January 18, 2018 Barton Creek Elementary
Blue Jay Bulletin
MESSAGE FROM NURSE SANSOM
Dear Parents,
The flu is here in full force at BCE. We respectfully ask that you use an abundance of caution and keep your children home if they have symptoms of the flu, such as a sore throat, headache, watery eyes, muscle aches, congestion, chills, runny nose or cough, even if they don't have fever initially. Children, in particular, may also experience leg pain, vomiting and diarrhea with the flu. Fever may start 24 hours after the first symptoms appear, and unfortunately people are actually quite contagious the day before the first symptoms appear.
Tamiflu is now available in generic form, so it is much less expensive than in the past. Tamiflu can reduce the severity of symptoms and duration of the flu if started within 48 hours and make a person less contagious after two days of medication.
Although students may return to school once the fever has been gone 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication, please let your children rest and recover at home until they feel like resuming a full day of activities—typically 5-7 days.
Be on the lookout for complications, such as strep throat or pneumonia, if fever returns or does not resolve, fatigue does not diminish, the throat looks very red or if there is a deep, productive and persistent cough.
The flu shot is tweaked each year in an attempt to target what are projected to be the most prevalent strains of the disease, but the process isn't foolproof. The CDC estimates that the vaccine will be effective against roughly 30% of H3 viruses this year.
That said, the CDC still recommends that you get vaccinated if you haven't already, as there could be as many as 13 weeks of flu season still to come. Plus, the shot may protect against influenza B strains, which typically come out later in the season.
We appreciate your vigilance and consideration so much and wish you a happy and healthy new year!
Sincerely,
Nurse Marilyn Sansom
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NEW THIS WEEK
Book Spring Read-A-Thon!
January 22nd-February 4th
The money raised stays in the Austin area to purchase books for students who don't have books at their homes.
Just contributing $3.00, buys one book for an Austin child.
In past years, BCE, all of Eanes schools, and most Austin-area schools have participated
The Read-a-thon is encouraged but students choose to be involved
Students earn prizes given by Book Spring, and examples of the prizes will be displayed in Library classes.
The highest fund raising class is awarded a pizza party!
Please encourage your students to participate in this worthwhile cause.
BCE students can make a difference!
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COMMUNITY
Calling All Blue Jays!
Come sing and swing with the BCE Show Choirs! Does your child like to sing, dance, act, speak, and wear amazing costumes? If so, then choir is just for you!
Each of our choirs will be performing a fun and exciting musical this spring semester for our school and families!
All choirs will start in two weeks so make sure to get signed up through the Eanes Community Education website. Sign up at Eanes Community Education
eanes.augusoft.net or call 512-732-9022
We hope to see you there! It's sure going to be a blast!
DISTRICT NEWS
UPCOMING BCE EVENTS
BARTON CREEK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
1314 Patterson Road, Austin, Texas 78746
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