TA News

Medications will be sent home from the health office next week
Parents, please, look for your student’s medications as I send them home next week. This is your & your student’s responsibility.

Lighten those Backpacks – Help your Backs Feel Better!

• Think how to lighten your student’s backpacks for next year.
• Students think of ways to use your locker, e.g. put your afternoon binders in your locker until Power Hour etc.

Free Summer Camps

• Second Growth Sports and Arts Summer Camps, founded by TA’s own Kara Toms

High Temperature Caution from VT Dept. of Health

• Hydrate, hydrate & hydrate
• Remember young children and the elderly are the most vulnerable.
• Check on your elderly neighbors during heat waves.
• This link gives advice to prevent heat stroke and where to find cooling locations, Link
  

Please check daily for deer ticks.

• Shower & wash clothes if you are out in tick territory.
• If a deer tick is attached to you for more than 24-36 hours call your pediatrician & get a one-time antibiotic to prevent Lyme Disease.
• Also, save the tick – show your doctor or Nurse Ellen
• Ellen’s Lyme Disease prevention video 

Poison Ivy, Poison Parsnip

• Photos of poison ivy & poison parsnip
• If you walk through poison ivy or poison parsnip wash thoroughly with soap and water & put your clothes & shoes in the washing machine.

Illnesses

• We are still seeing a few head colds and some students with the stomach virus and lots of seasonal allergies.
• We have no one out with Covid this week.

Before Exams – Tips to sleep well:

• go to bed at the same time nightly
• don’t eat a big meal before bed
• no phones or computers the hour before bed
• turn off phone alerts during the night, better yet leave your phone in the kitchen overnight
• Tips courtesy of Dr. Jose Serrano, psychologist at the VA

Sun

Protect your skin from sunburn – use – sunscreen, burned skin today can lead to skin cancer as an adult.

Water Safety:

• Teens avoid swimming in fast water/rivers with strong currents. 
• Remember to always swim with a buddy, NEVER dive where water is rocky, cloudy, or shallow; don’t drink alcohol/use marijuana & swim.

Self-confidence and Wellness

• Students:  these are ways to build self-confidence: baby-sitting classes, working, art classes, sports, summer camp e.g., VT conservation camps, scouts, robotics club, art classes, TA summer programs and much more. 
• Parents, think about summer plans for your teens. Nurse Ellen or the counseling office can help.
• Open Door has dance classes which promote wellness and self-confidence.

Open Door Dance Classes

Resilience

Smiling Mind is an Australian mental health app that offers programs for teens, including helping with resilience. Smiling Mind website

Parent Handbook

Parents if you wish to talk to your teens about marijuana use, anxiety, social media, having a regular schedule etc. Pick-up “The Parent Handbook,” from Kara Toms, Nurse Ellen or the main office.

Thetford Town Service Officer

• The town service officer can help with gas cards, fuel oil, etc. The town service officer can connect families with other supports.
• Jessica Eaton is the Thetford Town Service Officer and can be contacted for assistance with a wide variety of needs.  

Email:  [email protected]. Phone:  802.333.9491

Thetford Food Shelf
The food shelf is open Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 10 to noon. The food shelf serves residents of Thetford, Fairlee, West Fairlee, Vershire and Strafford.

Helping around the world: Italy, Syria, Ukraine and Turkey
These countries are in need of food, shelter and medical care. Agencies that can help are: Doctors Without Borders, International Red Cross

Ellen Gnaedinger, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC

Thetford Academy School Nurse

Thetford Academy Health Office/COVID page