Just a reminder to Pre K parents/guardians that influenza vaccinations are required by law for any Pre K student who does not turn 5 years of age by December 31st.  If your student does not have the documentation into the Health Office by December 21st, they may not return on January 2nd unless they are bringing in the documentation.  This is an NJ law for public schools.

Kindergarten and 4th grade attended a dental health program sponsored by the Zufall Health Center.

May~Spring brings out the insects. Protect yourself.

Preventing Tick Bites

No vaccine is available in the United States to prevent diseases spread by ticks; however, you can take steps to reduce your risk of getting a tick bite:

●      Dress appropriately: wear light-colored clothing, wear long pants and sleeves, tuck in shirts, tuck pants into socks, and wear closed-toe shoes.

●      Use insect repellents on the skin that contain at least 20% DEET. (“Natural” products, such as citronella, are not effective.)

●      Use permethrin-treated clothing and gear, or treat your gear and clothing with permethrin before departure.

●      Stay out of tall grass, brush, or heavily wooded areas; walk in the center of hiking trails.

Checking for Ticks

It can take several hours for a tick to attach and begin transmitting the disease, so the sooner the tick can be found and removed, the better. Checking for ticks frequently increases the likelihood of finding a tick before it can transmit the bacteria. Bathe or shower as soon as possible after coming indoors. Then do a full-body tick check with a handheld or full-length mirror. Parents should check their children for ticks under the arms, in and around the ears, inside the belly button, behind the knees, between the legs, around the waist, and especially in their hair. Examine gear and pets; ticks can ride into the home on clothing and pets, and then attach to a person later. Last, tumble clothes in a dryer on high heat for an hour to kill remaining ticks. 

Removing Ticks

If you find a tick, use tweezers to grasp it as close to the skin as possible. Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don’t twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouth-parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth-parts with tweezers. If you are unable to remove the mouth-parts easily with clean tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal. After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol, an iodine scrub, or soap and water.

Symptoms of Diseases Spread by Ticks

Common symptoms include:

●      Fever/chills

●      Headache

●      Fatigue

●      Muscle or joint pain

●      Rash

Contact your doctor if you feel seriously ill, especially if you have a fever. Tell your doctor about your travel history, including what countries you visited and what you did there. Be sure to mention if you remember seeing or being bitten by a tick. Keep in mind that symptoms can appear after you return home or while abroad.

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID)
• Division of Vector-Borne Diseases (DVBD)

MARCH/APRIL

On March 28th, Shop Rite came to speak with our 4th graders during their lunchtime to discuss how to read a food label. Your student was able to learn how to figure out how much added sugar they were having with their meal.   Hopefully, they will look at the foods they are eating and they will make healthier choices.

On April 24th, the Zufall Health Center presened a dental health program for our Kindergarten and 4th grade students. This program was rescheduled due to snow days.

 Please be aware that Jefferson School will host a blood drive on Thursday, May 9th from 3:30 pm- 7:30 pm in our gym.  Please consider being a donor! Posters are hanging at school and the flyer will be posted in WAAG.

February is dental health month at Jefferson!

Thank you to Roxbury Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry for coming to school and presenting to our Pre K, 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders.  The students learned about healthy dental habits and received a free toothbrush!

Our Kindergarten and 4th-grade students will have a presentation from the Zufall Health Center on Monday, April 4th. 

The students are listening to a dental health tip on the morning announcements. They also can view the health showcase and bulletin board to learn about other good oral habits.

The second dental showcase will show the amounts of sugar in many beverages enjoyed by our students.  Remember that for every 4 grams of sugar in a beverage, it equals one teaspoon of sugar! 
For example, a 20 ounce bottle of Cola has 15.5 teaspoons of sugar in it!  A 20 ounce bottle of fruit punch as 10.1 teaspoons of sugar in it, and a 16 ounce bottle of sweetened tea has 11.9 teaspoons of sugar in it!

Water is the best beverage for our bodies and teeth!

Winter Safety and Wellness

It's cold and flu season! 

Remember some simple habits to limit your exposure to those germs:

1. Wash your hands often!

2. Cough into your elbow, not your hands.

3. Stay home when you have a temperature >100 degrees, have vomited or had diarrhea within the past 24 hours.

4. Eat well balanced meals and stay hydrated.

5. Get enough rest and sleep.

Stay safe 

Carbon Monoxide Kills Even During Snowstorms

- Don’t Be Fooled -

BREAKING NEWS (Newark, NJ) New Jersey is weathering a fierce snowstorm with dangerous, even deadly, travel conditions – low visibility, slippery/icy roads, frigid temperatures, gusting winds, high snow totals and possible flooding. Many may experience power outages due to the high winds.

When storms of this magnitude occur, it is common to see an uptick in poisoning exposures/injuries. “Severe weather often results in illness and deaths from hypothermia and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, as well as exposures to a variety of substances,” according to Dr. Diane Calello, NJ Poison Control Center Executive and Medical Director, Rutgers NJ Medical School’s Department of Emergency Medicine. Carbon monoxide is known as the “Silent Killer” for a reason. It is a gas that gives no warning – you cannot see it, smell it or taste it. The good news: These exposures are preventable.

“Rest assured that the state’s poison control center will be here to respond to your calls for help, 24/7,” says Calello. You can reach the poison experts in the following ways: call        1-800-222-1222, chat via www.njpies.org, or text 8002221222@njpies.org.

Below you will find key safety tips that may potentially save your life or the life of a loved one. For those who have social media, follow the NJ Poison Center on FB and Twitter for storm safety tips.

Reduce your risk of CO exposure/poisoning:

1.      Only use generators outside. Keep them more than 20 feet from both you and your neighbor’s home, doors, or windows. Carbon monoxide gas can blow back into a building if too close.

2.      Clear snow from all heating and dryer vents.

3.      Gas appliances must have adequate ventilation. If need be, keep a window slightly cracked to allow airflow.

4.      Open flues when fireplaces are in use.

5.      Never use the stove to heat your home/apartment. 

6.      Do not  bring generators, pressure washers, grills, camp stoves, or other gasoline, propane, natural gas or charcoal-burning devices inside your home, basement, garage, carport, camper, boat cabin, or tent – or even outside near an open window or door.

7.      DO NOT cook with charcoal indoors.

8.      DO NOT idle a car in a closed garage. Once you pull in, immediately turn off the engine. 

9.      Do not idle a car in a snowbank. If stuck in the snow, make sure to clear the tailpipe and surrounding area to prevent exhaust fumes from entering the car.

10.  If you do not have any carbon monoxide detectors, install them right away. If your detectors are old and/or not working properly, replace them right away. Check the batteries and replace if needed.

If you suspect Carbon Monoxide poisoning, take immediate action:  

1.      If someone is unconscious or unresponsive, get him or her out of the house and call 9-1-1 immediately.

2.      Exit the house/building immediately. Do not waste time opening windows. This will delay your escape and cause you to breathe in even more dangerous fumes.

3.      Contact your local fire department/energy provider.

4.      Call the NJ Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222 for immediate treatment advice. Do not waste time looking for information on the internet about carbon monoxide poisoning.  Call us for fast, free and accurate information.

General Safety Tips:

1.      Save the Poison Help line (1-800-222-1222) in your cell phone and post it somewhere visible in your home.

2.      Stay home and off the roads if possible. Driving conditions in severe weather deteriorate quickly.

3.      Have a flashlight with new batteries ready to use

·       Make sure to use a flashlight when giving or taking medication. Read all labels carefully.

4.      Have a battery-operated radio available with new batteries.

5.      Rock salt exposures occur frequently during severe weather. Children and pets can easily access rock salt left in garages, outside, hallways, etc. Keep these products locked up and out of sight and reach.

6.      Avoid drinking alcohol in cold temperatures

7.      Infants, children, and the elderly are at greatest risk for hypothermia. Stay warm and dress appropriately.

·       Some medications may increase your risk for hypothermia. Check with your doctor, pharmacist or call the NJ Poison Control Center.

CO poisoning is serious and should be handled as a medical emergency. Don’t waste valuable time looking up information on the Internet when every minute counts. Get help immediately if you suspect someone was exposed to carbon monoxide. Call the NJ Poison Control Center unless the person is unconscious, not breathing, hard to wake up, or seizing, then call 9-1-1. Poison control centers are a great resource for information and emergencies. Keep us at your fingertips. Save the Poison Help number (1-800-222-1222) as a contact in your cell phone.

Help is Just a Phone Call Away!

We are social. Join us on Facebook (@NJPIES) and Twitter (@NJPoisonCenter) for breaking news, safety tips, trivia questions, etc.