Bridge School

	Bridge PTA
PTA Meeting Minutes: October 2nd, 2007 November 7th, 2007 PTA Events: Dr. Brooks - April 8th Community Dinner Reflections Program 2007-2008 Welcome Message 2007-2008 PTA Events 2006-2007 Year End Report PTA Forms: 2008-09 Student Directory and Email Announcement List Other PTA Links: Lexington Preschool PTA National PTA 2007-2008 Executive Committee Members Co-Presidents: Ann Boese Monica Cantwell Co-Vice Presidents: Mary Ellen Alessandro Richa Jain Tanya Morrisett Amy Muntz George Murnaghan Jackie Piscitello Treasurer: Nancy White Secretary: Sybil Martin	November 2007 BRIDGE SCHOOL PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION The Bridge PTA is a volunteer, parent-run organization that sponsors and supports a multitude of programs for Bridge School students and staff. The Bridge PTA plays a major role in your child's years at Bridge School. About half of the PTA budget comes from dues and donations. The remainder is attained from fundraisers throughout the year. We encourage every Bridge family to become a member of Bridge PTA so that we can continue delivering programs and services that the Bridge community enjoys. Sincerely, Bridge PTA 2007-2008 Executive Committee. (Mary Ellen Alessandro, Ann Boese, Monica Cantwell, Richa Jain, Tanya Morrisett, Amy Muntz, George Murnaghan, Jackie Piscitello, and Nancy White) BRIDGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PTA PARENTS MEETING MINUTES November 7, 2007, 7:00-8:30 p.m., Library PTA Executive Board Present: Ann Boese, Monica Cantwell, Sybil Martin, Tanya Morrisett, Amy Muntz, George Murnaghan, Jackie Piscitello, Nancy White. Absent: Mary Ellen Alessandro, Richa Jain. Bridge School Staff Present: Principal Dr. Jade Reitman, Nurse Diane Celi, Reading/Early Literacy Ruth Litchfield. Submitted by PTA Secretary: Sybil Martin. Approximately 15 parents attended this meeting. AGENDA. 1. Welcome and Introductions. Monica Cantwell welcomed parents and staff, and thanked Hospitality Committee Chair Anna Horiatis for providing refreshments. Monica Cantwell introduced Nurse Diane Celi. 2. Nurse Diane Celi. Ms. Celi reported more cases of pediculosis or head lice this year than last year. All grades except Kindergarten and First Grade have students and parents with pediculosis this year. Pediculosis is a frustrating experience for families. Families who have treated and been cleared, worry their children will have it again because it is easily transmitted. Families who have not had it worry their children will get it. Pediculosis is transmitted by head/hair to head/hair contact, sharing combs, hats, batting or bike helmets. It is not transmitted from uncleanliness. Ms. Celi sent a letter to the Bridge List Serve to dissuade rumors and dispel myths. Ms. Celi indicated one of the problems is detection; not everyone knows what to look for. She passed out nit samples so parents could detect the nits. Nits are very small organisms that feed off the scalp. Parents must remove nits from every strand of hair, using a bright light and nit comb. Buds feed off the scalp and like a mosquito darken in color. Buds take a few days to mature and lay 3-5 eggs per day, which creates a lot, pretty quickly. Dr. Reitman informed a Pediculosis Committee established to develop a protocol, identify ways to decrease the spread, and support parents dealing with this issue. Ms. Celi showed a DVD entitled, Head Lice to Dead Lice. This DVD is available for viewing in the Bridge Clinic. The DVD provided a 5-Step Battle Plan To Ending Head Lice: Use A Pediculicide. Wash your child’s hair with this shampoo, over the sink, not the shower, and cover their eyes. Use An Olive Oil Treatment. Olive Oil smothers head lice. Part your child’s hair and apply olive oil directly to their scalp. Massage the olive oil into their scalp and saturate their hair. Within a few minutes, the olive oil will cut off their oxygen and the lice will stop moving. Leave the olive oil on for 8 hours or overnight. Cover your child’s head with a bandana. Clean The Environment. Vacuum all areas, stuffed animals, dolls, car seats, upholstery, and soak combs in hot water for at least 20 minutes. Wash and dry towels, linen, coats, scarves, hats. LICE HATE DRY HEAT and cannot live more than a couple of days off the scalp. Comb Out The Nits. Comb the oily hair with a clean comb to remove tangles. Slide the nit comb over one section at a time, wiping the nit comb with a tissue to remove the nits. Repeat this process of combing out the nits over the entire scalp. Wash out the olive oil. Use a clarifying shampoo; it will take two lathers to wash out all of the olive oil with the clarifying shampoo. Check Dry Hair For Nits. Dry your child’s hair. With a bright light, check for nits. Separate a thin section of hair and check the entire scalp for nits. Grasp any nits and pull them away from the hair shaft and place them on a tissue. You will miss some nits, so as a precaution, REPEAT THE OLIVE OIL TREATMENT AND NIT COMBING EVERY 4 DAYS FOR 3 WEEKS. This is important to kill every nit before it lays eggs. The last step is to tell everyone that may have been exposed to your child that he/she has pediculosis. Quick Reminders for Children: Keep your brushes and combs to yourself. Wear your hair up. Do not share hats, batting or bike helmets. Follow the 5-Step Battle Plan To Ending Head Lice. If your friend gets head lice, don’t make fun of them. Dr. Reitman will show this DVD to the entire school at the next assembly. Ms. Celi shared professional resources: NIT WITS charges $85.00 per hour to comb out nits and work towards a clear head. The NIT PICKER charges $100.00 per hour and one-way travel from Needham to comb out nits and work towards a clear head. Preventative measures include taking a lint brush everywhere to comb away/prevent the spread of head lice. Computer headphones have been removed from classrooms to prevent the spread. A Bridge Parent Support Group phone list is available from Ms. Celi. Q&A for Nurse Diane Celi. Q: Are batting helmets used in gym (e.g., for baseball/softball)? A: Dr. Reitman responded, not during the Fall/Winter season, but I will keep it in mind for the Spring/Summer season. A parent suggested Lexington Little League require children purchase/use their own batting helmets. Q: How are you servicing parents lining up at the clinic to have their children’s hair checked for nits? A: I’m trying to be very thorough and sometimes I have help. Dr. Reitman added, Ms. Celi has children/parents reporting to the clinic at 7:30 a.m. Q: How do we encourage parents to check their children’s hair for nits? Parents suggested getting the kids involved in the “Once A Week, Take A Peek,” putting a reminder in the B2H, and PTA Sign Board. Q: Does head lice decrease in the winter? A: No. 3. Principal Dr. Jade Reitman Ann Boese introduced Principal Dr. Jade Reitman. Dr. Reitman discussed concerns with cold and flu season, and strep outbreak, stressing importance of hand washing. There are two (2) Purell hand-sanitizing dispensers in the cafeteria. At the next assembly, Dr. Reitman will demonstrate the importance of hand washing. Dr. Reitman suggested parents be conservative in keeping ill children home. A parent offered Lexington Minutewomen as a resource for parents seeking last minute sitters for ill children. Their fee is $18.00 per hour and a reminder will be posted in B2H. Dr. Reitman is working with support staff for adequate recess supervision. Dr. Reitman read children’s suggestions for an afternoon dismissal plan. On Wednesday, November 21, 2007 afternoon dismissal will be staggered, with younger children dismissed first. Dr. Reitman reported a power failure this morning. The Crisis Response Team noted what worked and what didn’t during the power failure (e.g., lighting, loudspeaker, telephones). Dr. Reitman and fellow Principals requested the Superintendent move up the timetable to purchase an instant messaging service (e.g., Connect-Ed), which includes text message, phone, and e-mail transmissions. A Tree-Calling Plan will be administered in case of emergency school closure. The office will call room parents and the room parents will call parents to pick-up their child. Also, Dr. Reitman will reinstitute the office calling parents to confirm a child’s absence. Dr. Reitman reminded children should not come to school with a cell phone. Cell phones are confiscated and kept at the office during the school day. She warned against children text messaging. Meeting adjourned at 8:25 p.m. Next Meeting: To be determined.

Sincerely,

Bridge PTA 2007-2008 Executive Committee.
(Mary Ellen Alessandro, Ann Boese, Monica Cantwell, Richa Jain, Tanya Morrisett, Amy Muntz, George Murnaghan, Jackie Piscitello, and Nancy White)

BRIDGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

PTA PARENTS MEETING MINUTES

November 7, 2007, 7:00-8:30 p.m., Library

PTA Executive Board Present: Ann Boese, Monica Cantwell, Sybil Martin, Tanya Morrisett, Amy Muntz, George Murnaghan, Jackie Piscitello, Nancy White.

Absent: Mary Ellen Alessandro, Richa Jain.

Bridge School Staff Present: Principal Dr. Jade Reitman, Nurse Diane Celi, Reading/Early Literacy Ruth Litchfield.

Submitted by PTA Secretary: Sybil Martin.

Approximately 15 parents attended this meeting.

AGENDA.

1. Welcome and Introductions.

Monica Cantwell welcomed parents and staff, and thanked Hospitality Committee Chair Anna Horiatis for providing refreshments.

Monica Cantwell introduced Nurse Diane Celi.

2. Nurse Diane Celi.

Ms. Celi reported more cases of pediculosis or head lice this year than last year. All grades except Kindergarten and First Grade have students and parents with pediculosis this year. Pediculosis is a frustrating experience for families. Families who have treated and been cleared, worry their children will have it again because it is easily transmitted. Families who have not had it worry their children will get it.

Pediculosis is transmitted by head/hair to head/hair contact, sharing combs, hats, batting or bike helmets. It is not transmitted from uncleanliness. Ms. Celi sent a letter to the Bridge List Serve to dissuade rumors and dispel myths.

Ms. Celi indicated one of the problems is detection; not everyone knows what to look for. She passed out nit samples so parents could detect the nits. Nits are very small organisms that feed off the scalp. Parents must remove nits from every strand of hair, using a bright light and nit comb. Buds feed off the scalp and like a mosquito darken in color. Buds take a few days to mature and lay 3-5 eggs per day, which creates a lot, pretty quickly.

Dr. Reitman informed a Pediculosis Committee established to develop a protocol, identify ways to decrease the spread, and support parents dealing with this issue.

Ms. Celi showed a DVD entitled, Head Lice to Dead Lice. This DVD is available for viewing in the Bridge Clinic.

The DVD provided a 5-Step Battle Plan To Ending Head Lice:

Use A Pediculicide. Wash your child’s hair with this shampoo, over the sink, not the shower, and cover their eyes.

Use An Olive Oil Treatment. Olive Oil smothers head lice. Part your child’s hair and apply olive oil directly to their scalp. Massage the olive oil into their scalp and saturate their hair. Within a few minutes, the olive oil will cut off their oxygen and the lice will stop moving. Leave the olive oil on for 8 hours or overnight. Cover your child’s head with a bandana.

Clean The Environment. Vacuum all areas, stuffed animals, dolls, car seats, upholstery, and soak combs in hot water for at least 20 minutes. Wash and dry towels, linen, coats, scarves, hats. LICE HATE DRY HEAT and cannot live more than a couple of days off the scalp.

Comb Out The Nits. Comb the oily hair with a clean comb to remove tangles. Slide the nit comb over one section at a time, wiping the nit comb with a tissue to remove the nits. Repeat this process of combing out the nits over the entire scalp. Wash out the olive oil. Use a clarifying shampoo; it will take two lathers to wash out all of the olive oil with the clarifying shampoo.

Check Dry Hair For Nits. Dry your child’s hair. With a bright light, check for nits. Separate a thin section of hair and check the entire scalp for nits. Grasp any nits and pull them away from the hair shaft and place them on a tissue. You will miss some nits, so as a precaution, REPEAT THE OLIVE OIL TREATMENT AND NIT COMBING EVERY 4 DAYS FOR 3 WEEKS. This is important to kill every nit before it lays eggs.

The last step is to tell everyone that may have been exposed to your child that he/she has pediculosis.

Quick Reminders for Children:

Keep your brushes and combs to yourself.

Wear your hair up.

Do not share hats, batting or bike helmets.

Follow the 5-Step Battle Plan To Ending Head Lice.

If your friend gets head lice, don’t make fun of them.

Dr. Reitman will show this DVD to the entire school at the next assembly.

Ms. Celi shared professional resources:

NIT WITS charges $85.00 per hour to comb out nits and work towards a clear head. The NIT PICKER charges $100.00 per hour and one-way travel from Needham to comb out nits and work towards a clear head.

Preventative measures include taking a lint brush everywhere to comb away/prevent the spread of head lice. Computer headphones have been removed from classrooms to prevent the spread.

A Bridge Parent Support Group phone list is available from Ms. Celi.

Q&A for Nurse Diane Celi.

Q: Are batting helmets used in gym (e.g., for baseball/softball)?

A: Dr. Reitman responded, not during the Fall/Winter season, but I will keep it in mind for the Spring/Summer season.

A parent suggested Lexington Little League require children purchase/use their own batting helmets.

Q: How are you servicing parents lining up at the clinic to have their children’s hair checked for nits?

A: I’m trying to be very thorough and sometimes I have help. Dr. Reitman added, Ms. Celi has children/parents reporting to the clinic at 7:30 a.m.

Q: How do we encourage parents to check their children’s hair for nits?

Parents suggested getting the kids involved in the “Once A Week, Take A Peek,” putting a reminder in the B2H, and PTA Sign Board.

Q: Does head lice decrease in the winter?

A: No.

3. Principal Dr. Jade Reitman

Ann Boese introduced Principal Dr. Jade Reitman.

Dr. Reitman discussed concerns with cold and flu season, and strep outbreak, stressing importance of hand washing. There are two (2) Purell hand-sanitizing dispensers in the cafeteria. At the next assembly, Dr. Reitman will demonstrate the importance of hand washing.

Dr. Reitman suggested parents be conservative in keeping ill children home. A parent offered Lexington Minutewomen as a resource for parents seeking last minute sitters for ill children. Their fee is $18.00 per hour and a reminder will be posted in B2H.

Dr. Reitman is working with support staff for adequate recess supervision.

Dr. Reitman read children’s suggestions for an afternoon dismissal plan. On Wednesday, November 21, 2007 afternoon dismissal will be staggered, with younger children dismissed first.

Dr. Reitman reported a power failure this morning. The Crisis Response Team noted what worked and what didn’t during the power failure (e.g., lighting, loudspeaker, telephones).

Dr. Reitman and fellow Principals requested the Superintendent move up the timetable to purchase an instant messaging service (e.g., Connect-Ed), which includes text message, phone, and e-mail transmissions. A Tree-Calling Plan will be administered in case of emergency school closure. The office will call room parents and the room parents will call parents to pick-up their child. Also, Dr. Reitman will reinstitute the office calling parents to confirm a child’s absence.

Dr. Reitman reminded children should not come to school with a cell phone. Cell phones are confiscated and kept at the office during the school day. She warned against children text messaging.

Meeting adjourned at 8:25 p.m.

Next Meeting: To be determined.