I encourage snacks that are nut free for the classroom which does not need to be the case for lunch. Having an extra snack to leave in a back pack is helpful long as it is not going to spoil and remains unopened until needed (applesauce, crackers, dried fruit, granola type bars...)

• A refillable water bottle is helpful to keep in class. It can be re-filled when needed and decreases the number of water breaks a child takes from class

• Having an extra pair of clothes is recommended for all ages. Accidents do happen like falling in water at recess, sitting in water accidentally at the end of the slide, spilling milk or getting another liquid on them from lunch, an unexpected bathrooming accident, or even the stomach virus could result in the need to change clothes. This can be left in the bottom of a backpack

• Appropriate shoes for recess and gym class is recommended. Children are often running and climbing at recess and gym class speaks for itself, safe appropriate shoes for the activity is encouraged

• Help your child begin to learn to tie their shoes. If they are not ready to tie their shoes, there are alternatives such as velcro and elastic shoe ties. This can prevent many scrapes, bumps, and ankle injuries

• Dress in layers. It may be cool in the morning but, it can warm up in the classroom. There is no air-conditioning in the classroom or cafeteria and layering clothing lets children put it on or take it off as needed. That being said, please provide appropriate clothing for outdoor temperatures. You may want to put your child's name on the inside label of coats, sweaters, sweatshirts, and jackets

• Help your child learn to take care of themselves. Encourage and support learning how to bathe, changing clothes by themselves, and cleaning themselves after toileting

• Don't forget to check your child for lice. It is common in children due to sharing of pillows, laying on stuffed animals, and just getting those heads close together like at sleepovers and in car pools for a few examples. These bugs do not fly or jump and do not cause health issues but are annoying. They usually die within 48 hours without a host. Please see information on my website about lice or call me if you have questions

• Adequate sleep is important. Try to set up a bedtime routine for your child. Discourage screen time at bedtime to promote healthy sleep habits