Moretown School Update, May 12, 2017

Moretown Goes Skating

Thank you Moretown PTN for making this happen!

Message from the Health Office

Ticks and Lyme Disease

Warm weather is arriving, which means that tick season is starting.  Lyme disease is spread by deer ticks, which are found in our area. Deer ticks live in grassy, wooded, brushy areas and can be very small (see picture below). Ticks typically must be attached for 36 hours or longer to spread lyme disease; promptly removing ticks can prevent infection.  Lyme disease can affect your skin, heart, nerves, and joints.  Lyme disease can be effectively treated with antibiotics.  However, not all tick bites require antibiotics.  The American Academy of Pediatrics issues guidelines as to when treat tick bites so that children are not exposed to unnecessary antibiotics.     

After a tick has been attached and removed, a person often experiences redness where the tick was attached.  This is from the tick's saliva while it was attached and is a normal reaction.  It can be compared to when a person gets bitten by a deer fly and has a large red area where the fly bite occurred.  

Read below for tips, from the Vermont Department of Health, that can help you deal with ticks:

While outdoors

• As much as possible, avoid high grass and bushy areas; stay on hiking trails.
• Wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts to minimize skin exposure to ticks.
• Tuck your pants into your socks to form a barrier to tick attachment.
• Wear light-colored clothing to help see ticks on your clothing.
• Check for ticks, looking particularly for what may look like nothing more than a new freckle or speck of dirt, and remove ticks promptly (see reverse page).

After you come inside

• Check your or your child’s body for ticks, and remove them promptly. Pay special attention to the head, armpits, and groin area.
• Showering within a few hours of being outside may also be helpful.

The best way to prevent Lyme disease is to prevent tick bites.

It is okay if the tick's head is not removed.  Lyme disease is contained in the tick's stomach. As long as the body is removed from the head, lyme disease cannot be transmitted.  If the head is not removed, a person's body will expel the head in a few days.

The rash associated with Lyme Disease has a bullseye appearance.  If you notice this type of rash, it should be evaluated right away.

For more information on Lyme Disease and how to prevent it, please visit the

Vermont Department of Health and the AAP Healthy Children website

MORETOWN APPARELL AVAILABLE

Moretown T-Shirts and Sweatshirts are now available to purchase on line.

We want to thank Deerfield Designs for their help in creating our link that is now open 24/7 with delivery options.   Proceeds will support the 6th grade class trip fund.

Moretown Store Link:  https://cart.deerfielddesigns.com/moretown_elementary_school

CALENDAR UPDATE

May  2017

May 24	HUUSD Board Meeting Harwood Union Library 6:00pm Agenda is located at wwsu.org
May 25-26	6th Grade Class Trip
June 1	Art Show  6pm
June 2	Step-Up for 6th grade

Upcoming events:  

1.  Our annual Music Concert will be held on June 7th.  

Please note:  The ECO fundraising committee will host their annual BBQ on this day as well.

Watch for the sign-up genius coming soon.  

2.  The last day of student day for the 16-17 school is June 16th - this is a half day for students.   

Community Announcements

Please note that the opportunities/events listed below are not specifically endorsed or screened by school staff; as always, families should use their own standards and review processes to determine appropriate activities.

Blood Drive, Harwood Union Middle School Multipurpose Room, May 30, 10:30-4:00, sponsored by Harwood Union High School Student Council.  Please call the Red Cross at 800-733-2767 to schedule an appointment.

Circus Smirkus is looking for homestay families for the nights of July 4th, 5th and 6th. Families who host will earn one free ticket to the Circus per night of hosting (so they can earn 3 free tickets this way)! It's a fun way for families to connect with the performers (the Circus performers are ages 11-18). Homestay families help drive the performers who are staying in their home to Kenyon's in the morning and pick them up in the evenings, and provide breakfast and dinner meals when the performers are at their home. Families who are interested in finding out more should contact Grace Emelett at grace.emelett@yahoo.com.

College Admissions Panel Presentation: Join us to develop an understanding of the college admission process, THURSDAY, MAY 11TH, 6-7:30PM , HARWOOD UNION SCHOOL. Please RSVP so we can arrange suitable seating. If you have questions, submit them along with your RSVP. The Panel will do their best to address submitted questions. Admissions representatives from the following institutions will be in attendance: Champlain College, Middlebury College, Saint Michael's College, and The University of Vermont. The information presented will cover: Admission Process, Application Review, Supporting Documents including: transcripts, school profile, letters of recommendation, portfolios, and test scores as well as submitted questions and answers. You may RSVP by sending an email to wgilbert@wwsu.org or calling 802-882-1101.

Moretown Open Mic Night, Fridays, May 12 and June 9th, 7-10pm, doors open at 6:30. Come together for this series of open mic music and performances at Moretown Town Hall the second Friday of each month through June. Free. All ages and levels of accomplishment welcome, audience members needed too!

Bike Repair Cafe, Sunday, May 21st, 3-5pm, Moretown Rec Field. Bring your bike along with any tools you have to the pavilion at the rec. field, and receive some hands-on training from the Mad River Riders just in time for the season. Learn how to make simple repairs and some basic maintenance how-tos. Come early with gloves if you would also like to help spruce up the Town Forest trails so they are ready for your summer use, trail work will begin at 10am.

Birding by Ear, A Two Part Workshop from Moretown Memorial Library and the Mad Birders, Saturday, June 3rd, 4pm at the Moretown School, Sunday, June 4th,7:30-9:30am at Pony Farm, 182 Pony Farm Rd. in Moretown. Have you ever wondered which bird is making what sound in the overwhelming chorus of song we hear this time of year? Then join us as we delve into the exciting world of birding using our ears. During the first interactive session indoors learn some tips and tricks for listening to and identifying our feathered friends, then head out in the early morning for our second session to practice and discover. Both sessions are free, and all ages are welcome. For more information or to register, please contact 496-9728 ormoretownlibrary@gmail.com.