Blue Knight Highlights

For Accessibility Features or this newsletter translated, please click here

For a straight text version of this newsletter, please click here

Once a week during Knight Time, the Sandwich Middle High School Intercambio Club gathers to share ideas and culture amongst students. The club consists of English learners, former English learners, and students that are proficient in a host of world languages, including Portuguese, Spanish, Ukrainian, French, Russian, and others. The intent is to share stories, customs, etc. from students' backgrounds while also learning about American customs and traditions. For example, this week club members learning about American Thanksgiving and compared and contrasted it to how other nations throughout the world celebrate similar type holidays. Club members are also an invaluable resource to prospective families from other nations who visit SMHS and require translation services. Thanks to SMHS teachers Amelia Visceglio, Liam Kelly, and Raquel Lodge for starting this important student-driven club.

Girls On The Run is so much more than a running program! GOTR is a national non-profit youth program that combines physical activity with a curriculum designed to empower young girls by developing confidence, competence, connection, character, and community contribution. Throughout the fall season, our Oak Ridge GOTR team exercised and trained together working toward end of season goals. The team completed a community impact project, which consisted of cleaning up the Oak Ridge playground and playing fields. Our season concluded with our team’s participation in the Girls On The Run Greater Boston Celebratory 5k, with each girl crossing the finish line after 3.1 miles!! Many thanks to Oak Ridge GOTR Coach (and Forestdale PE Teacher) Nikki DeNardo for her work with these inspirational students!

It's that time of the year again! Join the Sandwich Schools Band Boosters to bring holiday cheer to yourself and those in our community with a gift of high quality holiday decorations. Wreaths, kissing balls, holiday logs and our fan-favorite poinsettias are back! Purchase for yourself or choose to gift one (or many) to a Council on Aging recipient to brighten their holiday. If you choose to donate, we will hand-deliver your donation to the Council on Aging on your behalf. Please fill out this form if you would like to order one or more of these beautiful holiday items. Orders due by Wednesday, November 27, 2024.

🏈🏀 Tips to Prevent Sports Injuries in Children & Teens ⚽🏑

Sports help children and teens keep their bodies fit and feel good about themselves. Kids can enjoy the camaraderie and excitement of athletic events while developing new skills.

To keep sports safe and fun for kids, here are some tips to help prevent common injuries among youth athletes.

Common youth sports injuries:

The most frequent sports injuries among U.S. children and teens include:

• sprains (injuries to ligaments)

• strains (injuries to muscles)

• growth plate irritation (apophysitis)

• stress fractures (injury to bone) are caused when abnormal stress is placed on tendons, joints, bones, and muscle

In a growing child point tenderness over a bone should be evaluated further by a medical provider - even if there is minimal swelling or limitation in motion

Playing a variety of age-appropriate sports

All sports have a risk of injury. Generally, the more contact in a sport, the greater the risk of a traumatic injury. However, most injuries in young athletes are due to overuse. Pediatricians advise young athletes to avoid specializing in one sport. It's best to play various sports to avoid injuries we often see with overuse.

More tips to reduce the risk of youth sports injuries

• Take time off. Plan to have at least 1 day off per week and at least one month off per year from training for a particular sport. This allows the body to recover.

• Wear the right gear. Players should wear appropriate and properly fit protective equipment such as pads (neck, shoulder, elbow, chest, knee, shin), helmets, mouthpieces, face guards, protective cups, and eyewear.

• Strengthen muscles. Conditioning exercises during practice strengthen muscles used in play.

• Increase flexibility. Stretching exercises after games or practice can increase flexibility. Stretching should also be incorporated into a daily fitness plan.

• Use the proper technique. This should be reinforced during the playing season.

• Play safe. Strict rules against headfirst sliding (baseball and softball), spearing (football) and checking (in hockey) should be enforced.

• Stop the activity if it hurts. Don't play or exercise through the pain.

• Take breaks. Rest periods during practice and games can reduce injuries

• Drink plenty of fluids before, during, and after exercise or play to avoid dehydration; decrease or stop practices or competitions during high heat/humidity periods; wear light clothing.

Project 351 will be hosting a food drive in December. Please review the list below and if possible, kindly send in an item or two to donate for the cause. Collections bins can be found in the main lobby at all three schools. This drive will support our neighbors who access the Sandwich Food Pantry. Thank you in advance for your support!

The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy has many fun and educations offerings this holiday season beginning Friday, November 30th. Great for families of all ages!

Click below for more information.

Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth (MPY) sponsors a free Parenting Solutions Library (https://peaceathomeparenting.com/mpy-solution-libraries/) containing valuable resources in partnership with Peace At Home Parenting Solutions, a non-profit organization based in Connecticut. They specialize in empowering parents with evidence-based strategies to foster nurturing connections that safeguard their children's mental well-being.