Notes From Nurse Beverly


Notes from the Nurse
May 22, 2020

It is hard to believe that the school year is over! It has been a much different year than anyone expected. To all the 5th graders, I would like to say that I will miss you next year!This year’s Fifth Grade class is awesome. I have watched you grow over the years and now you are ready to enter an exciting chapter in your life- middle school! I know you will do well! Please stop by the clinic and say hi when you are at school with your parents! To the rest of the students, I will see you when we return to school next year. Have a fun summer and stay healthy and safe!


Here are a few summer tips for you to keep in mind this summer.  

  1.  Stay hydrated- you need to drink about every 20 minutes, water is good but if you are out for an extended period of time, you should add an electrolyte replacement drink.
  2. Bike safety- wear a bike helmet when you ride, children should ride on the sidewalk, not on the road. For anyone riding on the road, you need to follow the rules of the road.  When crossing the street, cross at the intersection/crosswalk and walk your bikeDo not wear headphones when riding your bike. 
  3. Sun Safety- wear sunscreen when going outside, sunglasses to protect your eyes, cover up with a long sleeve shirt and wear a hat. Remember to drink fluids so you don’t get dehydrated. Try to stay inside during the heat of the afternoon. 
  4. Wear bug spray when outside, make sure it contains DEET. Do not use it on infants.  
  5. Boat/water safety- always wear a life jacket in a boat/canoe/kayak.Learn to swim, never swim alone, always use the buddy system. If you don’t know how to swim, take swim lessons when you are able.  

One last note, if you have any medications in the clinic, I will be located in the bus loop on June 16 and 17 from 11am-1pm for you to drive by to pick them up.  Looking forward to seeing you then.

I hope that everyone has a wonderful summer!   See you next year!

Nurse Beverly

([email protected])



May 15, 2020


I would like to thank Mrs. Leyva and Mrs. Goodwin for organizing our virtual field day. The exercise from field day is beneficial and your children will have fun. Exercise is more enjoyable if it is an activity that you like!

Here are some of the benefits of exercise:
1. It strengthens our bones and muscles.
2. Exercise improves our mental health (a definite plus during this time!)
3. Our heart is a muscle. By exercising it, we are helping to protect against cardiovascular disease.
4. Exercise helps to strengthen our lungs. It helps to increase our lung capacity. This is especially beneficial for asthmatics.
Asthmatics need to monitor their symptoms during exercise and treat them appropriately but asthma does not prevent people
from exercising.
5. It decreases blood sugar which can decrease the risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes.
6. It helps us sleep better at night.
7. Exercise can improve our cognitive skills.
8. Exercise can help prevent us from becoming overweight.

Help your children develop a healthy lifestyle now so it will become of a part of their routine as an adult. Join in with your children on field day because these benefits apply to adults too!

If you need anything, please contact me!

Nurse Beverly

([email protected])



May 8, 2020

I would like to thank everyone who sent me messages through Facebook for Nurses Day.  It was so sweet of you! Thank you, Emma for featuring me on your morning announcements! I really miss everyone and can’t wait until we are all back in school. I know that the 5th graders will be moving on to middle school but I want you to know that I will miss you! I am not on Facebook but my friends keep me up to date with your posts. Thank you!!!

As we venture back into society, please take precautions. First, we need to maintain our social distance!  We should remain 6 feet apart from other people when we are out. Please, no hugging all the friends you haven’t seen in weeks! If you are sick or have any symptoms, stay home! 

Secondly, we need keep our groups to 10 or less when we go out. By limiting your social group, you are also limiting your exposure to Covid-19 which is important during this time. 

Thirdly, the CDC recommends that everyone wear a cloth face covering when you go out in public.  It is not in place of social distancing. This is recommended for everyone ages 2 and up. One exception is a person who normally has difficulty breathing. A face covering may make this worse for them. They should remain at home.  Anyone that is at high risk is still being asked to stay at home.   

When wearing a face covering, it must cover your mouth and your nose! I see many people with their nose uncovered. This does not protect anyone. When putting on your face covering, wash your hands first, place it over your mouth and nose and secure it with either the ear loops or ties. When you remove it by the ties or earloops, be careful not to touch your face, eyes, mouth or nose while taking it off. Wash your hands immediately for 20 seconds with soap and water. Remember to wash your cloth face coverings too.   

Covering your mouth when sneezing/coughing is important. The droplets can spread up to 6 feet. Please continue to take appropriate steps to protect yourself, your family, and everyone else. Remember this virus can be spread by people who are not exhibiting any symptoms. If you need anything, please contact me! I hope you and your family continue to remain healthy!

Nurse Beverly   



May 1, 2020


“What are we going to do today?”  “I am bored.” Have you been hearing this from your children and maybe even thinking these same thoughts yourself?  When the school work is done for the day, maybe try a Backyard Obstacle Course for your children and of course, yourselves! Humans are naturally curious and if there is nothing that sparks our interest, we get bored. The best way to combat this, is to find something to do. Let the Backyard Obstacle Course begin!

On the Action for Healthy Kids website, they suggest setting up fitness stations in your backyard as a fun way for you and your children to interact. This will allow you to get some fresh air and some Vitamin D naturally. It will also help with the boredom! A few of their suggestions are throwing a frisbee at a target, or throwing bean bags into a basket. I like the suggestion of noodle toss- You hang a hula hoop from a tree and throw pool noodles through it. Check out their website: www.actionforhealthykids.org/activity/backyard-fitness-circuit-course/ for a complete list of activities they suggest. Divide your family into teams and let the fun begin. As the days get hotter, include some water activities into your Backyard Obstacle Course. In the past when we have done Jump Rope for Heart, the obstacle course that Mrs. Leyva and Mrs. Goodwin set up was one of the students’ favorite activity of the day. Playing outdoors encourages creativity! The fresh air and sunshine are so important for our bodies! It helps to relieve our stress and helps us to feel less anxious!

Let’s get the school work done and then get outside and set up those obstacles! Have some good fun that the whole family can enjoy! Please send me pictures if you decide to try it. I would love to hear about your backyard obstacle course!

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/stop-the-spread-of-germs.pdf. This is good visual reminder for the children of what we all need to be doing to stay healthy.

One last note, the American Heart Association is asking for our help. Tuesday, May 5, 2020 is National Giving Day. It is simple to give, just text KINDHEART to 41444. They are researching the effect of Covid-19 on heart patients. Please watch the short video by clicking this link.    https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MHchpWn_US1WY3_nO2HtpnQ9k2vs8R1T/view. All monies go directly to the American Heart Association.   

If you need me, please feel free to email me!

Nurse Beverly   

[email protected])




April 24, 2020

As we continue through this pandemic, let’s remember that our bodies’ immune system is working to keep us healthy.  Like any system in our body, we need to take care of it.  I know that this advice will sound so familiar to you but here it is:  eat healthy, exercise daily, manage our stress, get enough sleep, wash our hands and get some Vitamin D from the sun.  Please remember to use sunscreen and limit your sun exposure. 

To keep our immune system healthy, we need to be eating fruits, vegetables and protein.  Fresh fruit and vegetables are the best but you can always eat canned or frozen. Both are full of nutrients.  Blueberries contain antioxidants which are good for our immune system. Blueberries are in season now and are very tasty! Try some yogurt with fresh blueberries and strawberries mixed in. It is a tasty snack! Protein is another important part of our diet that our immune system needs.  

The number of people listening to classical music during this time has been on the rise. Some studies show that music can decrease anxiety and this has been found to be especially true with classical music. I know just turning on some background music makes my day more pleasant and less stressful. If you play an instrument, play some music to help you relax and the people around you will enjoy it too!

Hand washing is important too! Please remember when you come home from grocery store, etc. to wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds. Germs enter our bodies easily through the openings on our face. Many of us touch our faces a lot.  Me included! It is very especially important during this time to avoid doing this.

Please practice your social distancing and wear a mask when out! Stay healthy and if you need anything, please email me!

 

Nurse Beverly

([email protected])




April 17, 2020


I hope that everyone continues to be healthy!  I know that for me, I am feeling somewhat stressed over the changes in our lives as I am sure you and your family are too. 

It is very important that you find a way to release the stress that you and your family are experiencing. Exercise is a good choice, playing board games, laughing with your family, and I hear jigsaw puzzles are once again popular.  Choose something that you love to do and do it.  Maybe you and your children can find a new activity that you may never have attempted in the past because it is time consuming. We all have lots of that now with no social/sport activities to keep us busy. Keeping a regular routine (as much as possible) is helpful, along with eating healthy and limiting the time that you and your family watch the news. 

If you have elderly family members, I am sure they would love a card or a letter from your child, or even a picture they drew.  It would brighten their day and make them feel better too. Keeping in touch with your elderly relatives is so important because many of them are at high risk and are remaining at home. They can feel isolated without company and the freedom to get out and go about their usual routines.

I know that many people have lost jobs during this pandemic. OCPS is serving free breakfast and lunch to all children.  You can find which schools are serving Grab-and-Go Meals at www.ocps.net or see the link in this newsletter. It is for all children 18 and under. There are no qualifications.

I hope that everyone will continue to be healthy in the days ahead!  Who knows you may see me out walking (one of my stress relievers!)  If so, wave at me!  If you need anything, feel free to email me.

Nurse Beverly

([email protected])




April 10, 2020


I miss seeing all of our students and their families at school. I hope that everyone is well and healthy!

Please review with your children how to wash their hands.  

  1. Wet your hands with warm water.
  2. Put soap on your hands.
  3. Wash your palms, backs of hands, between your fingers, the fingernails and wrist.  Rub your hands hard enough to create a little friction. Wash them for 15-20 seconds. To get the right timing, sing the ABC song one time or Happy Birthday song twice.
  4. Then place your hands back under the water to rinse, starting at the wrists to rinse your hands.
  5. Dry your hands and then turn the water off with a paper towel, (remember your dirty hands turned on the water.)  Ninety percent of germs spread thru touch.
  6. Please remind them to cover their cough or sneeze with their elbow or shoulder. This stops the germs which can travel 6 feet in the air. If they do cough or sneeze into their hands or a tissue, or blow their nose, they need to wash their hands after doing so.

     

    Please follow the CDC’s recommendations! Stay at home! Remain 6 feet apart when you have to go out and if you can’t, then please wear a mask. Wash your hands frequently. Do not leave your house if you are experiencing symptoms and remove yourself from your family members if at all possible. If anyone in your family is over 65, they should not leave their house unless necessary.   

    The CDC recommends cloth masks for the general public. For information on making a mask, go to www.cdc.gov.  On this site, they show you how to make a mask. If you make a mask, please send me a picture of your mask.and an email letting me know how your family is doing during this time. 

    I hope everyone continues to remain healthy and safe.  If you have any questions, feel free to email me. ([email protected])