Answers to Questions About Meningitis: A Press Release from Kosciusko County Health Department

The Kosciusko County Health Department, in cooperation with the Indiana State Department of Health is investigating a suspected case of meningococcal disease. The case is under medical supervision and can no longer spread the disease. The Kosciusko County Health Department, has contacted persons who have had close contact with the case and is making recommendations on who should have antibiotics to prevent infection.

A person must have direct contact with an infected person’s saliva during the 7 days prior to the onset of illness in order to become infected. The disease is not spread through casual contact or by simply being in the same room as an infected person.

This disease caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis generally affects people in two ways:

meningitis (an inflammation of the tissues covering the brain and or spinal cord) or
bloodstream infection (that usually leads to bleeding under the skin)

These include, but are not limited to a sudden onset of fever, headache, stiff neck, confusion and sometimes a rash. Newborns and small infants may also vomit, and be tired or very fussy. If any of these signs or symptoms should develop, the person should be taken immediately to a physician or emergency room to be evaluated for possible meningococcal disease.

Close contact means:

• household members
• persons who frequently eat or sleep in the same house
• persons who spent 4-6 hours per day together
• persons who have come in contact with salvia of the infected person by kissing, sharing eating and drinking utensils

For all other persons, including those who had casual contact as would occur in most school, social, or church activities, the risk of infection is very low. Preventive antibiotics are not recommended for casual contacts of infected persons.

There are two vaccines that protect against most types of this disease. A dose of meningococcal vaccine is recommended for children and adolescents 11 through 18 years of age. Meningococcal vaccine is also recommended for other people at increased risk for meningococcal disease such as:

• College freshmen living in dormitories
• U. S. military recruits
• Travelers to countries where meningococcal disease is common, such as parts of Africa
• Anyone with a damaged spleen, or whose spleen has been removed
• Persons with certain medical conditions that affect their immune system (check with your physician)

To reduce the spread and risk of any communicable disease, it is recommended that individuals avoid sharing foods, drinks, lipstick/balm, cigarettes or other media on which there is contact with another person’s saliva.

For more information you can visit the ISDH Quick Facts site at: http://www.in.gov/isdh/22121.htm. Or the CDC Meningitis (Meningococcal Disease) web site at http://www.cdc.gov/meningitis/index.htm. If you have questions please call the Kosciusko County Health Department at 574-372-2349.

Ski Trip Cancellation

The Wawasee Middle School ski trip scheduled for this afternoon and evening has been cancelled. It will be rescheduled.

WMS Krispy Kreme Doughnut Pick Up

If you ordered Krispy Kreme doughnuts from the music department at Wawasee Middle School, the doughnuts will be delivered to the middle school at 10 a.m. You may pick them up in the band room any time after 10 a.m. and before 4 p.m. today.

Website Problems

The website weareclosedtoday.com is currently having difficulties on their end and are working on fixing the issues. If you normally receive a text message or an email from that website, you would not have received one for our closing this morning. All media we normally contact were contacted as well as the information being posted on our website and here on the Wawascene.

January 30 School Closing

Due to drifting in various areas of our district, Wawasee Community Schools are closed today. The make-up day for this closing will be on Friday, March 20th.

January 30, 2009 School Delay

The Wawasee Community Schools will delay classes for two hours on Friday, January 30, 2009 due to drifting snow.

Girls' Basketball Sectional Hosted by Wawasee High School

Mary Hurley, WHS athletic director, has released the following information regarding the 2009 IHSAA Girls’ Basketball Sectional Tournament:

The Class 3A Sectional 21 will be played at Wawasee High School on
Tuesday, February 10th at 7:00 PM (1 game)
Wednesday, February 11th at 6:00 PM (2 games)
Friday, February 13th at 6:00 PM (2 games)
Saturday-Championship Game- February 14th 7:30 PM.

The drawing for the tournament pairings will be done in the IHSAA office on Thursday, January 29th beginning at 7:00 PM. The teams participating in Sectional 21 are Columbia City, Lakeland, NorthWood, Tippecanoe Valley, Wawasee, West Noble and Whitko.

Each participating school will be provided season tickets for pre-sale. Tournament season tickets (one ticket, good for admission for all four evenings) for the sectional will be sold for $9.00 in the Wawasee Athletic Office daily beginning Tuesday, February 3rd 7:30 AM – 4:00 PM until the opening round of the tournament.

Ticket sales each evening at the door are $5.00. There is no single session presale. No ticket reservations or telephone orders will be accepted.

Wawasee Tournament Tee Shirts will be available for $6.00.

The "Nitty Gritty" Head Lice Guide

The following is helpful information in preventing and managing head lice:

Prevention:

• The parent/guardian has the ultimate responsibility to ensure their child is free of live lice and viable (live) nits. The parent/guardian is responsible for the care of their child's scalp and hair.
• The parent should carefully check their child's scalp and hair once each week. Many people think that itching is a good indicator of evidence of lice. However, the first infestation may produce NO sign or symptoms for 4-6 weeks!
• Remember that children may get head lice if they are in sustained head to head contact. Sleepovers among friends and relatives are a common way they are passed from home to home.
• Avoid indirect head-to-head contact. Although not a common source of transmission, avoid sharing articles such as hats, combs, brushes, and hair accessories.
• Parents are asked to inform the school if their child has head lice. Lice infestations are handled in a confidential manner.

Management:

• Consult with a nurse, pharmacist, or physician and purchase treatment. READ INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE STARTING TREATMENT.
• Check the scalp and hair of all members (including adults) of the immediate and extended households. Pay special attention to the crown of the head, behind the ears and at the nape of the neck. Treat only those with active infections. Notify other homes where your child spends extended periods of time (day care, child care provider, etc.).
• Consult your health care provider before treating young children and infants, if one is pregnant or nursing, if one has special health conditions.
• Treat with a medicated shampoo that is available at your pharmacy. Home remedies such as vinegar, mayonnaise or olive oil have not been proven effective. Never use kerosene!
• Do NOT use cream rinse or combination shampoo/conditioner before using lice medicine. do NOT re-wash hair for 1-2 days after treatment.
• Remove eggs. This is the most important step to getting rid of lice. Use a bright light to examine the hair. Eggs must be removed daily by hand or fine-toothed "nit comb" or the eggs can hatch to cause reinfestation.
• After treatment and nit removal, clean the house. Launder all bedding towels and clothing. Non washables can be placed in a hot dryer for 20 minutes or dry-cleaned. Other items can be placed in a tightly sealed plastic bag and placed in the freezer over night. Vacuum carpets, chairs or cushions including car seats and headrests.
• Do NOT shave the head or cut the hair unless your child wants you to do so.
• Do NOT use lice sprays. This can be harmful.
• Do NOT use lice removal products to prevent lice.
• In order for the child to return to school, the student must have been treated and show no evidence of live lice.
• Upon return to school, the school nurse will inspect the hair and scalp. It is very beneficial if a parent or designated adult accompany the child.
• If using over-the-counter treatments, retreat in 7-10 days. If using the prescription drug malathion, retreat in 7-10 days only if crawling bugs are found.

Questions may be addressed to your school nurse.

Peanut Butter Products

Many of you have heard about the recall of products containing peanut butter. At Wawasee Community Schools we are complying with the precautions associated with peanuts and peanut butter waiting for further directions from officials.


For those of you wanting more information on the recall of products, today the U.S. Food and Drug Administration released another update Recall of Products Containing Peanut Butter: Salmonella Typhimurium and has also put out an Excel spreadsheet with a list of products that may be contaminated.

Game of the Week

The varsity boys' basketball game will be the televised Game of the Week Friday evening, January 23, when the Plymouth boys' basketball team comes to town. Channel 46 WHME-TV out of South Bend will cover the game with the broadcast at 11 PM Friday and 9 AM Saturday.

It is a great opportunity to showcase our student athletes (Curtis Coverstone has been selected as the Warrior Academic Student Athlete of the Week), our programs, school and community. Many local patrons sponsor the game through advertising. I am sure many of you personally know quite a few of the players, cheerleaders and pep-band members. We also have scheduled the two middle schools' cheerleaders doing a routine that evening.

Come join Coach Mishler and the boys Friday evening as we entertain Plymouth in a conference match-up! The junior varsity game begins at 6:15 p.m. followed by the varsity game.

Go Warriors!

from Mary Hurley, Athletic Director

Dekko Foundation Art Enhancement Grants

Milford School and Syracuse Elementary School have both received Dekko Foundation Art Enhancement grants this year. The purpose of this grant is to bring the arts into the school for students to experience in person. This money may only be used for arts experiences in the elementary grades and not supplies or equipment. Each school received $3000 to achieve this endeavor. Some of the programs that have been scheduled by the music department for this spring include:

• The Griot Drum Ensemble will be visiting both elementary schools, with the group staying after school to lead the Syracuse Elementary drum circle students during their practice time. This group will be coming from Indianapolis on March 12.
• The South Bend Symphony Woodwind Ensemble will be visiting both elementary schools on April 2. They will be in Milford in the morning and Syracuse in the afternoon. They introduce the students to the instruments as well as various composers and music styles.

For the art department, Brenda Stiver has invited a traveling artist, Jake Webster, to come and present a program for the 4th and 5th grade students with a hands-on workshop. Denise Potter also has a traveling art program and various artists headed to Milford.

We look forward to updating you on the success of these programs in future posts. Thanks for supporting our arts programs.

Janaury 16 School Closing

The Wawasee Community Schools will be closed on Friday, January 16, 2009, due to weather conditions. School will be in session on Monday, Janaury 19.

Make-up days for the missed days of Janaury 15 and 16 will be on February 6 and 16.

Ahtletic Contests Postponed

All athletic contests for Thursday, January 15th have been postponed. The following high school contests have been rescheduled:

• Varsity and JV Girls' Basketball vs. Columbia City - moved to Monday, January 19th at 6:15 p.m.
• Boys' and Girls' Swim vs. Warsaw - moved to Monday, January 19th with diving at 4:45 p.m. and swimming at 6:30 p.m.
• Gymnastics at Carroll - moved to Monday, January 19th at 6:15 p.m.
• Wrestling at Elkhart Memorial - moved to Wednesday, January 21st at 6:45 p.m.

Rescheduled Parent Conferences, Friday Possibilities, and Monday Make-up Day

Wawasee Community School parent-teacher conferences will be rescheduled at Milford School, Syracuse Elementary School , North Webster Elementary School, and Wawasee Middle School on Thursday, Janaury 22. Conferences will begin after school and last into the evening hours. Please feel free to contact the school or your child's teacher to confirm conference times. Wawasee High School conferences were held last Monday afternoon and evening.

Our early dismissal on Friday, the 16th, remains. School will be in session from 8:00 am until 11:00 am, with a slightly later dismissal at WMS. Wawasee Community Schools will be either in or out of school on Friday (with our interesting weather!). With the early dismissal, no delay will be considered.

Monday, the 19th, is a make-up day for December 19, the day missed prior to Christmas Break due to poor weather.

January 15 School Closing

The Wawasee Community Schools will close on January 15. K-8 parent conferences will be rescheduled.

January 15 School Delay

The Wawasee Community Schools will begin Thursday, January 15, with a 2-hour delay.

Middle School Ski Club Postponed

The Ski Club trip this Friday for Milford Middle School and Wawasee Middle School has been postponed due to expected frigid temperatures. Watch for rescheduling details at school.

Early School Closing on January 14

Wawasee Community Schools will dismiss students on January 14 at 1:30 pm, due to deteriorating road conditions. Wawasee Middle School will dismiss a little later than 1:30 pm.

School Closing Early

The Wawasee Community Schools will close early on Tuesday, January 13. Schools will dismiss at 1:00, with a slightly later dismissal at the Wawasee Middle School.

News of Upcoming Events

The weather folks are calling for bitter conditions over the next fews days. Extremely cold temperatures and blowing snow will be severe. If we attend school on those days, make sure that your child is dressed for the weather.

A half-day, with 11:00 dismissal (later at the middle school), is set for this Friday.

On Monday, January 19, we will attend school all day to make up the day missed on December 19 due to poor weather.

We make weather-related decisions based upon: whether our school buses can safely operate in the conditions, whether the lots and sidewalks can be cleared in time for student and staff use, and the weather conditions expected during the next several hours. We always keep the safety of students in mind. Parents of students who normally are taken to school by auto or drive to school can call 457-3188 to request bus pick-up for their children on days they don't wish to get out or have their child drive. A school bus is the safest form of wheeled transportation.

Honor for Jay Smith

Congratulations to Jay Smith who has been selected as a recipient of the Center Circle Officials Recognition Award for girls' basketball. This award is sponsored by the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame and recognizes him as an outstanding basketball official in the state of Indiana. Jay will be honored at the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame Annual Awards Banquet on Saturday, April 25, 2009. His name will be added to a permanent plaque displayed at the Hall of Fame in New Castle.

Jay is employed with Wawasee Schools at Wawasee Middle School as a science teacher and coach. He became an IHSAA licensed official in 1971. He has been an active member of the Northern Indiana Officials Association as president, basketball chairperson, IHSAA rules clinician and a basketball mentor for younger officials. In his 38 years as a basketball official, Jay has worked 32 IHSAA state tournaments and over 1300 girls' varsity contests, including five state finals in girls' basketball. Jay has also officiated over 1500 boys' varsity games and three boys' state finals and has officiated the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame Classic games three times.

January 6, 2009 School Board Meeting

The Wawasee Community School Board met on Tuesday afternoon at 4:00 pm to reorganize for the coming year. Election of officers was held. George Gilbert will serve as president, Mike Wilson as vice-president, and Becky Linnemeier as secretary for 2009. The Board of Finance officers are Mary Lou Dixon as president and Mike Wilson as secretary. Dallas Winchester will be the board representative to the Vocational Advisor's Council.
Regular meetings will generally take place on the second Tuesday of a month. During January and April, meetings will be on the third Tuesday. From April through September, meeting times will be 7:00pm, while 5:30pm will be the meeting time during the October through March months.
We are looking forward to a great 2009 year at Wawasee Community Schools.
In other business, Rex Miller was re-appointed to the Milford Library Board.
A work session was held following the business meeting. Board attorney David Cates worked with the board on policy development issues, including a new student random drug testing policy to be instituted for the 2009-10 school year. Health insurance consultant Stan Burt discussed the benefits and challenges involved in operating a staff health clinic. The board will study this issue further to see if lower health insurance costs and better staff health will offset the investment in a clinic. Rob Staley of The Crossing presented to the board about an alternative school for those high school and young adult community members who aren't part of our present school setting, due to a variety of reasons. Students in that situation are served by The Crossing, a faith-based organization, at Goshen, West Noble, Elkhart, South Bend, and DeKalb Eastern schools. Because most of the students who attend The Crossing are not now in school, but of school age, we would receive additional revenue from the state to cover the cost of the program. We will continue to study possibilities for The Crossing at Wawasee.