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A Healthy Fall Starts With Clean Hands
A Healthy Fall Starts With Clean Hands
As we approach cold and flu season, it is Handwashing, Handwashing, Handwashing here in the health office. Our Brookside students will participate in the second annual Handwashing Hero Challenge, and the grade with the highest percentage of completed challenges will win a special prize! Last year, the kindergarten won a special gymnasium dance party with Mrs. Alvarez, Ms. Hughes, and their teachers. Who will be our winners this year?
Our kindergarten classes got a special lesson from Ms. Isabel with Valley Health's Thrive! program to discuss the importance of handwashing and practice good handwashing technique. We had so much fun ex[erimenting with the special magic "germ" powder and seeing how long we needed to scrub our hands to get them REALLY clean. Thank you, Ms. Isabel!
A huge THANK YOU to all of our students who participated in the 2024 Handwashing Hero Challenge, as well as to all of their friends, family, teachers, neighbors, and even stuffed animals who gave their for our handwashing coaches. I am so grateful to each and every person who is working to help keep our hands clean and bodies healthy here at Brookside, and especially grateful to our students!
It was a tight race this year for the grade with the highest turn-in rate...so tight, in fact, that we ended up with a three-way tie!
Congratulations to our kindergarten, first, and second grades, who tied at 42% turn in each. I am so proud of you! See you all on the playground for the extra recess you've earned!
All Treats, No Tricks!
All Treats, No Tricks!
As we come up on Halloween, I have had lots of questions about our guidelines for food in class parties. First of all, I want to say thank you to all of the parents and guardians who have been so conscientious about making sure our class events are allergy-safe for all of our students this year. You are so appreciated!
To clarify on our guidelines for food at class events, please note the following reminders:
All food must be commercially prepared and packaged, with an ingredient label attached.
All food for class parties must be peanut and tree-nut free.
Candy in class is OK as long as it follows the above guidelines. Candy and snacks may not be sent home in goodie bags.
Parents/guardians of children with food allergies are encouraged to communicate with your child’s teacher and/or the school nurse with any particular concerns. You are always welcome to send a special snack for your child to eat during the party that is safe for them.
We do not have a specific list of brands that are pre-approved for class parties and events. However, SnackSafely.com and KidsWithFoodAllergies.org both have resources to identify allergy-friendly products that may be useful. Additionally most local grocery stores have pre-packaged treats in the bakery section that are peanut and tree nut free. When in doubt, check the packaging!
Help keep Halloween fun-scary and not ouch!-scary with these tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics on Halloween and Trick or Treating Safety.
Costume Safety: Ensure your child’s costume fits properly to avoid trips and falls. If possible, choose bright-colored costumes or add reflective tape to make them more visible in the dark. Avoid masks that obstruct vision—face paint is a great alternative!
Trick-or-Treating Safety: If your child is trick-or-treating at night, make sure they carry a flashlight or glow sticks. Stick to well-lit areas and always walk with an adult or in a group. Remind kids to stay on sidewalks and look both ways before crossing streets.
Candy Check: Before eating any treats, inspect them carefully. Discard any unwrapped or suspicious-looking items, and avoid homemade treats unless they come from a trusted source.
Weather Considerations: Check the weather before heading out, and ensure your child is dressed appropriately for the temperature. Layering under costumes is a good way to stay warm without sacrificing the look of the outfit.
Did you know in 13 children lives with food allergies? Halloween can be a particular difficult time for these children and their families as they navigate balancing safety and being able to participate fully with their siblings, friends, and neighbors on Halloween. FARE's Teal Pumpkin Project helps by encouraging houses participating in trick or treating to have some non-food treats on hand to offer trick or teachers who may not be able to safely consume some candy. You can participate by adding your home to FARE'S Teal Pumpkin Map and/or by putting a teal pumpkin on display at your house to let families know you have non-food treats available.
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