Wellness Policy
CLASSROOM
“TREATS”
Here is a list of snack choices and options for your
child’s
classroom, or for your child! Please be sure to check with the
classroom teacher before bringing in ANY food item for the whole
class. Food allergies can be life threatening for some children. |
| Fruit
Kabobs |
Tangerines
|
Kiwi Fruit |
Chex Mix |
| Watermelon Chunks |
Orange Wedges |
Bananas |
Low fat Cheese |
| Apple Wedges w/peanut
butter |
Veggie Tray w/dip |
Pickles |
Rice Cakes |
| Tortillas w/salsa |
Bagel Chips w/Light
Cream Cheese |
Deviled Eggs |
Bing Cherries |
| Popcorn Cakes |
Dry Granola |
Healthy Granola Bars |
Bruschetta |
Dried Fruit
|
Yogurt |
Frozen Yogurt |
Popcorn |
| Apple Crisp w/low
sugar topping |
Sugar Free Jello |
Cheese & Baked
Crackers |
Tortillas w/humus |
January 22, 2010
Yesterday every student was given information to bring home about
Dental Health Care at school. On Thursday and Friday, March 4th
& 5th, “Tooth Protectors” will be at Woolwich to
provide dental health care for any student who does not have a regular
dentist. Maine Care families qualify for free care, while others
can pay a low cost fee. If you are interested in this free or low
cost service, please return the paperwork on Monday, January
25th. Please contact Nurse Sherwood with any questions!
LACTOSE INTOLERANT
If your child has recently visited his/her pediatrician and been
diagnosed with possible lactose intolerance, please send a note from
your doctor stating this to Nurse Sherwood and/or the cafeteria.
We should also know whether or not this intolerance includes cheese
and/or other dairy products. The cafeteria allows students with a
mild intolerance to purchase a juice for .55 cents but we must have
documentation from a physician. Thank you for assistance in this
matter.
December 4.2009
Many parents are asking about the dates for the 2nd dose (booster)
clinics for H1N1. Due to delays in Maine receiving more vaccine,
our booster clinics are currently on hold. There are still many
Mainers who are at high risk who have not received a first dose.
There is a minimum time of 21 days between the first immunization and
the booster, but there is no maximum time limit. Therefore, whenever
the booster supply arrives, the nurses will organize a clinic. In
the meantime, you may wish to check with your Primary Care Providers as
they may have received a supply of vaccine.
On another note, I have begun hearing screening of all students at WCS.
NO NEWS IS GOOD NEWS. I will only contact someone if I have
questions or concerns with the screening. In January I will
proceed with vision screening. Roberta Sherwood, R.N.,BSN, M.Ed
November 20, 2009
Two FLU Clinics have been held and favorable numbers were seen at each
one. Plans are being
made for booster clinic, and we’ll let you know when all
information is complete. The booster clinics
are necessary for students under the age of 9 who need their first
seasonal flu shot, or the “booster”
for seasonal flu; or students under the age of 10 for their
“booster” H1N1 shot.. This also means if
there is any student (K-12) that has not had a shot, either seasonal or
H1N1 they will have one LAST
chance to get one at this last booster clinic free of charge. We will
NOT be holding any future clinics
after this one. As we wind down we are looking for your comments and
concerns as we look at how
we could improve this process if we do it another year. Roberta
Sherwood, R.N. BSN. M.Ed
November 13, 2009
The vaccination clinic was held last Saturday at Bath Middle School.
These are the totals of what was given for H1N1. The total K-8
enrollment for RSU 1 is 1411 students. A total of 611 students,
or 43% of our district was vaccinated for H1N1.
This is the breakdown for initial doses of
H1N1 per school in case you are interested....
West Bath - 52 out of 137 = 38%; Phippsburg - 67 out of 116
= 58%; Fisher/Mitchell - 108 out of 242 = 45%; Dike/Newell
- 93 out of 250 =37%; Woolwich - 121 out of 323=37%; and Bath
Middle School - 170 out of 343=50%
Does this mean we are, "home free"? ABSOLUTELY
NOT! It means we are taking steps towards a healthier
community. We must all continue to be vigilant in hand washing,
covering our cough and staying home when ill. The H1N1 virus is
around, and it continues to spread. We must all work hard to do
our part, which also includes vaccination.
IT IS NOT TOO LATE!
We will be holding another flu clinic and will be
offering both H1N1 and Seasonal influenza vaccinations. If you
already completed your paperwork but didn't make it to last Saturday's
clinic, we will have that paperwork with us this Saturday. If you
haven't completed any paperwork but want your child to receive the
vaccination, come to the clinic on Saturday and complete the forms
there. The clinic will be held at Morse High School for K-12 RSU
#1 students only, Saturday, November 14th from 8:00 a.m.-12:00
p.m. Please call your school nurse if you have
any questions.
October 30, 2009
Influenza - Both H1N1 and Seasonal Flu
We still have NO DATES when ANY vaccine will arrive.
PLEASE, IF YOU SEE YOUR PCP ask if they have any vaccine at all and
immunize there. I want to repeat that all forms sent home just
over a month ago will be shredded. When we do ANY vaccine, a NEW form
will have to come home for you to sign. So if you get flu vaccine
from your doctor know that we would NOT give it here without a NEW
signed consent form. The guidelines for "should I stay or should I go",
are posted on our web site, but diarrhea, vomiting or fever of 100 or
more means to stay home for 24 hours after the last episode. Most
importantly covering your cough with your elbow, washing your hands
more often, and staying home when ill are what will help the most in
preventing the spread of illness. On a lighter note, I will TRY to
start hearing and vision screening within the next week or two.
No news is good news. Roberta Sherwood,R.N.,BSN,M.Ed
October 16, 2009
I still have no information as to when I will receive the flu vaccine
for the SEASONAL FLU SHOTS! SO PARENTS MAY WANT TO BE CALLING
THEIR PRIMARY CARE DOCTOR TO SEE IF THEY CAN BE GIVEN A FLU SHOT IN THE
OFFICE. It looks as though at this point the H1N1 vaccine will be
the first to arrive, but I still do not have confirmation of
that. I am so sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused.
Roberta Sherwood, R.N.,BSN,M.Ed
October 9, 2009
H1N1, Influenza, and Viral Illness: You can call it anything you
want, but the bottom line is if your student has a fever of 100.0 or
more they must remain out of school for a FULL 24 HOURS AFTER THE LAST
DOSE OF MEDICINE TO REDUCE THE FEVER. (It may be Tylenol, Ibuprofen or
other meds you may choose to make them feel better.) The 24 hours
is regardless of how they feel when they get up in the morning.
The Maine CDC reports they may still be contagious during this time
period and that is why they must be fever free for a full 24 hours
before returning to school. The same 24 hours goes for vomiting or
episodes of diarrhea. It has been a very busy week at school. We
have not been able to locate vaccine to administer Flu shots, and the
thought is that now we will choose a new date WHEN THE FLU VACCINE IS
IN HAND, and offer H1N1 AND OR Seasonal Flu shots (one or both) to any
student whose parent/guardian wants them to have it.
Unfortunately, the old forms will no longer be valid. As soon as
I have more information I will get it to you. If your student has
asthma, or other medical concerns, you may want to try to get the flu
shot from your doctor. If you have questions or concerns, please
contact me. You are all doing a great job about calling in when
your student is out ill. This information is vital to us, and to the
Maine CDC in tracking illness. Roberta Sherwood, R.N., BSN,M.Ed.
October 2, 2009
Just a reminder to all that I cannot administer medications, whether
over the counter or prescription, to ANY student without a doctors
written order and a signed consent from a parent or guardian. This
includes Tylenol, Ibuprofen, and cough medicine. This is for the safety
of your child and allows me to follow the policy of the School. Each
over the counter medication that you send in must be in the original
bottle. If you choose to send in cough drops they must be sent to the
nurses office with a note saying how often you want them administered
Thank you all for helping me to follow the rules and keep your children
safe. Roberta Sherwood, R.N., BSN, M.Ed
June 12, 2009
Is H1N1 still on your radar? If not it should be! It
was easy to remember when it was on every TV station, radio station,
and on the front page of local news papers. The press has seemed to
subside, but the H1N1 virus continues to spread. While I do not have
tons of news to report, there is nothing more important I can do than
to remind each and every one of you those basic things that have been
shared on TV, Radio, E-mail, and certainly a few times at least in my
news letters: Keep children home who are sick, don't send them to
school. Teach each student to wash hands more than usual with soap and
water for at least 20 seconds, be sure to set a good example by doing
this yourself and all should be covering coughs and sneezes with
tissues or by coughing into the inside of your elbow. Stay away from
people who are sick, (remember the 3 foot rule?) A note went home to
all students in the entire RSU1. If you did not see this letter, please
contact me for a copy. It contains the most current
recommendations from the CDC. I am always available to answer any
questions you may have. Lets do our best to stay healthy! Roberta
Sherwood, R.N., BSN, M.Ed
May 29, 2009
HEALTHY HIGHLIGHTS-BROWN TAIL RASH
The cause of the "brown tail rash" is a toxin
associated with short stiff hairs or bristles on the caterpillar of the
brown tail moth. The caterpillars are active from May through July, but
the dermatitis is most common in June and July when toxins reach their
highest concentration in the mature caterpillars. The signs and
symptoms of the rash can develop at the time of the exposure OR be
delayed for several hours. Severe rashes have developed after contact
with clothing which came in contact with the wind blown hairs while
being dried outside. The duration of the rash varies from hours to
days. Treatment is focused on relieving symptoms and eliminating
exposure. You may find taking a cool shower and changing clothing
that may have come in contact with the brown tail moth hairs. Dry
laundry inside during the peak months of June and July. This synopsis
is from the Department of Human Services Division of Disease
Control. Roberta Sherwood, R.N., BSN, M.Ed.
May 15, 2009
HEALTHY HIGHLIGHTS - SPINAL SCREENING
The goal of spinal screening is to detect spinal curvature in the EARLY
stages, the time when treatment is most
successful and when surgery can be avoided. This screening is done in
every public school in the state of Maine on girls in
grades 6 and 8 and on boys in grades 8 or 9. The progress of Scoliosis
and Kyphosis (different types of spinal curvatures)
may be gradual and increases the most rapidly during the adolescent
growth spurt years between the ages of 10-13.
During the early adolescent years there is a strong possibility that a
curve may go undetected until a significant degree
of deformity occurs. Nearly all cases are painless and produce no other
symptoms and considering the modesty of
students in this age group and their level of independence it is no
wonder it goes undetected! I will be conducting this
screening next week on these students. To opt out of the screening,
please sign and return the form your student brought
home. I strongly encourage everyone to have this painless, fast,
screening done. I will always respect your students
privacy and will answer any questions that you may have on this topic.
I will only contact you if I have concerns. NO
NEWS IS GOOD NEWS! Roberta Sherwood,R.N., BSN,M.Ed
WELLNESS WISHES
Attendance in school is a direct relationship to wellness. I follow the
attendance here at Woolwich School
very closely and am proud to report that we are at 95% in relationship
to the number of student days PRESENT.
Another interesting note is that we currently have 24 students in line
for a perfect attendance. Do you know what I
have to say to that? WOW! It is directly because we all work together
as a team effort to keep them healthy. I
wanted to share this good news with you as I hope as the end of the
school year approaches we can keep these good
percentages and that we can celebrate the wellness of Woolwich School.
Roberta Sherwood, R.N.,BSN, M.Ed
April 30, 2009
FLU PANDEMIC
Dear Parents:
This letter will help your family prepare for a flu pandemic that could
make many people sick.
It is important to know that at this time, there is no pandemic flu of
any kind in the State of Maine.
Public health officials are worried, as the swine flu virus spreads
easily from person to person.
This would cause a worldwide flu outbreak, called a pandemic.
Public health officials want people to protect themselves against
pandemic flu. Here are some
ways to protect your family:
- Keep children who are sick at home. Don’t send them to school
- Teach your children to wash hands a lot with soap and water for 20
seconds. Be sure to set a
good example by doing this yourself.
- Teach your children to cover coughs and sneezes with tissues or by
coughing into the inside of
the elbow. Be sure to set a good example by doing this yourself.
- Teach your children to stay at least three feet away from people who
are sick.
- People who are sick should stay home from work or school and avoid
other people until they
are better.
If you have questions, please contact your school nurse or healthcare
provider. You can call the
school at 443-9739. Look to these websites for more information:
http://www.pandemicflu.gov
or http://www.redcross.org
January 23, 2009
FROSTBITE
Cold weather happens every winter in Maine, and so does
frostbite. With more cold weather predicted for the next few days
here is some good information to share on frostbite.
Frostbite occurs when tissues freeze. This condition happens when you
are exposed to temperatures below the freezing point of skin. The nose,
cheeks, ears, fingers, and toes (your extremities) are most commonly
affected.
* In superficial frostbite, you may experience
burning, numbness, tingling, itching, or cold sensations in the
affected areas. The regions appear white and frozen, but if you press
on them, they retain some resistance.
* Do not rub the frozen area with snow (or anything else, for
that matter). The friction created by this technique will only cause
further tissue damage.
* Above all, keep in mind that the final amount of
tissue destruction is proportional to the time it remains frozen, not
to the absolute temperature to which it was exposed.
Prevention
* Dress for the weather.
* Layers are best, and mittens are better than
gloves (keeps your warm fingers together while warming each other).
* Wear 2 pairs of socks, with the inner layer made
of synthetic fiber, such as polypropylene, to wick water away from the
skin and the outer layer made of wool for increased insulation.
* Shoes should be waterproof.
* Cover your head, face, nose, and ears at all times.
* Clothes should fit loosely to avoid a decrease in
blood flow to the arms and legs.
People with diabetes and anyone
with vessel disease should take extra precautions, as should the very
young, very old, and unconditioned.
December 5, 2008
What can I do to help your student remain in school? I have had a
much higher than usual incidence of calls to parents and I must confess
there have been some cases where I am not sure that the student should
have gone home. I truly want every child to be in school every
day. With that said, I also realize there are times when it is not only
best for your student to be home due to illness, but far better for
others that they remain home as well. It is the gray areas I am
asking for help with. Perhaps your student is complaining in the
morning, but you really want them to try to make it through the
day...perhaps you could write a short note OR better yet call the
school my extension is 205, leave a message on my voice mail
sharing your concern and where I could reach you if need be.
Perhaps if I knew your thoughts, and we developed a plan together the
outcome would be better. I want to work with each one of you to
have every child in school every single day that it makes good
sense. Roberta Sherwood, R.N.,B.S.N. M.Ed.
November 14, 2008
The first onslaught of illness seems to have peaked and now is waning!
Rest assured this was NOT influenza!
However with that said, it is NOT TO LATE TO GET YOUR FLU
SHOT! The CDC reports that the serum mixture this
year is the best match for the flu that they have had in years, so it
will provide better protection. The CDC also has
recommended for the first time for all to get a flu shot from 6 months
of age and up. One thing we can be sure of, it will
come. What we can do about it is to be prepared and protect
ourselves and our families as much as possible. Lastly,
remember you CANNOT get the flu from the shot, as it is NOT a live
vaccine. Roberta Sherwood, R.N.B.S.N.M.Ed.
School Nurse
November 7, 2008
"We have only just begun". While that may be the lyrics to a song,
which I did not write, it is also the song I am singing in the halls of
Woolwich School this past week. A viral type process has hit the
school and NO it is NOT Influenza. It is marked with a single
condition and that is vomiting. Yes I have seen boys and girls
with many other things, and a few have had diarrhea, only a handful
have had any fever at all, and one or two have had a high fever.
Realize that a virus begins and then changes very rapidly, so not all
would have the same symptoms. The other piece worth mentioning
here is that it is spread from person to person rather rapidly, so if
your child has any vomiting or diarrhea they should be kept out of
school for the 24 hours after the vomiting or diarrhea. If you
have questions please call me to discuss it, and if I am not in my
office leave me a voice mail and I will return your call. Secondly,
please, please make sure I can reach you if your child becomes ill at
school. Many folks change phone numbers, types of phones, and even
locations; I truly should be able to reach you or your appointed
representative at all times.
Influenza has not been confirmed at the state level yet so we are still
awaiting the onslaught of this. However, all should at least consider
getting flu shots for your children. If you have been hit with
this viral process, it is only a "taste" of what Influenza can hit
with. Roberta Sherwood, R.N.,B.S.N.,M.E.d
October 17, 2008
Medications often are a real life saver, and can be all so helpful to
an ill person. However, they can be deadly in the wrong
hands,. There is NO place in our homes for unused prescription
medications,. Many times we purchase over the counter medications and
end up with many UNUSED and OUTDATED pills stored in our homes. A
medication collection will be held to collect just this type of item.
When:
Thursday November 14, 2008 5-7 p.m.
Where: Drop
off points are: West Bath Fire Department, The Highlands,
Richmond Senior Center, and Mid Coast Senior Health Center
PILLS, OINTMENTS, DROPS OVER THE COUNTER, PRESCRIPTION AND
VETERINARY DON’T FLUSH, DON’T STASH (Prevent
Danger!) Roberta Sherwood, R.N., B.S.N., M.Ed.
October 9, 2008
Flu season is fast approaching! Remember that you must receive a flu
shot each year as each year the strain is different. The CDC is
recommending flu shots for children aged 6 months and up. Check with
your doctor to hear from them current recommendations. Once the
flu
comes it is highly contagious, so an ounce of prevention is worth a
great deal. I will share more in future weeks, but if you have an
appointment with your doctor this is one topic you may want to bring
up. Roberta Sherwood, R.N., B.S.N.,M.Ed
September 26, 2008
PRESCRIPTION AND OVER THE COUNTER MEDICINES
School policy says that any medicine whether
prescribed by the doctor OR over the counter, like Tylenol, cough and
cold meds, or ANY MEDICINE to be given during school hours MUST BE
ACCOMPANIED BY A WRITTEN NOTE FROM THE PARENT/GUARDIAN AND THE STUDENTS
PERSONAL PHYSICIAN (OR DENTIST) stating that the medicine is necessary
to the students health and must be taken during school hours. I CANNOT
and will not give medicine to any student in a ziplock baggie. I have
NO IDEA what you are asking me to administer.The medicine when
accompanied by the parent AND doctor's notes must be in the original
bottle and I must have very specific instructions on when and how to
administer. Please remember I do not directly work under a physician, I
must use every precaution I have ever learned to keep your children
safe and I must adhere to the policy that was written to ensure safety
for all. If you send in cough drops they must come to the nurse and the
student may come to the nurse to get them as needed. If you have
questions or concerns please contact me directly. Roberta Sherwood,
R.N., B.S.N., M.Ed
September 12, 2008
This is a section of the newsletter written by the
nurse on a topic of interest. It is generally included in our
newsletter each week, and if you have a topic you wish to have explored
and shared, please feel free to contact me. This week I want to
highlight SLEEP! This is a big transition time for all students
going from one pace to another. They are being exposed to more
germs than they had been all summer and one excellent way to stay
healthy is to be absolutely sure your student is getting adequate
sleep. Most students in this school require 8-9 hours sleep per
night. This allows the body to be prepared to take on all that is
required of it, studying, exercise, AND FIGHTING OFF GERMS. Does
your student have trouble sleeping at night? Tips: ROUTINE,
ROUTINE, ROUTINE! (get the message? same time to bed and up each
day are very important), soft music, their own bed, and yes did I
mention routine? If a student is having trouble when these things
are being done, it may be time to speak to the nurse or your
doctor. SWEET DREAMS! Roberta Sherwood, R.N., B.S.N.,M.ed
