Dear Intermediate School Families,
As we head off into summer break, if you wish, please consider the following suggestions and helpful links shared by our school nurse, Mrs. Jennifer Burke (X3333). May the sunshine be with us (on the weekends too) this year!
From the Nurse’s Suite:
With summer approaching, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) reminds residents to take recommended common sense precautions to keep everyone, especially young children and those working outside, safe this summer. “Summer in New England means spending time outside in the sun, in the water, on the beach, in the mountains, or in the park or backyard,” said Department of Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein, MD, PhD. “It is also a time to be aware of the importance of taking seasonal precautions that can make this fabulous time of year safer and more enjoyable.”
Prevent Tick Bites - Certain kinds of ticks can bite and make you sick with diseases such as Lyme disease and Powassan virus. Ticks are most commonly found in damp, grassy, brushy, or wooded areas, including your own backyard. Ticks only attach when you come into direct contact with them — they cannot jump or fly. Follow these steps to help protect yourself from tick bites:
Check yourself for ticks once a day — it’s the single most important thing you can do.
Use repellents with an EPA-registered active ingredient; always follow the directions on the label.
Weather permitting, wear long-sleeved, light-colored shirts and long pants tucked into socks. This will help keep ticks away from your skin and make it easier to spot ticks on your clothing.
After spending time outdoors, a shower can help rinse off a tick before it becomes attached and putting your clothes in the dryer on high heat for 10 minutes can help kill ticks.
Pets that spend time outdoors are exposed to ticks, too, and may bring ticks back inside. Talk to your veterinarian about the best ways to protect your animals from ticks and tick-borne disease.
Prevent Mosquito Bites - Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile virus (WNV) are two mosquito-borne diseases that occur in Massachusetts. While there were no cases of EEE in Massachusetts last year, there were six people with WNV. Mosquito surveillance is essential to monitor activity as the summer unfolds. DPH posts updates about activity throughout the season on the Massachusetts Arbovirus Update page.
While the risk for human infection of EEE or WNV won’t occur until mid to late summer, people have an important role to play in protecting themselves from these illnesses which can be very serious. To prepare for mosquito season:
Drain standing water in and around your house or yard to prevent mosquito breeding.
Repair window and door screens to keep mosquitoes out of your home.
Use a mosquito repellent with an EPA-registered ingredient according to the directions.
Wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and socks to reduce exposed skin when weather permits.
For more information about preventing mosquito and tick borne illness, visit DPH’s mosquitoes and ticks page.
Swimming in Natural Bodies of Water and Staying Safe in a Pool - Drowning is a leading cause of death among young children ages 1-14 nationally and in Massachusetts, with backyard pools posing the highest risk for children under age 5. To help prevent water-related injury and drowning:
Always supervise children in and around water at all times.
Infants and toddlers should be within an arm’s length at all times providing “touch supervision” in or around water, including the bathtub.
Teach young children to always ask for permission before going near the water.
Never dive headfirst into the water. Make sure water depth is properly marked on the pool deck and vertical walls.
Do not swim alone in unfamiliar waters.
Look out for fallen tree branches and sharp rocks in the water.
Do not swim during a storm or when there is lightning.
Completely separate the house and play area of the yard from the pool area with a fence at least 48 inches high. Consider automatic door locks or alarms to prevent access.
Remove floats, balls, and other toys from the pool after use so that children are not tempted to reach for them. After the children are done swimming, secure the pool so they cannot get back in.
Keep rescue equipment (such as a shepherd's hook or life preserver) and a phone near the pool.
Keep a first aid kit that meets ANSI 2308.1-2015 standards (including items like adhesive bandage, trauma pad, & CPR mask) close to the pool.
For children who cannot swim, use a properly fitted U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket. DPH, in cooperation with the USCG, has created a fit test video that can assist with proper fit testing of life jackets.
Do not use toys such as “water wings” or “noodles” in place of life jackets. These are not designed to keep swimmers safe.
Public Swimming Areas -
Select swimming sites that have lifeguards whenever possible, and swim only in designated swimming areas.
Always swim with a buddy.
Look for signage at beaches. DPH collects beach water quality data and notifies the public about bacteria levels to minimize swimming-associated illness and injury.
Know the limits of your swimming skills. Each summer, the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) provides free swimming lessons to children at select agency pools across Massachusetts through its Learn to Swim.
Consider becoming a lifeguard: DCR is recruiting lifeguards to work at its inland and coastal beaches, as well as swimming pools. The hourly pay for pool and waterfront staff is between $22 to $27, depending on position and associated certifications. Qualified applicants can receive up to $1,050 in signing bonuses. For more information, visit the DCR’s lifeguarding website.
Preventing Rabies Exposures - All mammals (animals with fur) can get rabies and there are usually more than 100 rabid animals found every year in Massachusetts. Most of these cases occur in wild animals like raccoons, skunks, bats, woodchucks, and foxes, but some pets (especially cats) and farm animals also get rabies.
People can be exposed to the rabies virus when an infected animal bites them, or when the animal’s saliva gets into a scratch or the person’s eyes, nose, or mouth. People who are bitten or scratched by an animal, or who find a bat in a room when someone is sleeping, or with a young child or pet, should call their local board of health or the DPH Division of Epidemiology at 617-983-6800 for advice.
Other rabies prevention steps include:
Teach children never to approach animals they don’t know – even if they appear friendly.
Report any animal that seems sick or injured to the local animal control official.
Enjoy wild animals from a distance and do not keep wild animals as pets.
Make sure pets are vaccinated against rabies. By law, all dogs, cats, and ferrets must be regularly vaccinated against rabies; this will protect them if they are exposed to the disease.
Don’t leave food or water for pets outside. Even empty bowls will attract wild and stray animals.
Do not let pets roam freely. Keep them in a fenced yard or on a leash.
Keep garbage securely covered. Open garbage will attract wild or stray animals.
Keep chimneys capped and repair holes in attics, cellars, and porches to help keep wild animals like bats and raccoons out of the house.
Sun and Heat Protection - High temperatures and increased sun exposure mean that additional precautions should be taken when spending time outside, either recreationally or on the job.
Make sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day. Drinks like coffee and soda may dehydrate, so they should be followed with water.
Wear sunglasses, sunscreen (SPF of at least 30) 15-20 minutes before going outside and reapply every two hours, and/or wear protective clothing to avoid sunburn.
Seek shade and breaks from the sun throughout the day.
Additional tips on sun and heat protection can be found on the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Extreme Heat and Your Health Website or the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency website.
Summer Reading Information will Remain on the GRAIS Website:
https://www.freelake.org/o/grais/page/grais-summer-reading
Future Dates for Planning Purposes:
Class Placement Letters Mailed via USPS - Approximately August 16th
Open House - Thursday, August 29th at 5:45 p.m.
First Day of School - Wednesday, September 4th
Early Dismissal at 11:30 a.m. - October 11th
Early Dismissal for Thanksgiving at 11:30 a.m. - November 27th
School Resumes - December 2nd
Early Dismissal for Christmas at 11:30 a.m. - December 20th
School Resumes - January 2nd, 2025
Early Dismissal at 11:30 a.m. - February 7th
Early Dismissal at 11:30 a.m. - April 7th
Early Dismissal on Anticipated Last Day of School - June 18th
Have a safe, healthy, and fun summer!
Liz
508.923.3506 x 3150/esullivan@freelake.org