Dear Janney Families,

Last weekend was a busy one at Janney as we hosted the book sale and were entertained by James and the Giant Peach.  I want to offer congratulations to Karen Harris and the musical team for another great performance!  It is such a treat to watch our annual musical and celebrate all of the hard work that the kids (and adults!) put into making the show a success.  We also hosted the Used Book Sale and it was a great success!  Thanks to the committee for making this year’s sale our best ever.

Tonight’s newsletter contains an important note from Nurse Ros and our weekly column from our school counselors.  Please read on for important information on staying healthy this flu/cold season.  The counseling team has devoted this week’s column to screen time and offers strategies and suggestions on how to set appropriate limits on screen time.

We wish you a relaxing February break and look forward to the students’ return on Monday, February 25.

Have a great week!

From Nurse Ros
Staying Healthy this Flu and Cold Season Updated January 2019

Everyday preventive actions can help slow the spread of germs that can cause many illnesses and may offer some protection.

Reminders to follow infection control practices:

• Handwashing is the best prevention against the spread of germs. All employees are expected to follow handwashing protocols. Peer check your colleagues to keep everyone healthy. You must wash hands with soap and water before eating and after using bathroom
• Routinely clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs, including doorknobs, keyboards, and phones. Always use the germicidal disinfectant wipes.
• Other Preventive steps:
  • Don’t share germs – avoid touching food at parties or sharing food with your friends.
  • When coughing or sneezing, cover your mouth with a tissue and throw it in the trash after use. If you do not have a tissue, cough or sneeze into the inside of your elbow, not your hand.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth to prevent the spread of germs.
  • Avoid unnecessary close contact with people who are exhibiting signs of illness.
  • If your job puts you in contact with patients who may be sick, take protective measures.

What to Do if You Are Sick

• If you are experiencing “flu-like” symptoms such as fever (≥100°F or feeling feverish but no temperature taken), cough, sore throat, body aches, or headache, do not come to school/work until you have fully recovered.
  • Call your healthcare provider to see if you are a candidate for antiviral medicines such as Tamiflu, which can lessen the effects of the virus.
  • The CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after the fever is gone without fever-reducing medication.
• If you are experiencing “stomach flu” such as acute-onset of vomiting, diarrhea and/or nausea, do not come to school/work until you have fully recovered with no symptoms for 24 hours or longer.
• Please use your best judgment about whether or not to report to school/work. When in doubt, discuss this with your healthcare provider and your supervisor.

Please follow these guidelines to protect our families  and employees during virus and cold season.

Student Support Services Column
This week we are sharing some strategies for tackling the issue of screen time.  This is an issue that so many families struggle with as they try to set limits on screens.  Following are some tips that can help:
1. Model healthy electronic use.  Be aware that your own use of phone, tv and computers is being observed by your children.  Keeping the TV on or scrolling through your phone any time you have a spare minute can teach your child bad habits.
2. Educate yourself on electronics.  Today’s kids are tech-savvy and most know more about electronics than adults do. Take the time to understand and monitor what your kids are playing and watching, and know the rating systems.
3. Create “technology-free zones.”  Establish zones in your house where you don’t allow electronics. For example, the dining room can be a great technology-free zone that is reserved for meals and family conversation.
4. Set aside times to unplug.  Set aside time for the entire family to become unplugged from all devices. For example, an hour before bedtime can be a good time to unplug, read and relax.
5. Use parental controls.  Protect kids from explicit content on TV and online by using parental controls that can limit and/or monitor what children are viewing. Examples of these products include: Qustodio; Net Nanny; OpenDNS Family Shield; Kidlogger; Spyrix Keylogger; Kiddle.
6. Talk to kids about the dangers of too much screen time.  Kids who understand, “It’s not healthy to watch too much TV,” are less likely to try and break the rules compared to kids who think, “I can’t watch TV because my parents are mean.” In an age-appropriate manner, explain how violent video games, movies, and images can be harmful. Also, as appropriate, discuss the potential dangers of online predators.
7. Obtain your child’s passwords and monitor any social media accounts.  It’s a good idea to have access to your child’s passwords for any social media or online accounts.
8. Encourage other activities.  Kids easily grow dependent on technology for entertainment and some can even become addicted to video games. Encourage your children to become involved in activities that don’t involve screens.
9. Work collaboratively with other parents on this issue. Keep lines of communication open with the parents of your child’s friends so that you can know what video games they are playing and what they might be seeing online when they are at someone else’s house.
10. Don’t allow screen media in your child’s bedroom.  It’s best to keep TVs, video game systems, computers and handheld devices out of your child’s bedroom so that you can better monitor their use and avoid power struggles at bed time.

Cydney Lewis
Lisa Oakley
School Counselors

Warmly,
Alysia Lutz, Principal