Mrs. Smith's Second Grade

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Dear Parents,
The next three weeks will be busy and fun-filled. During our religion,
writing, and social studies periods we’ll be learning about our families,
ancestors, and customs and traditions from around the world. 
Paper dolls and country outlines may be turned in whenever they are completed,
but no later than Friday. I’m sending home a piece of white art paper for the
children to color the flag of their country. It must be done on this paper,
not computer paper, so that they are all the same size. If your child loses it
or needs another piece for some reason, please have him/her ask me for another
one. The flag needs to be child-created, not computer created.
Next Wednesday afternoon, Dec. 9, we will have an in-class field trip. A guest
speaker from the Heritage Museum will discuss immigration and ancestors. 
Several children will dress up and role-play immigrants coming to Ellis
Island. The cost per child is $5. If you send in cash, please put it in an
envelope with your child’s name on it. If you send in a check, please make it
out to St. James Academy. Following this we'll have an International Food
Fair. Please plan to send in a food item that comes from the country of your
child’s heritage, to be shared with the class. 
We have a tradition in second grade that goes along with our study of customs
and Christmas Around the World. Beginning this week we will be going on a
“Posada” throughout the school. On the final day we will end in first grade
and break a piñata. If you can send in some small trinkets, or wrapped candy
to fill the piñata it would be greatly appreciated. If anyone of Hispanic
heritage would like to donate one or two piñatas and help fill them please let
me know.
If your family would like to prepare an Epiphany shoebox for Mission Circle
please let me know the sex and age range of the child you would be interested
in and I’ll send home an information packet. (See SJA website for more info.)
In response to parent concerns about privacy, you may notice a change
regarding when your child’s work comes home. I’ll only send work home on days
when it can be filed by Mrs. Grant. If you send something to school in your
child’s yellow folder, please be aware that some mornings these are unpacked
by a parent volunteer. If you have something of a confidential nature put it
in an envelope with my name on it. 
I’m including a new sign-up for parent volunteers. Let me know of your
preferences for the remainder of the school year by this Friday. I’ll put a
new schedule together and send it home next week.
I’ll be out on Thursday. Our substitute will be Mrs. Grubb.
	Blessings, Cathee Smith

Shining Star: 
Isabel

Saint of the Week:Glenn-St. Nicholas


What We're Learning This Week:
Religion: Advent/Christmas
Language arts: verbs
Spelling: review
Math: Subtraction with regrouping
Social Studies: Family and ancestors

Coming Up:
Tues. 12/1	November reading leaves due
Fri. 12/4	Noon dismissal
		Country outlines/paper dolls due 
Wed. 12/9	12:30 Heritage Tours presents “Coming
 to America”/ International Food Faire
Thurs. 12/10	First Reconciliation 7 p.m.
Thurs. 12/17	7:00 Christmas Pageant
Fri. 12/18	2nd grade Mass



Some tips from Dr. Oz pertaining to the flu:
The only portals of entry are
the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global epidemic, it's almost impossible to
avoid coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with
H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is.

While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in
order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of
secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most
official communications, can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock
N95 or Tamiflu):

1. Frequent hand-washing

2. "Hands-off-the- face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of
face (unless you want to eat or bathe.)

3. *Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine or Hydrogen
Peroxide if you don't trust salt). *H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial
infection in the throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic
symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt
water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an
infected one. Don't underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful
preventative method.

4. Similar to 3 above, *clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm
salt water, or hydrogen peroxide. *Blowing the nose softly once a day and
swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very
effective in bringing down viral population.*

5. *Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C. *If you
have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to
boost absorption.

6. Drink as much of warm liquids (tea, coffee, etc) as you can. Drinking warm
liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They
wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they
cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.

7. Take Vitamin D.

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Mrs. Smith's Second Grade

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