Greenhalge Gazette
January 27, 2023
Important Dates:
January 27 - Chorus starts
February 1 - Banking
February 15 - Banking
February 16 - One Love Family Event, 4-6
February 20-24 - No School
February 21-24 - February All Star Camp, Grades 3 & 4
February Vacation Camp for Grades 3 & 4
Share your family recipes!
https://forms.gle/3yKLnyShbfYXrSGa6
Volunteers Needed!
Preparing for Inclimate Weather
Please make sure students wear a warm jacket, hat and gloves to school. If you need assistance getting these items, please contact your child's teacher.
If the "feels like" temperature is below 20 degrees or if it is raining or sleeting students will have indoor recess.
The same is true for the morning. School starts at 7:40. If the weather is too cold or rainy we will allow students to enter the building at 7:30.
Please follow the link to the Lowell Sped PAC newsletter
Nurse Notes
Hello again Greenhalge Families,
Winter is here!
Quick reminders about
DELAYS; If our school has a delayed opening, early morning meds must be given at home. They will not be administered at school.
VISION & HEARING; If you received a notice about your child’s vision or hearing screenings, please return the doctor forms to me.
As you know, in schools across the state, parents, teachers and school nurses are dealing with many illnesses. There is COVID, RSV, and Flu, Strep throat, stomach bugs and the common cold in our environment. My goal is to keep kids in school whenever possible and at the same time avoid the transmission of illness.
I am mindful that you want your kids to be in school and learning. I do too! I am also very aware that you have to juggle home responsibilities and work and I know that transportation can be a difficult issue.
I care very much about the well-being of your kids. When they are sick or injured, I recall my own kids and consider what they would have needed in similar situations. Sometimes, I may call you to make a decision together. I believe that I am your representative at school and I take that job very seriously.
There are also school policies that I must follow and state regulations that I must enforce. In doing so, I am aware that it can make you frustrated. I always feel badly when this happens. My hope right now is to share with you what the policies are, so you can better understand the decisions I make.
I do not send children home based on their temperature alone. I look at the whole child. I ask many questions and sometimes I will have them rest in my room, use the bathroom, have a snack or a drink. I may listen to their lungs or look at their throat or I may have them talk to you.
1. A child who is sick will not be able to perform well in school and is likely to share the illness with others.
2. A child with a temperature of 100 should not be in school. If your child needs to take a fever reducing medicine to keep the temperature below 100, the child should not be in school.
3. A child who is sleeping at his or her desk cannot be learning.
4. A child who has had diarrhea or been vomiting in the last 24 hours should not be in school.
5. A child with a rash must be cleared by their doctor before coming to school.
6. A child who has pink eye or eye drainage cannot be in school.
7. A child who has strep throat must be on antibiotics for 24 hours before returning to school.
8. A child with live head lice should not be in school.
9. A child who is missing required immunizations. (The school nurse will advise you directly about this.
10. A child who is Positive for COVID must stay home for a minimum of 5 days, but they may return on days 6 through 10, if the fever is gone and symptoms have improved. A MASK IS REQUIRED THROUGH DAY 10.
11. A little more Information about COVID…
· There will be no more testing in school.
· Masks are not required on a regular basis.
· Children do not have to remain home because they are a close contact of a positive person.
12. Please remember to send in a note explaining the reason and the dates of your child’s absence on the day that they are returning to school.
If you are in doubt or have a question about your child’s symptoms, please feel free to contact me, the school nurse, at 978-275-6302 or by email or DOJO. I will be happy to help you reach a decision.
Wishing you a happy, healthy winter season. Teresa Frye, RN BSN NCSN tfrye@lowell.k12.ma.us 978-275-6302
COVID 19 INFORMATION
Dear Lowell Public Schools Families,
We are looking forward to welcoming you all back to school on August 31 (Sept 7 for PreK and Kindergarteners) for the start of the 2022-2023 school year!
We would like to take this time to share the latest COVID-19 guidelines and policies:
- There will be no more in-school testing or contract tracing and schools will be distributing one last at-home testing kit, which will expire Sept. 29.
- Masks are not required (except for in the school nurse’s office), but staff and students who wish to wear a mask may do so.
- Students and staff who do have a positive case of COVID-19 must stay out of school for a minimum of five days, but may return if symptoms improve on days 6-10 if they wear a high-quality mask.
The Centers for Disease Control’s latest COVID-19 guidance can be found here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/isolation.html
We ask that you continue to stress good hygiene habits to your children, such as thorough hand washing and coughing into their elbows when they cough, and ask them not to share cups or water bottles with friends.
We strongly encourage all who are able to do so to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and subsequent boosters. We are thankful to our partners at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, who provided vaccinations at our Back-to-School Block Party, which was attended by more than 3,000 people. To find a location to receive a vaccine or booster, as well as additional information about the vaccine, visit: https://www.lowellma.gov/1523/COVID-19-Vaccine
CLASS DOJO
Please make sure you join your child's class on Class DOJO. We use this as our primary method of communication. Most teachers sent the code in their welcome back letters. Please reach out to your child's teacher if you need help.
Greenhalge Elementary School
Email: jscarpati@lowell.k12.ma.us
Location: 149 Ennell Street, Lowell, MA, USA
Phone: 978-937-7670