RAY SCHOOL NEWS FOR PARENTS
www.RaySchool.org

November 30, 2007

A. Bruce Williams, Principal
Sarah Curtis, Assistant Principal

Ray Writers' Club
The next two meetings for Ray Writers will be December 3rd, and December 17th. Meetings are on Mondays from 3:00-4:15. Please remember to pick your child up by 4:15. Thanks. Ray Writers' Staff

Holiday Concert
Please note our Holiday Concert schedule for this year:

Tuesday, December 18 Concert for K-2 9 am
Wednesday, December 19 Concert for 3-5 12:45 pm

Thursday will serve as a snow date if needed. There will be no need for tickets.

From the Health Office
Cold Weather - Children should come to school prepared for recess outside with a warm coat, snow pants, boots, hat and mittens. It is not uncommon for children to come in from recess with wet clothing. An extra pair of pants, socks, mittens and shoes for indoor wear are recommended for keeping at school.

Student Absences - When your child returns to school following an absence, please send a note saying when and why the child was absent, to help us track prevailing illnesses and thus ensure a healthier school community. (The Ray School Handbook, page 3, Attendance)

Pneumonia - Over the past 3 months The Ray School community has seen a number of cases of pneumonia. The NH Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) has found that these cases are likely to be community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). CAP is a respiratory tract infection that affects the general public and is generally mild and does not require hospitalization. The more frequent symptoms of community acquired pneumonia are fever, cough, malaise and headache. Any person with those symptoms should go to their health care provider so proper diagnoses and treatment can be established. The transmission is from person to person by contact with respiratory secretions. Key actions, if properly implemented by the community, will certainly stop the transmission of this infection as well as most respiratory infections including the common cold and the flu.
- Hand washing
- Cough etiquette: cough into shirtsleeves or elbows instead of hands
- Stay home if sick. NH DHHS recommends keeping your child home until they have been fever free for 24 hours.
-Take your child to the doctor if symptoms described above are present.
- If your child is diagnosed with pneumonia, please notify the school nurse.

Mumps Outbreak - I just received this information in a November 26, 2007 memo from Dr. Jose Montero, MD, NH State Epidemiologist.

The Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC) has confirmed seven cases of mumps in Maine residents since late September 2007, and is currently investigating several dozen suspect cases. In addition, Canada has been experiencing an ongoing outbreak of mumps with over 900 confirmed cases since February of 2007, primarily centered in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Of the seven cases in Maine, two are students at the University of Maine. Mumps can spread easily among university students, as evidenced by the 2006 outbreak in the midwestern area of the United States, where over 2500 cases were identified, primarily in college/university students.

Mumps is an acute viral infection of the salivary glands. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle aches, and swelling and tenderness of the cheeks. Early symptoms are nonspecific, and may include low-grade fever, muscle aches, decreased appetite, headache, and loss of energy. Cheek swelling usually occurs within the first two days of illness onset, is seen in 30-40% of affected individuals, and may be on one or both sides of the face. Symptoms usually resolve within 10 days. Mumps infection is more severe in adults than in children.

Transmission occurs through sneezing, coughing, contact with saliva (through sharing of utensils, kissing, towels, etc.), or from contact with surfaces that have become contaminated with the mumps virus. The incubation period is 16-18 days, and individuals are considered infectious from 3 days prior to 9 days after onset of symptoms.

The NH Department of Health and Human Services is providing the following recommendations to schools:
- Hand washing: Not only at school but at home as well
- Cough Etiquette: Teach children to cough into their shirtsleeves or elbows instead of their hands
-Stay at home if sick: Sick children should be kept at home and not sent to school. NH DHHS recommends keeping your child at home if they have a fever with muscle aches and/or swollen cheeks until they have been fever free for 24 hours
-See a healthcare provider: If symptoms of fever, muscle aches, and cheek swelling are noted in your child, they should be taken to a healthcare provider immediately for evaluation for mumps infection
- Confirmed cases should be excluded for 9 days from the beginning of symptoms
- Unvaccinated contacts to cases should be excluded from the 12th through the 25th day after exposure

Please notify your school nurse if you become aware of any cases of Mumps for reporting to the NH DHHS.

Medications To Be Administered At School - Whenever possible, a child’s medical regime should be carried out at home; however, any student who is required to take prescribed medications or treatments during the regular school day must comply with the guidelines outlined on page 12 of The Ray School Handbook. Please reference this guideline if it becomes necessary to send medication for your child to take at school. Thank you.

From the PTO
Congratulations to the 3rd grade classes upon completing their month's successful Haven Helpers food drive! And stay tuned for more information about the all-school Children's Book Drive (new and gently used books welcome) to take place at our upcoming Holiday Concerts...

It is not too late to sponsor a Birthday Book for the Ray School Library, in honor of your child. If a birthday has recently passed, we can do a six-month date. Every Thursday we call children whose birthdates are closest to that date down to the library and they choose a book they like for the library. These wonderful books are selected by Hatsy McGraw, the Librarian. You can sponsor a $5, $12, or $20 book. Please call Joan Frankenstein-Mitchell, 448-1602, for an application which can be emailed, or we can do the whole thing via telephone.

Local Activities
The 5th Annual Family Place Gingerbread Festival will take place on Saturday, December 8th, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., at Tracy Hall, Norwich, VT. Exquisite handmade gingerbread houses, cafe, silent auction, and store; free children’s activities, story telling, and musical entertainment. Admission: $10 per family or $ 5 per person. Online auction December 2 to December 7, from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. daily. All proceeds benefit The Family Place Parent Child Center. More details and photos of past houses at www.the-family-place.org.

All Aboard the Polar Express! A roundtrip train trip leaving the White River Jct., railroad station going to the Montshire Museum and back, on December 15. Passengers will enjoy hot chocolate and holiday music on the train and a merry visit to the North Pole on return. For more schedule information and to purchase tickets, call Andrea at (802) 295-7900 or visit www.hartfordvt.chamber.com/polarexpress.

Hanover Inn’s Second Annual Writing Contest - Visit the Hanover Inn to view our “Gingerbread Pirate Ship” and tell the story that has never been told. Our bakers have created a wonderful desert island with a surprise at every turn and we need you to write a story that tells all about this amazing place. The Pirate Ship will be on display in the Hanover Inn lobby beginning Friday, November 30. This writing contest is for children in 3rd through 6th grade. We ask that all stories be submitted to the Front Desk at the Inn or to elaine.hatch@dartmouth.edu by Friday, December 14. Each will be carefully read and judged for the most original and creative story. The story should be no longer than 500 words. For more information call Elaine Hatch @ 646-3510, ext. 260. Prizes will be awarded. Prizewinners will be announced on Monday, December 24, at 10:00 a.m., in Hayward Lounge, at the Storytelling with Judy Witters.

Ring in the season at the 2007 Holiday Dance on Saturday, December 8th, from 8:00 p.m. to midnight, at the Top of the Hop at Dartmouth College. Enjoy holiday hors d'oeuvres, a live jewelry raffle generously donated by Amidon Jewelers, and great local music from Sensible Shoes. Proceeds to benefit the Special Olympics of New Hampshire and Vermont. For information and tickets, call 643-1357.

For 90 consecutive years, generations of families have participated in the Christmas Mystery, a much-loved community event. This choral reenactment of the Christmas story will be help Sunday, December 16, at 4:00 and 5:00 p.m., in Rollins Chapel at Dartmouth College. Hanover High School seniors play the parts of the angels and the shepherds (and their fathers are senior shepherds) with community members filling in the rest of the roles. During the singing of "O Come All Ye Faithful," children and adults are encouraged to bring new wrapped gifts to the manger. These gifts will be delivered to Hannah House and the Haven. Free and open to the public. For more information contact Linda Dacey at 643-4524, lindadacey@comcast.net

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