March Update

Kansas State Assessment

The Kansas State Assessment has already started in USD 420. I appreciate all the hard work students and teachers have done in preparing for these tests. Thanks to our technology specialists in working out the “bugs” to make the assessments online for the students. Please keep encouraging and motivating your students to give it their best on these assessments. If you have any questions about the assessments, please call any of the school offices.

Homework Kansas

With the second semester of the school year in full swing, and state assessments on the horizon, students, teachers, librarians, and parents should take advantage of Homework Kansas.

Introduced to Kansans just over a year ago, the free service offers 4th through 12th grade students interactive guidance in math, science, social studies and English from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week. Math and science assistance in Spanish is available from 4 to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday.

Homework Kansas automatically connects participants with a tutor, who could be any of 1,300 teachers, graduate students and other professionals scattered across North America. All tutors are subjected to background and reference checks.

To access Homework Kansas, students simply need to go to http://www.homeworkkansas.org/ and enter their Kansas library card from their local public library or school library. The service can be accessed from any internet-connected computer. If the student does not already have a Kansas library card, they can acquire one from the State Library of Kansas at the same site immediately.

For further information, please contact Jackie Lakin via email: jlakin@ksde.org or by phone: (785) 296-2144.

SPRING BREAK
MARCH 17-24
SCHOOL RESUMES
TUESDAY, MARCH 25

IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS for 2008-09 SCHOOL YEAR

As parents and children prepare for the upcoming school year, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) is reminding Kansans of the requirements of certain immunizations for school entry and is providing the most up-to-date guidance on vaccination requirements.

REQUIRED for Kindergarten entry…….
· Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis: FIVE doses
· Polio: FOUR doses
· Measles, Mumps, rubella: TWO doses
· Hepatitis B: THREE doses required
· Varicella (Chickenpox) ONE dose

A 10-year Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis will be needed in 10 years.

ANY STUDENT THAT HAS HAD THE HEPATITIS B AND THE CHICKENPOX IMMUNIZATIONS: PLEASE SEND THE VERIFICATION TO MRS. PRIVAT, SCHOOL NURSE, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

The Kansas recommendations (not required) for children are:
· Haemophilus influenza Type B: four doses for children less than five years of age
· Pneumococcal conjugate: four doses for children less than 5 years of age
· Hepatitis A: two doses for all ages
· Meningococcal: one dose for 11 to 18 years of age
· Human Papillomavirus: three doses for females 11 years or older
· Influenza: yearly vaccination for all ages

THE COMPLETE RECOMMENDATIONS CAN BE FOUND AT:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/ACIP-list.htm

All required/recommended vaccines can reduce the disease burden in school-aged children, helping to assure that students will be in school ready to learn. Completely immunized school aged children are vital in protecting other more vulnerable populations from the devastating effects of the diseases that immunizations can prevent. Efforts by schools have been central to the success of public heath efforts in eliminating vaccine preventable diseases.