RAY SCHOOL NEWS FOR PARENTS
www.RaySchool.org

October 26, 2007

A. Bruce Williams, Principal
Sarah Curtis, Assistant Principal

Lost and Found
Found items are on display in the hall outside the Ray Cafe. When you are in the building, please check for items you may be missing. Over Thanksgiving break, items left unclaimed will be donated to a local charity.

Health Notes
HEALTH ALERT We have had three cases of pneumonia in one class. We are also entering the season of coughs, colds, and runny noses. You can help us to prevent the spread of these viruses and illnesses. How? Teach your children and act as a good role model to:
Practice frequent and good hand washing.
Cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough with a tissue or the bend in your arm.
Use tissues to clear drainage and mucous from the nose
Immediately dispose of used tissues in the trash and WASH your hands.
Stay home if you have a fever, an uncontrollable cough, or unmanageable secretions.
These conditions may need to be evaluated by your physician.
Drink plenty of fluids, eat a healthy diet and stay well rested.

MRSA- Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, the new “super bug.” The media has brought much attention to the “super bug”. What has developed over time and after many years of antibiotic treatments is a resistant "bug" known as MRSA or a methicillin (an antibiotic) resistant strain of staph. This simply means that this staph does not respond to traditional methicillin or similar antibiotic treatments which makes it difficult to treat. These staph infections have been in health care institutions for years but are now being identified outside acute care institutions and in the general public. Community Acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA) refers to staph infections that occur outside the clinical care institutions.

How might the infection present?
Staph infections often begin with an injury to the skin. CA-MRSA often presents as skin or soft tissue infection such as a pimple, rash, boil, or abscess. The site is red, swollen, and painful and may have pus or other drainage.

How can we avoid community based MSRA infections?
Frequent hand washing, wash thoroughly with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Practice good hygiene.
Keep cuts and scrapes clean and covered with a bandage until healed.
Avoid contact with other people's wounds or bandages.
Avoid sharing personal items such as towels, soap, razors, bedding, clothing, athletic equipment, etc.

Mini-Recital Schedule
All students must audition for Ms. Luce the week BEFORE the minirecital (not the week of). That means auditions for the first minirecital are the week of Nov. 5th. When the students come to play at that point, their selection should be polished and prepared as if that were the day of the performance itself. Good intonation is considered part of being prepared. This also means that all costumes, props, scripts, etc. are in use. All students must sign up for an audition - the sign-up sheet will be on Ms. Luce's office door. Please do not "drop in" for an audition. Auditions take place before or after school by appointment. Please see Ms. Luce if you have any questions.
Schedule:
Nov. 16th 1:30 open to all students in grades 1-5
Feb. 15th 1:30 open to students in grades 3-5
March 14th 1:30 open to students in grades 1 & 2
May 23rd 1:30 open to students in grades 1-4
June (next to last day of school - TBA) 5th grade Maxi Recital - open to 5th graders only

Picture Absentee and Retake Day
Picture Absentee and Retake Day is scheduled for Wednesday, November 7. Children who were absent on picture day and wish their pictures taken must bring a picture form with complete payment to the camera. (Extra packets are available in the office.) Children wishing retakes must bring complete package to the camera on that day. Refund requests must be mailed by parents directly to the studio.

Farewell
With a mix of regret, great appreciation, and excitement for him, I need to announce that Tony Williams, day custodian, has submitted his resignation effective in two weeks. He has a wonderful career opportunity to follow at Hypertherm. We wish him all the best and hope he knows he will always be part of the Ray School family!

PTO News
The 2007-2008 PTO Directory is going home wih students today. We apologize for any errors or omissions. If you ordered a directory but did not receive one, please send an email to raypto@valley.net.
Local Activities
Two Hanover Recreation Department Notices: Call 643-5315 with any questions.
Basketball signups will be taken through Friday, October 26th, 6:00 p.m. without a late fee. Any registration thereafter will be on a space available basis and will be assessed a $20 late fee.

For Brave 10 year olds and up! The Haunted House will be at the recreation center this year on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 26th and 27th, 7 - 9:30 p.m.. Entry fee is $5 (Parent volunteers are welcome!)

A new series of after-school classes, for children aged 5 to teens, begins at the League of NH Craftsmen in Hanover, next week. (We also offer classes for adults in the evenings.) Call 603 643 5384 to register. See our website for a full listing www.nhcrafts.org/hanover - click on classes and then go to the various studios.
All the classes for children are listed on the children's page. They include: Textiles in 3-D: Fabric Creatures, Kids Klay, Mixed Media, and Explorations in Art.

On Saturday, October 27, at 10:30 a.m., Howe Library will host Stories of the Season with Judy Witters, a family program for ages 4 and up at.

The Hanover Hockey Association is offering girls, ages 6-12, one last chance to sign up for the new Girls Development Hockey program. The group will meet on Saturday and Sunday mornings and is a learn to play development hockey program. The first skate is Saturday, November 3rd. For more information, or to register, go to www.hanoverhockey.org or Call Betsy Knights @ (603) 643-0041 or e-mail: hellobck@aol.com.

The Trumbull Hall Troupe, a group of mostly Hanover/Norwich kids presents "Underland," a funny, original children's musical written by novelist Jodi Picoult with songs by Ellen Wilber about Alex's adventures in a microscopic world. Performances are Friday, November 2, at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, November 3, at 2:00 and 7:00 p.m., at the Richmond Middle School. Tickets are free, but donations will be accepted for Zienzele, Children Helping Children and Richmond Middle School Auditorium. Ticket reservations are highly recommended (call 643-7702).

Pilates for Moms! (and Dads too!) I am coordinating a new pilates class that would be lead by Lettie Arnold at the Hanover Recreation Center in Hanover. The classes would meet Monday and/or Wednesday mornings from 9:45-10:45. The sessions would run for 6 weeks, but drop-ins would also be welcome. Please get back to Jen Gantrish at: jgantrish@valley.net. I need at least 6 people/day for the class to run.

NOVEMBER
Veterans Day Schools Closed Monday, Nov. 12
1/2 Day Teacher Inservice School in session 1/2 day (noon release) Wednesday, Nov. 14
Hanover School Board Wednesday, Nov. 14 7:00 p.m. Multi
SAU #70 Board Monday, Nov. 19 Budget Presentation
Thanksgiving Recess School Closed Thursday and Friday Nov. 22, 23

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