January 2025 Newsletter

We hope you had a wonderful and restful winter break! Our staff is so grateful for all the donations made and the time volunteers spent to make our holiday activities such a success before break.

During the month of January our students are taking the NWEA reading and math tests. These are screening tests and help our staff determine how to best instruct each child. If students make growth from their fall NWEA score, they will get a certificate for a free kid's meal from KFC! We look forward to seeing all of the growth our students have made so far.

As you know, the winter months in Michigan can be very cold. Please make sure your students have a winter coat when they come to school. Students go out for recess every day unless the wind chill is 10 degrees or colder. If they want to play in the snow, they need to have the proper snow gear (boots, snow, pants, gloves, etc.) If you are in need of a winter coat for your student, feel free to reach out to Mrs. Nowakowska.

We look forward to a safe, happy and healthy 2025! Stay warm!

Grand Blanc West Middle School is hosting an Instrument Petting Zoo at West Middle School for 5th grade students on Wednesday, January 29th from 5:00-7:00pm. The purpose of the petting zoo is to give the 5th graders a chance to see and hear the band and orchestra instruments before they sign up for their music class in 6th grade.

Wednesday, January 29th at West Middle School

Brendel, Reid, PIC & McGrath Students: 5:00-6:00pm

Myers, Indian Hill, Mason Students: 6:00-7:00pm

Jake Finkbeiner

Band Director - Grand Blanc West Middle School

As we have done in the past, we are going to have a page of our 5th grade students pictured as babies in the yearbook. Please email or turn pictures into the office by January 31, 2025. January 31, 2025.

Please send digital photos to: MyersTigersYearbook@gmail.com Make sure to include student name and teacher.

Regular photos: Please put the photo in an envelope and indicate the student name and 5th grade teacher name on the envelope. Your photo will be returned to your child.

Mrs. Robinson would like to say a huge thank you to the families who have purchased books from the Amazon.com Wish List!

Here is the link if you would like to make a selection-

https://tinyurl.com/584xkp27

1/17- End of 2nd Marking Period

1/20- Martin Luther King Jr. Day! No School!

1/21- Records Day! No School!

1/22- ELGA Deposit Day

Myers PTO is hosting a Star Wars Glow Dance at Myers on Saturday, February 8 from 6:00pm - 8:00pm. Flyers went home in Friday Folders today. Tickets are $20/couple ($5 for each additional son). Forms are due by Friday, January 31.

**Father/Special Person & Daughter Dance will be held on Saturday, March 22nd. More details will be sent home at a later date!!**

What are head lice?

• Tiny insects about 1/8” long that live on the human head. Color may vary from light to dark tan.

They crawl from hair to hair and feed on human blood from scalp bites, but they do not jump or fly.

What are signs and symptoms that could occur?

• Tickling feeling in hair

• Itchy head

• Lice eggs are smaller than sesame seeds and are called ‘nits,’ and are tightly attached to the hair shaft

• Nits can be found on any hair and hatch after 8-9 days

How is it spread?

• Head-to-head contact is most common

• Sharing items like combs, brushes, towels, bedding, hats, coats, scarves, hair accessories

• Placing head on furniture, rugs, pillows, or car seats recently used by someone with lice

• Person is contagious until lice and nits are destroyed

How is it treated?

• Prescription or over-the-counter head lice products

How can head lice be prevented?

• Do not share combs, brushes, towels, bedding, hats, coats, scarfs, hair accessories

• Do not try on other people’s hats

• Hang coats separately and place hats and scarves inside coat or jacket sleeve

• Clean or disinfect shared headgear with Lysol or rubbing alcohol before it is used by others

• Regularly check your child’s head for lice

• Avoid head-to-head contact at school and while playing at home with infected people

• Do not lie on bedding, pillows, carpets or upholstered furniture that has been used by someone with lice

Should the sick individual be isolated?

• No.

Should facilities do special cleaning?

• Special cleaning is not necessary. Routine cleaning with EPA approved products is recommended.

What is hand, foot and mouth disease?

• Common viral disease of the skin and mucous membranes caused by enteroviruses. Small, blister-like sores appear in the mouth, backs of hands, palms, tops of feet and soles.

What are symptoms that could occur?

• Fever

• Reduced appetite

• Sore throat

• Painful sores develop, but not itchy

How is it spread?

• Person to person by direct contact with nose or throat discharges or stool of infected person

• Most contagious during the first week of the illness

• The usual period from infection to onset of symptoms is 3 – 7 days

• It is not transmitted to or from pets or other animals

• Mainly occurs in children between 6 months and 4 years of age

• Virus can stay in the body after the symptoms are gone, which means the disease can still be spread.

How is it diagnosed and treated?

• Primary care provider evaluation

• Treatment is aimed at relief of symptoms

How can it be prevented?

• Wash hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands

• Avid close contact such as kissing, hugging, and sharing utensils with infected people

• Disinfect frequently touched surfaces and objects, such as toys and doorknobs

Should the sick individual be isolated?

• The spread of infection is extremely difficult to prevent and the condition is harmless. Although most individuals are contagious from 2 days before to 2 days after the rash, avoidance of other children is unnecessary unless a fever is present or there are sores in the mouth.

When can the individual return to the general population?

• Temperature is below 100oF for at least 24hrs without medication

• No sores are present in the mouth

Should facilities do special cleaning?

• Special cleaning is not necessary. Routine cleaning with EPA approved products is recommended on commonly touched surfaces.

Many illnesses do not require exclusion. However, children may be excluded if the illness prevents the child from participating comfortably in school activities or if there is risk of spread of harmful disease to others. These criteria also apply to when staff should be excluded. Criteria include:

• Severely ill – lethargic, difficulty breathing, or rapidly spreading rash.
• Fever 101F or greater AND behavior change or other signs of illness.
• Staff can use their best judgement if the child does not have a fever of 101F or greater, but still appears significantly ill with symptoms such as glassy eyes and lethargy.
• The child should not return until there is no fever for 24 hours, without the use of fever-reducing medications.
• Diarrhea – 2 or more loose watery stools.
• The child should have no loose stools for 24 hours prior to returning to school unless health care provider determines it’s not infectious.
• Vomiting – vomited 2 or more times.
• The child should have no vomiting episodes for 24 hours prior to returning unless health care provider has determined the vomiting is not due to an infectious condition.
• Abdominal pain – abdominal pain that continues for more than 2 hours or intermittent pain associated with fever or other symptoms.
• Rash – rash AND a fever or change in behavior.
• Respiratory symptoms - Worsening or not improving, and not explained by another cause (e.g., allergies).
• Skin Sore – weeping sores on an exposed area that cannot be covered with a waterproof dressing.

If I have any other questions, whom can I contact?

• Call the Genesee County Health Department at 810-257-1017