Nurse Notes: Head Lice

Several cases of head lice have been reported this year at a variety of schools within the ASD, including Steller. Knowledge of a potential problem is key to prevention. As such, I thought it prudent to share a little information regarding head lice with our Steller families.

Head lice are parasitic insects found on the human head. Head lice are becoming increasing common in Alaska. They are transmitted directly from person to person or indirectly through objects such as hairbrushes, hats, scarves, clothing, bed sheets, and pillowcases. Lice are most commonly found on the scalp, behind the ears and near the neckline at the back of the neck. If a louse falls off a person it generally dies within 24-48 hours.

Signs & Symptoms:
* Tickling feeling of something moving in hair.
* Itching, caused by an allergic reaction to the bite.
* Sores on the head caused by scratching. These sores can sometimes become infected.
* Visible lice or nits

Current research indicates that lice and their nits are becoming more resistant to available lice treatments. Re-infestation may occur if only one viable nit remains on the hair shaft. After treatment, nits are removed by scraping them off the entire length of the hair. Special fine-tooth combs are available, but it is common practice to “nit pick” through the hair after treatment to remove nits. Children with head lice must be treated and the nits must be removed from the hair to attend school.

To help prevent the spread of head lice, shampoo hair regularly with ordinary shampoo and water, dry hair with a hairdryer and periodically check your child’s head. When nits are found, lice must be suspected and treatment is required is required. Do not share combs, towels, hats, pillows, or clothing.

PLEASE KEEP YOUR CHILD HOME FROM SCHOOL IF LICE OR NITS ARE PRESENT.

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Radio Play

Here is another wonderful opportunity for our students to highlight their talents.  I met Anne Marie Moylan, Director of Development Anchorage Concert Association at a Rotary meeting.  We chatted and I told her where I worked.  She was so excited.  She told me about this very unique opportunity for our 9-12 grade students to write a 10-15 min. radio play around the classics The Lost World or The War of the Worlds.  If selected they will read their play on stage and have an opportunity to win amazing prizes.  Please read the announcement and let me know if you are going to try out.  Have fun!!!

Click here to download the announcement.

Send A Card to an Armed Services Person

If you go to this web site, www.LetsSayThanks.com you can pick out a thank you card and Xerox will print it and it will be sent to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq.
You can’t pick out who gets it, but it will go to some member of the armed services.

How AMAZING it would be if we could get everyone we know to send one!!!  This is a great site.  Please send a card.   It is FREE and it only takes a second.

Please share this opportunity with your family & friends [if you would like to do so].

RECESS Proposal

I have attached the RECESS proposal (Click here) that I would like to get started for 2nd semester.  All of the key components of RECESS are included in this proposal.  I would like for all of my parents and other interested parties to have a look-see.  The Steller Staff is on board with this offering as well as the majority of the students.  Please give me your feed back.

As with any “new thing”  there will be bumps in the road.  However, I hope they will be only a minimum distraction and can be worked out fairly quickly.  It will take some time for everyone [parents, teachers and students] to get in “a groove” and things begin to flow smoothly.  But I am confident that RECESS will have a positive affect on all of the students and their ability to exercise their freedom of choice in terms of their education.  RECESS will also give staff members that much need time to plan.  Planning in a school like Steller is all too important if the school  is to thrive.  Ideas have to be talked about, existing practices need to be fine tuned and a program such as ours needs to have room to expand.  I think that RECESS will meet the needs for working on all of these critical issues.

Harlod

Student Opportunities

The following information was included in a recent newsletter from Senator Lisa Murkowski:

Sen. Murkowski opens application period for 2009 summer intern program
I have begun accepting applications for my high school summer internship program. Each year, a total of 20 graduating high school seniors from all areas of Alaska travel to Washington to participate in one of two, month-long internship sessions. Each day, two of the interns “shadow” me through my Senate meetings and functions. Interns also assist me and my staff in a variety of constituent services and legislative duties. By the end of the session, interns will have gained an insight into the workings of a U.S. Senate office and how the legislative process works. The first session for the summer of 2009 will run from June 1 to June 26, and the second session will run from July 6 to July 31. Transportation and housing will be coordinated by my office, but interns will be responsible for the cost. My office will provide a stipend to help defray the costs.

High school students are encouraged to apply online in the Student Connection section at www.murkowski.senate.gov. Applications and internship information will also be made available to all Alaskan high school counseling offices.  Applications are due March 13, 2009.

I also have a number of opportunities for college students to work full or part-time in my Washington, D.C., office.  To apply for these opportunities students should fax a resume, cover letter and letter of recommendation to my office at 202.224.5301.

You may also know someone who might be interested in the following opportunity as well:

White House Fellowship applications now being accepted
The White House has announced that The President’s Commission on White House Fellowships is now accepting applications for the 2009 – 2010 Class of Fellows. Applications are available at http://whitehouse.gov/fellows/about/apply.html and must be submitted electronically by February 1, 2009.

The White House Fellows Program is America’s most prestigious program for leadership and public service. Founded in 1964 by President Lyndon B. Johnson, the program offers exceptional young men and women first-hand experience working at the highest levels of the Federal government.

Fellows typically spend one year working as full-time, paid special assistants to senior White House Staff, the Vice President, Cabinet Secretaries, and other top-ranking government officials. Fellows also participate in an Education Program consisting of roundtable discussions with renowned leaders from the private and public sectors, and trips to study U.S. policy in action both domestically and internationally. More information about the program is available at www.whitehouse.gov/fellows.

If you are interested in receiving Senator Murkowski’s e-newsletter, you can do so by filling out the web form at http://murkowski.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Newsletter.Signup.

APU class offered at Steller

I am happy to offer a college course through APU at Steller. This class is “The American Short Story” taught by Mrs. Gina Miller. The class will be offered to 10, 11 and 12th graders for both University credit and High School credit in English. Because it is APU the cost of the class is about 20% more than UAA. Normally this class would cost $1,800.00 for a 3 credit course. However, we will be able to get this course delivered at our school for 1/3 the cost [$600.00].

The class will only be able to happen if we get at least ten students signed up to take the course. There are no scholarships through Steller if anyone wants to take the class they will need to pay the tuition. The class will be conducted as a college course and subject to the same conditions as any university class, that is to say I will not be able to alter in anyway what the requirements are for the class. Parents will have to deal directly with the professor of the class.

The course will be offered on Wednesdays beginning the week of Feb. 2nd, 2009 [provided we get enough students enrolled]

The course description and the readings are attached for your viewing. Please contact me if interested as soon as possible.

Text: The Norton Anthology of Short Fiction, (8th edition). You will have enough time to go online and order the text used or she can place an order to have the books delivered to the campus bookstore. Keep in mind the books she orders will cost considerably more than a used one. At this time I have no idea how much the book will cost. Below is the website for online ordering. It is the green book and it looks like they have some used one for $23.00. However, I would wait to order until we know we have at least 10 people who are planning to sign up.

Harlod

Click here to order text.

Click here for class info.