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Elysian Charter School
Weekly Newsletter
A Positively Different Public School
February 12, 2018 Vol. 13 Issue 22
The school newsletter is sent out on Mondays. When there is a holiday, the newsletter is sent the following day.
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Harry's Corner This article appeared on the NY Times Wellness Blog on February 7, 2018 and in the print edition on February 8, 2018.
How to Know When a Child’s Flu Turns Serious
By RONI CARYN RABIN
Ethan Lasorsa, 12, of Macungie, Pa., was treated for flu and an ear infection in the pediatric ward at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest in Allentown, Pa.
The standard prescription for flu is to stay home and rest, drink plenty of fluids, and keep pain and fever under control with over-the-counter drugs like acetaminophen.
But this flu season has been a particularly scary one for parents. At least 53 children across the country have died from flu-related illness, and parents need to know how to tell if a child takes a turn for the worse — and if it’s time to rush to the hospital.
It’s not an easy question to answer, experts say.
“Every once in a while, even among healthy children, this influenza strain and others can make a person very, very sick, really fast,” said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. “It’s deceptive.”
Most parents know they need to closely monitor children under 5 for any signs their illness is getting more severe. It’s important to pay even closer attention to babies and toddlers under 2, making sure they are getting enough liquids because they can easily become dehydrated. And while the vast majority of otherwise healthy children will ride out a bout of influenza and recover rather quickly, a small number will develop potentially life-threatening complications that require immediate medical attention, Dr. Schaffner said.
Children with chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes, cystic fibrosis, cerebral palsy, heart conditions or seizures are also at increased risk for developing influenza-related complications, and the illness can exacerbate their underlying medical problems.
But half of the children hospitalized with influenza this flu season did not have any of the underlying chronic conditions that make children susceptible to complications from influenza, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and that’s not unusual.
What to Watch For
Signs to watch for in children are persistent high fevers that don’t subside and fevers that abate only to flare up again after the child seems to be over the worst of the illness, experts say.
When that happens, time is of the essence; a persistent or recurrent fever may mean the child has developed a complication such as pneumonia or a dangerous inflammatory response, and parents must seek prompt medical attention.
Parents should also be on the lookout for sepsis, a life-threatening complication caused by the body’s overwhelming attack against an infection. The condition is characterized by fever or chills, extreme pain or discomfort, clammy or sweaty skin, confusion or disorientation, shortness of breath, and a high heart rate.
“The trick with the flu is that it happens very quickly,” said Dr. Flor M. Munoz, associate professor of pediatrics and infectious diseases at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. “You have to be really paying attention. Things can progress within 48 hours or so.”
Symptoms that call for immediate medical care are if a child’s breathing becomes labored, and he or she is taking fast, shallow breaths or feels chest pain or pressure; if the child’s lips turn blue or purple; if he or she is less responsive than usual; if the child’s skin becomes clammy; or if the child refuses to eat or drink or has diarrhea and is vomiting, raising the risk of dehydration.
In general, if a child is particularly irritable, is sleeping too much, seems confused, dizzy or not mentally alert, and not acting like his or her usual self, parents should seek medical help. Severe vomiting and seizures are also danger signs.
Concerns for Babies and Toddlers
For children under 2, parents must be vigilant about making sure their child is getting enough fluids, and watch for urine that becomes dark in color, a sign of dehydration that calls for immediate medical care. Other symptoms to watch for in infants are trouble breathing, inability to eat, significantly fewer wet diapers than normal and crying without producing tears.
Ibuprofen or acetaminophen can be used in older children, but acetaminophen is the preferred drug for fever in infants. It should be used only in appropriate doses, as instructed on the package (aspirin should never be used in children).
“For a baby under 1, there’s a lower threshold to see the doctor,” Dr. Munoz said. “I would be willing to wait a little longer on a 12-year-old who can tell me how he feels, but for a baby that age, it’s hard for a parent to know what’s going on. You have to watch them very carefully and be attuned to changes.”
While it may not sound scientific, most experts say parents should trust their instincts. They know their children better than anyone else, and if they think something is wrong, they should call a doctor and ask for advice, or take the child to an urgent care center or emergency room.
“When mom is really worried, that should not be trivialized — the pediatrician should look at that child closely,” Dr. Schaffner said.
What Is Normal?
For most children, a typical course of influenza starts with an abrupt spike in temperature, a sore throat, cough and muscle aches, said Dr. Shikha Garg, medical officer in the C.D.C.’s influenza division. Younger children may also have nausea and vomiting.
But in most healthy children, the illness will run its course relatively quickly. The fever will subside after three to four days, and the cough will abate within one to two weeks, Dr. Garg said.
“If this is what a parent is seeing, it’s probably fine to have the child stay home and not go to school; you want them to rest and stay hydrated,” she said. “The majority of healthy children who have a mild course of disease do not need to go to see the doctor, and they do not need to go to the hospital or the emergency room.” They also don’t need to be tested for influenza, she said.
While children hospitalized with influenza are generally treated with antiviral medication such as Tamiflu, the decision to prescribe it for outpatients is a complicated one that requires a careful balancing of risks and benefits, since the treatment can cause side effects, including nausea, vomiting and, rarely, neurological side effects, Dr. Schaffner said.
Parents need to take care of themselves too, especially pregnant women, who are especially susceptible to complications from flu. Wash your hands frequently and if you’re holding a sick child, keep their chin on your shoulder so they don’t cough on you.
It’s still not too late to be vaccinated against flu, Dr. Garg said. “We think this flu activity will continue for many weeks to come.” Emergency Warning Signs in Children With Flu
The following symptoms in children with the flu call for immediate medical care, according to the C.D.C. - Fast breathing or trouble breathing
- Bluish skin color
- Not drinking enough fluids
- Nor wakiing up or not interacting
- Being so irritable that the child does not want to be held
- Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough
- Fever with a rash
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Friends of Elysian 2018 Annual Party & Auction Update
We are off to a great start for the 2018 Annual Party and Auction. So far we have sold more than 100 tickets, bringing in more than $11,000 for our school! Thank you to everyone who responded so generously! If you haven't yet purchased your ticket, please do so as soon as you are able.
We want to go "All-In for Elysian" and need your support to do that! And, with a special non-Elysian guest rate of $75, we encourage you to invite friends and family to join you for what is guaranteed to be a great night of fun, food, and fundraising!
We look forward to celebrating 20 wonderful years of Elysian Charter School with you on
Friday, March 9!
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Auction Items Needed!
Do you have an item, experience, or special opportunity you’d like to donate to Friends of Elysian for our upcoming 2018 Party and Auction?
Or, would you be willing to ask local stores, restaurants, and business contacts for items?
Our goal is to have a variety of items that can help raise significant funds for the school and we can only do that with your help. We are ideally seeking new items or special experiences, valued at roughly $200 or more. (However, if something is less than that, unique, or you are unsure of the value, please don't hesitate to email us at friends@ecsnj.org.)
Additionally, if you'd be willing to help in the procurement of items from local businesses, please drop us a line at the email address above so we can get you started.
Please know that while we hope to be able to include all donations, we may not be able to accommodate all items, or may need to group items together.
Thank you very much for your consideration of this request and for your support!
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PTSO Corner
REST of the Classroom Pictures Coming Soon - Grade-wide photos of 7th, 8th, and kindergarten will be delivered to Elysian in 2-3 weeks. They will then be sent home in backpacks. Thanks for your patience!
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Tickets for New Vic's Bromance, 4:30 PM PerformanceWed., February 14 still available for families only
BROMANCE: Barely Methodical Troupe
The New Victory Theater in NYC
60 minutes, no intermission
Bromance stars a trio of friends who flip, throw, and catch each other. They turn handshakes into handstands and race through fast-paced, high-risk stunts featuring adrenaline-fueled contemporary acrobatics!
If you wish to accompany your child/friend’s children, please contact Lynne.Shapiro@ecsnj.org. She will take your names and put you on a list of attendees. She will also let you know ticket cost. You will not need permission slip.
If you sent in a form and money so your child could attend with Elysian’s After School Program, please note that Aftercare will NOT be going to the performance. You will be given your money back- the trip is CANCELLED (for aftercare only).
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This Week's Basketball Practices
Grade 3: Tuesdays: 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Grade 4: Green Team: Wednesdays: 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Grade 4: White Team: Fridays: 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Grade 5: Fridays: 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Grade 6: Mondays: 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM (Including Intramural Game)
Grade 7: Thursdays: 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Grade 8: Thursdays: 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Girls 6-8: Wednesdays: 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Note:
Children waiting for a practice to begin will be able to attend Aftercare at no cost. Any child attending Aftercare must start right at the end of the school day and may not leave the school building and then return.
***Games will be listed in the calendar below***
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This Week's Homework Help and Enrichment ClubsMonday
Homework Help - 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Guitar - 3:00 - 4:00 PM
Mosaic - 3:00 - 4:00 PM
Debate - 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Mad Science - 3:00 - 4:00 PM
Dancing with Derrick - 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Tuesday
Baking - 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Anime - 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Dancing with Derrick - 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Wednesday Wednesday 1/2 Days
Karate - 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Karate - 12:45 PM - 1:45 PM
Movie Club - 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Movie Club - 12:45 PM - 1:45 PM
Lego Bricks - 3:00 - 4:00 PM Lego Bricks - 12:45 PM - 1:45 PM
Chess - 3:00 - 4:30 PM Chess - 12:45 PM - 2:15PM Thursday
Homework Help - 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Magic Club - 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM Friday
Gravity - 3:00 - 4:00 PM
Lego Bricks - 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
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Liberty Science Center Free Community Event
Attached please find the flyer for our free Community Evening on Wed., February 28, 2018, 5:30 - 9:00 pm.
Please share with students and families! This is a great opportunity for families to see a film in our brand new Planetarium!
Feel free to reach out to me with any questions. We look forward to seeing your community at LSC!
LAUREN ROSE
Associate Director, STEM Partners/Events
Liberty Science Center
222 Jersey City Boulevard
Jersey City, NJ 07305
lrose@lsc.org | LSC.org
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Paper Goods Drive for the Hoboken Shelter
For many years, our school was next door to the Hoboken Homeless Shelter. Over the years, we did many drives on their behalf. They are still in our thoughts, even though we are now uptown. Every year, Jaclyn Cherubini, the director of the Shelter, volunteers her services to help us administer the vote counting for our board candidates during our Annual Meeting. This helps Elysian to ensure community transparency and oversight on one of the most fundamental aspects of public education.
We asked Jaclyn how we could help and she suggested that the Shelter is always in dire need of paper goods. They especially need forks. Rather than having them grapple with assorted sizes of small household size packages, we thought that Elysian could purchase large cases of these supplies through our vendor, Karson Food Service. Here is a list of the cost per case. Anyone choosing to donate funds toward the purchase of goods can write a check to Elysian Charter School (ECS). Please note if there is a specific item you are sponsoring or just for the fund. Please contact Susan.Gilbertson@ecsnj.org with any questions.
Thank you!
Here is a list of case sizes and prices: 9” paper plates – regular – 1000 ct. - $19.85
9” paper plates – pulp (like Chinet) – 500 ct. - $50.88
6” paper plates, small - 1000 ct. - $12.70
Case of plastic cereal bowls – 1000 ct. - $48.94
Case of 5 oz plastic cups – 2500 ct. - $46.75
Case of coffee cups – 8 oz paper 1000 ct. - $56.49
Case of plastic forks – 1000 ct. - $12.24
Case of plastic knives – 1000 ct. - $12.24
Case of plastic soup spoons – 1000 ct. - $12.24
Napkins – 12 units of 500 ct. - $38.39
Case of paper towels – 30 rolls - $48.79
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School Directory If you wish for a whole school or just a class directory, either a hard copy or by email, please contact Deb.Rosner@ecsnj.org. Please note: some of our Elysian families requested that their personal information not be published.
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Elysian Summer Camp 2018 --- Save The Date ANOTHER GREAT SUMMER AWAITS YOU.....Elysian Summer Camp is back for another 2 weeks of fun-filled, action packed activities and summer fun. The camp will run the weeks of July 30th and August 6th. You can sign up for one or for both weeks. Camp enrollment information to follow in the next few weeks.
Thanks!
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| Elysian Collects Box Tops and LABELS for Education Look for the container near Deb's desk in the office! Thank you!
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Lost and Found
We have many items (jackets, sweatshirts/hoodies, gloves, hats, etc) that need to find their way back home. Please come and take a look in the Main Office.
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As per state law, we no longer publish the exact location of trips for security reasons.
Please read the calendar weekly, as changes are updated regularly. FEBRUARY/MARCH CALENDAR Please see above under "This Week's Basketball Practices" for grades, dates and times of practices. Monday, February 12 - Elysian Charter 6 vs. Stevens 6, 7:45 PM, Wallace
Wednesday, February 14 - Bromance performance 4:30 PM - to New Vic (see above for information)
- Game - Elysian Charter Green 7 vs. Hoboken Middle School Nets, 6:45 PM, Wallace
- Game - Elysian Charter White 8 vs. HOLA, 7:45 PM, Wallace
Thursday, February 15 - Game - Elysian Charter 6 vs. Mustard Seed 6, 7:45 PM, Wallace
Friday, February 16 - Report Cards distributed at dismissal. Cards not picked up will be mailed home.
Monday, February 19 - Friday, February 23 - February Break - Elysian closed
Saturday, February 24 - Game - Elysian Charter Girls vs. Hoboken Charter School, 1:00 PM, Multi
- Game - Elysian Charter Green 4 vs. Hoboken Charter White 4, 4:50 PM, Wallace
- Game - Elysian Charter White 4 vs. Wallace Black 4, 6:30 PM, Wallace
- Game - Elysian Charter Green 3 vs. Wallace Black 3, 7:20 PM, Wallace
- Game - Elysian Charter White 3 vs. Hoboken PAL 3, 8:10 PM, Wallace
Monday, February 26 - Game - Elysian Charter Green 7 vs. Hoboken Middle School Bulls, 6:15 PM, Multi
- Game - All Saints vs. Elysian Charter White 8, 7:15 PM, Multi
Wednesday, February 28 - Game - Elysian Charter Green 7 vs. Mustard Seed, 6:45 PM, Wallace
- Game - Elysian Charter White 8 vs. Hoboken Middle School Bulls, 7:45 PM, Wallace
Thursday, March 1 - Game - Elysian Charter 5 vs. HOLA 5, 7:45 PM, Wallace
Friday, March 2 - Community Meeting - 8:30 AM, Gym
- Game - Elysian Charter 6 vs. Hoboken Charter Red 6, 6:45 PM, Wallace
Saturday, March 3 - Game - Elysian Charter Girls vs. Stevens Co-op Red, 2:00 PM, Multi
- Game - Elysian Charter Green 4 vs. Wallace Black 4, 3:10 PM, Wallace
- Game - Connors Calabro 3 vs. Elysian Charter Green 3, 6:30 PM, Wallace
- Game - All Saints 3 vs. Elysian Charter White 3, 7:20 PM, Wallace
- Game - All Saints 4 vs. Elysian Charter White 4, 8:10 PM, Wallace
Tuesday, March 6 - Game - All Saints 5 vs. Elysian Charter 5, 7:45 PM, Wallace
Friday, March 9 - Friends of Elysian Annual Auction & Fundraiser, 7:00 PM-10:00 PM, HUB-16 Hudson Place
- Game - Elysian Charter 6 vs. HOLA 6, 8:45 PM, Wallace
Tuesday, March 13 - Elysian Annual Meeting - 6:00 PM, Gym
- Game - Elysian Charter 5 vs. Wallace Black 5, 6:45 PM, Wallace
Wednesday, March 14 - 1/2 Day, 12:30 PM dismissal, Staff Development
Monday, March 19 - Game - All Saints 5 vs. Elysian Charter 5, 6:45 PM - Wallace
- Game - All Saints 6 vs. Elysian Charter 6, 7:45 PM - Wallace
Wednesday, March 21 - Game - Elysian Charter 5 vs. Wallace Grey 5, 7:45 PM - Wallace
Monday, March 26 Thursday, March 29 - 1/2 Day, 12:30 PM dismissal
Friday, March 30 - Friday, April 6 - Spring Break - Elysian Closed
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1460 Garden Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030
Harry Laub, Ph.D., Director
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harry.laub@ecsnj.org
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Phone:201.876.0102
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Fax:201.876.9576
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