Friday, February 26, 2010

Due to electrical problems, Wawasee High School is closed today, Friday, February 26, 2010. All other Wawasee schools are open today.

As long as power is restored during the day, the following will take place:

• the Career/Technical Open House from 4:30-6 p.m. in the Career/Technical Building on the high school campus
• the boys' basketball game at home against Tippy Valley at 6:15 p.m.

Changes in Immunization Requirements for Students

The following is information from our schools' nurses explaining changes in immunization requirements for students for the 2010-2011 school year:

During the 2009 legislative session, Indiana Code 20-34-4-2 was revised, requiring the Indiana State Department of Health to “adopt rules under IC4-22-2 to require school age children to receive additional immunizations against the following: Meningitis, Varicella (Chicken Pox), and Pertussis” (Whooping Cough). Pertussis is a highly contagious respiratory infection caused by the pertussis bacteria. Pertussis causes severe coughing fits. The pertussis booster (Tdap) is combined with tetanus toxoid.

Changes to the school immunization requirements for school year 2010-2011 are as follows:

a. All preschool and kindergarten students will be required to have 2 doses of varicella vaccine, given on or after the first birthday and separated by 3 months. For children entering preschool, kindergarten, and 1st grade, a signed statement by a healthcare provider, including date of disease, is required to document history of chickenpox.

b. All kindergarten students will be required to have 4 doses of polio vaccine, one of the required doses given on or after the fourth birthday, and at least 6 months after the previous dose.

c. All 6th - 12th grade students will be required to have 2 doses of varicella vaccine, given on or after the first birthday, and separated by age-appropriate intervals as defined by the CDC, or a history of chicken pox disease.

d. All 6th -12th grade students will be required to have 1 dose of tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap) given on or after the 10th birthday.

e. All 6th -12th grade students will be required to have 1 dose of meningitis vaccine (MCV4)

These vaccines are available free at the Kosciusko County Immunization Clinic, located in the K21 Health Pavilion, 1515 Provident Drive, Suite 160, Warsaw. Hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 8:30 to 12:00pm and 1:15pm to 3:30 pm. Evening clinic hours are the 1st Monday of each month, 6:00pm-8:00pm. And at the Syracuse clinic at Lakeland Youth Center on the 2nd Thursday of each month, 2:00pm to 3:30pm. Varicella vaccine is not available at the Syracuse Clinic. No appointment is necessary. Take a copy of your child's immunization record with you.

The following websites have additional resources for families to obtain information about vaccines:

The Indiana Department of Health http://www.in.gov/isdh

The Centers for Disease Control: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines

Your assistance in vaccinating your student to meet the new Indiana State requirements is very appreciated. Please contact the school nurse in your students building with any updated vaccination dates.

Wawasee Community School Health Service Staff:
Allene Dewart, LPN - Milford School, 574-658-9444
Jane Venderly, RN - Syracuse Elementary, 574-457-4484
Pam Rensberger, RN - North Webster Elementary, 574-834-7644
Robin Huffman, RN - Wawasee Middle School, 574-457-8830
Myra Alexander, RN - Wawasee High School, 574-457-3147

February 11, 2010 School Delay

Wawasee Community Schools will delay the start of school on Thursday, February 11, for 2 hours due to road ice.

February 15, 2010 Snow Make-Up Day

Wawasee Community Schools will be in session on Monday, February 15, 2010. The day is a make-up day for Wednesday, February 10, when classes were canceled due to snow.

February 10, 2010 School Closing

Wawasee Community Schools will be closed on Wednesday, February 10, 2010 due to blowing and drifting snow.

2/9/2010: Wawasee Dismissing Students Early

Due to weather conditions, Wawasee Community Schools are dismissing students at 1 p.m. (1:20 p.m. at Wawasee Middle School) today, Tuesday, February 9, 2010.

All after school activities are canceled.

Wawasee varsity girls' basketball sectional game against Northwood at West Noble High School is now scheduled for Thursday, February 11, at 7:30 p.m.

Clarification for Monday, February 15, 2010

Monday, February 15, 2010, is a snow make-up day for the Wawasee Community School Corporation. If school is canceled any day during the week of and including February 9, 10, 11, and 12, classes will be in session on Monday, February 15.

Weather alerts have been issued for a possible snow storm this week. We wanted to clear up any questions about the use of Monday's make-up day. We will all keep an eye on the weather as we attempt to get in our required school days this winter.

Indiana's Cash for College Campaign

Indiana has initiated a Cash for College campaign made possible by the federal College Access Challenge Grant. According to information released by the Indiana Department of Education, "the campaign promotes practical, grade-specific steps for Hoosier students, all leading up to the state's March 10th deadline for filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)."

Information can be found at LearnMoreIndiana.org/CashforCollege. The website has information on College Goal Sunday on February 21, a free statewide event at 37 sites across Indiana to get help and file the FAFSA (http://www.collegegoalsunday.org/); on FAFSA Fridays on February 12 and 19 where you can get free information and chant online with financial aid experts; and on student goal setting for college for elementary, middle, and high school students.