Greetings Families!
I hope this finds you well and happy. In fact, family wellness is the focus of this week’s newsletter. Thanks to Nurse Ashley and Counselor Libby for providing the great resources below for our students and their families.
As the resources indicate, the winter months can be challenging in terms of staying healthy, and we’ve seen some signs of seasonal stressors among our students. In addition to encouraging you to try some of the ideas Ashley and Hope have shared, I would like to remind you of a couple of wintertime best practices that can keep children (and adults) from experiencing illness and discomfort:
Avoid indoor smoking and vaping: During cold or stormy weather, children and other family members are at greater risk of exposure to second-hand smoke and second-hand vapor. We often see and smell the signs of exposure in students with much greater frequency in the colder months. Here is an article touching on the many dangers of second-hand exposure.
Check for Pediculosis capitis (otherwise known as head lice). Winter hats and other gear can make the spread of lice more likely than in the warmer months. Throughout the school year, but especially in winter, it’s a good idea to routinely check your child’s scalp for signs of lice. There are many online resources describing how to do the check.
Wishing our families wellness and health in the new year!
~ Mary
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Dates and Announcements
January 15th Martin Luther King Jr. Day (no school)
Milk Prices: Please be aware that for students who bring lunch from home, school milk is .50 cents. As always, let us know if you need help with this.
Yearbook ordering is now open: To order an MBES yearbook, visit inter-state.com/order and enter the code 83366V
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From Nurse Ashley
Dear Bobcat Families,
January is National Family Fit Lifestyle Month and what better time than now to get the entire family to begin establishing healthy lifestyle habits that become yearlong and lifelong commitments! The best role models to teach children about living healthy are the adults in their lives. Choosing nutritious foods and engaging in active indoor and outdoor activities are great ways to spend time with the whole family while promoting the importance of a healthier lifestyle. See below for some great ideas!
Ashley DeWever, RN BSN Marcia Buker School Nurse
______________________________________________________________________________________________Winter Self-Care
From Counselor Hope Libby
Winter darkness and colder weather can cause increased stress and moods to worsen. Here are some ideas of basic things we can do to decrease stress and brighten moods:
Eat a Balanced Diet: Make it easy for yourself: Decide on a meal prep day for your family and spend time together trying new recipes and making sure your fridge is ready to make it easy to eat a well-rounded diet.
Keep Moving: The winter months can make it so hard to get moving, which can take a toll on mood, but we feel so much better when we take time each day to move our bodies. Getting the whole family moving can be easy. Taking a short walk as a family, having a dance party and going out for a hike on the weekends are great ideas that bring the family together and move bodies. Here is a Family Dance Party Play list!
Get enough (but not too much) sleep: Is there anything better than waking up all curled up under the covers on a cold winter morning? It’s so easy to sleep in. And so fun to stay up late! But we want to make sure kids aren’t getting too little – or too much – sleep. Unfortunately, there’s no way to actually “catch up” on sleep. So focus on helping your child fall asleep and wake up at around the same time every day.
Don’t get SAD! Being outside during the few daylight hours during the winter is so important to lifting our mood and getting good vitamins! And drinking a glass of water can energize you better than an afternoon nap!
Photos
Tammy Houdlette helps with the backpack/weekend food program.
On Friday, 1/12/24, the SuperSnack Squad prepared and delivered carrots from Tender Soles Farm with hummus for dipping.
Kindergarten students learn Bounce and Catch and One-handed Dribble skills in Phys Ed.