In preparation for flu season, please remind your children to wash their hands frequently. This needs to be re-enforced at home that they should was their hands anytime the look, feel or smell dirty, and wash them after playing, touching pets, using the toilet, coughing&/or sneezing, and always before eating. Go through the the six steps on washing hands: 1. Wet hands with warm water. 2. Soap uo. 3. Wash thoroughly by rubbing hands together, between fingers, tops and not to do this with their hands under the running water. 4. Rinse. 5. Dry. 6. Turn off water with a paper towel. Here at school the water turns off automatically. Every classroom has hand sanitizer for the children to use if they can not get to the bathroom to wash their hands. For lunch times, we suggest a large napkin or placemat that can be placed on top of their desk. January 2008 So far this school year we are experiencing many viral issues. Children have developed high fevers that last for approximately 5 days, respiratory illnesses similar to croup with coughs that sounds like barking seals, and of course we always have the stomach virus that seems to be prevalent in all schools. Please allow your child time to fully recuperate so they do not have relapses and actually miss more time from school. Again, we would like to reminding parents NOT to medicate your child with Motrin or Tylenol before coming to school, especially if they have been sick the previous days. If your child is out sick please let Mrs. McKee, Mrs. Webster or myself know what is wrong. Our e-mail addresses are on the school's web site. Vision and hearing screenings will be scheduled soon for 4th & 6th grade and new students. Homeland Security encourages all households to make plans in the event of weather or terrorism emergencies. Please go to www.ready.gov.to get resource information. It will include checklists of supplies for the home and the car or at work and information for making a family communications plan. Maryland Poison Control has issued warnings to parents about the high energy drinks and high energy candy bars. Caffeine is considered the MOST widely used psychoactive substance, found in coffee, teas, soft drinks and energy drink. Caffeine overdoses result is symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, restlessness and can increase with high ingestions to tremor, seizures, tachycardia (fast heart rate, dysrhythmias (irregular heart beats), hypotension, diuresis, hypokalemia (loss of the potassium electrolyte) and metabolic acidosis. Treatment consists of going to an emergency room wherre they will treat with activated charcoal if the person presents soon after the ingestion, and supportive care.