School Physicals

Medication Procedure

Nutrition

Health Room News

Children entering any school-operated program for the first time at the Kindergarten level and bellow will be required to show proof of having received one dose of chickenpox vaccine (varicella) on or after their first birthday. A physician can confirm past disease history- in lieu of vaccination- by having examined the infected child, documenting the parent's description of the child's history, or reviewing laboratory evidence.

Hepatitis B

3 Shot Series Reminder

All 4th grade students will be required to receive a three shot series of Hepatitis B and a 5th grade physical in order to enter 5th grade.

Our school clinic initiated the Hepatitis B three shot series at the beginning of this school year. The second shot was given on December 19th, 2002. The third shot will be given on May 9th, 2003.

Parents who have indicated that they will be having their physician administer these shots to their child should be reminded that the process must begin immediately in order for it to be completed by the first day of school.

If you choose not to use your physician, the Will County Health Department is available in Wilmington at the First United Methodist Church on Kahler Road on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month. Please feel free to contact them at 727-8670 for further information.

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If your child is entering Early Childhood, Preschool, Kindergarten, 5th, and 9th Grade, he/she will need a completed school physical and required immunizations by registration in August.

This year's health offerings are:

Call the Will County Health Department at 727-8670 to schedule a school physical or immunization. School physicals are offered at the main office.

For immunizations, call 727-8670 and schedule an appointment at the Presbyterian Church of Wilmington.

Early Childhood

If your child is currently in Preschool or Early Childhood, they will receive a health packet. If your child will be screened at the preschool screening at Fossil Ridge Library, packets will be passed out at that time.

Kindergarten

Parents will receive the school physical and dental forms on registration day, February 25th and 26th at Reed Custer Primary School.

Fourth Grade

School physical and immunizations packets will be sent home with 3rd quarter report cards. A complete list of immunizations and school physical and dental forms will be included in the packet.

Eighth Grade

High school counselors will give out individual health packets at the 8th grade registration meetings to be held at the middle school on February 26th. The folders will contain the school nurse packet entailing school physical and immunizations needed for 9th grade.

If your student's packet becomes misplaced, please call for another one.

All are due by registration (July 31st and August 1st, 2003).

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In case you are unfamiliar with the school and state policy in the administration of medication to students, we would like to bring you up to date on this matter. If your child must have medication, prescribed or over-the-counter medication during school hours, you have the following choices:

• You may come to the school and give the medication to your child at the appropriate time.
  
• You may discuss with your doctor an alternative schedule for administering medications. It is best to have it administered during non-school hours if possible.
  
• If it is necessary that school personnel administer medication to your child, you must either: (A) Have your physician fax an order to the school nurse at 458-4039; or (B) you must obtain a copy of a medication form from the school nurse or school secretary. Take the form to your child's physician. The form and/or physician's order must list the medication needed, dosage, and the number of times per day the medication is to be administered. This is required for both prescribed and over-the-counter medications.

The medication order is only good for that school year. A new medication order is required for the next school year.

Prescription medication must be brought to school in a pharmacy labeled bottle which contains instructions on how and when to be given. Over-the-counter medication must be received in the original container and will be administered according to the physician's written instructions. All medications must be given to the nurse's office in each building.

Asthmatic students are required to have a signed parental agreement form and a doctor signed "Asthma Action Plan".

In fairness to those giving the medication and the safety of your child, there will be no exceptions to this policy. Failure to follow the above instructions could place your child at risk for disciplinary action.

Thank you for your assistance in providing the most safe environment for our students. .

TD Update

Tetanus Dipteria adult vaccine remains in short supply for the school year of 2002-2003. Thus the requirement for the ninth grade TD will be wavered until TD vaccine supply is available. Once the supply of vaccine becomes available, the parents of the Reed-Custer School District will be notified. An exclusion date will be determined once the vaccine is available.

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Jeanette Faul of the Nutritional Resource Foundation of Wisconsin, spoke at RCIS on February 11th, 2003. She revealed some disturbing information regarding the processed food industry.

If foods have names you cannot pronounce, do not eat them. Some popular processed foods and drinks that are not good for us, according to Mrs. Faul, are Lunchables, potato chips, and Red Bull energy drink. She revealed that white bread contains many preservatives and states the "whiter the bread, the sooner you're dead." Therefore, think twice before handing your child a Lunchable or any other processed food.

The class that had the most parents attend earned a Healthy Snacks Party. The winners of the contest were Mrs. Rayburn's class from RCIS and Ms. Metzka's class from RCPS. Mrs. Rayburn's class enjoyed the granola mixture and healthy smoothies. Ms. Metzka's class will be enjoying their "healthy snack prize" within the first week of March. Attached is a "Pack a Punch" fact sheet to help you and your family begin a healthy start.

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What Color is Your Diet?

Eating fruits and vegetables of different colors for better health is what The National Cancer Institute's (NCI) 5 A Day program promotes. This message makes a lot of sense to people. If people are not paying attention to the different types and colors of fruit and vegetables, they could be missing out on a lot of important nutrients.

More Than Antioxidants

Besides many vitamins and minerals, fruits, and vegetables contain phytochemicals, many of which are antioxidants that help protect the body against diseases such as cancer and heart disease. It is these phytochemicals that give fruits and vegetables their color. In countries where people eat a pound of fruits and vegetables a day, the risk of certain types of cancer is reduced by 50%.

But that is only part of the story. The combination of phytochemicals in colorful fruits and vegetables have a variety of actions, with the antioxidants effect being only one. Others include anti-inflammatory effects, membrane effects, and the way neurons talk to one another in the brain. The speed and strength of brain signals between neurons low down as aging occurs, but phytochemicals found in blueberries may actually strengthen these signals and reduce the effects of aging.

Falling Short On Fruits And Vegetables

The NCI's 5 A Day campaign promotes at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. However, Americans aren't meeting these recommendations. According to the Continuing Survey of Food Intake by Individuals males over age 20 average 4.1 servings of vegetables a day, and females in the same age groups average 3.1 servings a day. As for fruits, Americans score even worse. Both males and females over 20 average 1.5 servings of fruit a day.

Because people aren't meeting the requirements for fruits and vegetables, Cecilia Richardson, MS, RD, nutrition programs director at the National Association of WIC Directors, is not concerned that promoting colorful foods will take the focus off the importance of a balanced diet. "We need this type of attention on fruits and vegetables because of the way our culture eats," Richardson said.

Whole Foods For Everyone&endash;

You're better off getting fruits and vegetables, rather than supplements. Foods contain a combination of other things that interact and have a synergistic effect. The whole is more than the sum of the parts.

Although fresh fruits and vegetables can be expensive, there are ways to include more color on a budget. Canned tomatoes actually have more available lycopene than fresh at a cheaper price, and frozen fruits and vegetables are just as healthful as fresh.

Source: 2001 Opus Communications, division of HCPro

The Fruit and Vegetable Color Spectrum

The color categories of fruits and vegetables, according to the 5 A Day campaign, include the following:

Red&endash; tomatoes, red and pink grapefruit, watermelon, and guava contain lycopene, which may reduce the risk of certain cancers, including prostate cancer.

Orange&endash; sweet potatoes, mangos, carrots, and apricots contain beta-carotene, which enhances the immune system.

Yellow&endash; pineapple, pears, and corn contain carotenoids, which protect the eyes from oxidative damage.

Green&endash; leafy greens, broccoli, avocado, and honeydew melon contain isothiocyanate and indoles, which may protect against cancer, as well as carotenoids.

Blues and Purples&endash; blueberries, red grapes, and blackberries contain anthocyanins, which may protect against cancer.

"Did You Know"?

The vegetable with the strongest protective effect against cancer is raw carrots!