Happy Halloween!

Hello Cozy Families:

I am very excited to celebrate my first Cozy Lake Halloween!  The teachers and I have a really fun team costume planned!
Just a couple reminders to ensure all remain healthy, happy, and safe this Halloween:

• Food will be shared during the classroom parties.  Food served is very restricted and limited to ensure all students will be safe participating in our celebration.  The following is the list of food that will be shared:

-Store bought and prepared cut up fruit and vegetables-no dips
-Sea salt (only) Pop Chips
-Rold Gold (only) Pretzels (twists, thins or sticks)
-Plain or double stuffed (only) OREOS

• If your child's costume contains a face mask or other accessory that covers their face or head, for safety reasons please remind your child NOT to wear a mask or face covering during bus transportation.  
• If your child's costume is "complicated" and could present a safety hazard to self or others, please have your child wait till they arrive at school to put the costume on.   

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to reach out to me at (973) 697-4777 ext. 5535. 

Have a happy Halloween everyone!  

Attendance Matters-10 Facts about Attendance

Hello Cozy Lake Families:  

Many people mistakenly believe attendance is not a significant concern until a student reaches middle or high school.  Research shows it is important for students to develop the habit of regular attendance at an early age. This mindset will stay with the students throughout their academic career and make a lasting difference in the success of their education.  Therefore, Cozy Lake Elementary School is striving to improve regular attendance of students throughout the school year.  

The following are 10 facts about attendance that are important to review and consider throughout your child's school-age years. 

• Absenteeism in the first month of school can predict poor attendance throughout the school year. Half the students who miss 2-4 days in September go on to miss nearly a month of school. Read more...
•  Over 7 million (1 in 7) U.S. students miss nearly a month of school each year. Read more...
•  Absenteeism and its ill effects start early. One in 10 kindergarten and first grade students are chronically absent. Read more... 
•  Poor attendance can influence whether children read proficiently by the end of third grade or be held back. Read more...
•  By 6th grade, chronic absence becomes a leading indicator that a student will drop out of high school. Read more...
•  Research shows that missing 10 percent of the school, or about 18 days in most school districts, negatively affects a student’s academic performance. That’s just two days a month and that’s known as chronic absence. Read more...
•  Students who live in communities with high levels of poverty are four times more likely to be chronically absent than others often for reasons beyond their control, such as unstable housing, unreliable transportation and a lack of access to health care. Read more...
•  When students improve their attendance rates, they improve their academic prospects and chances for graduating. Read more...
•  Attendance improves when schools engage students and parents in positive ways and when schools provide mentors for chronically absent students. Read more...
•  Most school districts and states don’t look at all the right data to improve school attendance. They track how many students show up every day and how many are skipping school without an excuse, but not how many are missing so many days in excused and unexcused absence that they are headed off track academically. Read more..

 ***That said, keep in mind we encourage keeping a child home from school if they are not feeling well or sick.  In addition, we understand that personal situations arise necessitating your child miss school.  

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to reach out to me at (973) 697-4777 ext. 5535.  

Brrrrr.....Cold Weather Reminder

Hi Cozy Families,
Looks like Mother Nature decided to skip Fall this year and bring us cold and crisp temperatures normally seen much later in the season.  As a result, please remember to dress your children appropriately for the weather before they leave for school in the morning.  Keep in mind the students will continue to go outside each day for fresh air and exercise as long as the temperature stays above 32 degrees.  It can get pretty chilly out there so please be sure to send them off with warm jackets, hats and even gloves as needed to ensure your kids stay "cozy" at recess!

As always, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to me at (973) 697-4777 ext. 5535.

Lice Information and Reminder

It is common for school nurses to find cases of head lice amongst the students this time of the year.  I have found a few cases here at Cozy and wanted to be sure to share important lice information with all of you. 

Head lice is nothing to be ashamed of.   Cleanliness and personal hygiene have NOT been linked to contracting head lice. If I find a case of head lice in your child's class, the students and I discuss lice and the things we can do to prevent the spread of lice.  I am, of course, sensitive to the students' feelings and treat each case confidentially.     The parents of students with lice are notified and provided with the necessary information to ensure successful treatment.    The students are treated appropriately by their parents and re-checked prior to returning to school.   

The following are important lice facts to keep in mind:

• Lice do NOT jump or fly.  They only crawl.
• Lice spread from DIRECT head to head contact and, therefore, schools are NOT the primary source of transmission.  Camps, daycare, sleepovers, playdates, etc. are the common source.
• Once on a head, lice prefer to stay on the head (close to its food source).  Spreading primarily occurs once a full infestation exists and the lice are looking for a new home. Therefore, catching and treating lice early is important.  Please check your children for lice regularly. 
• It takes weeks for lice infestation to occur, so students can be in school with lice for weeks undetected.  Therefore, please reinforce avoiding direct head to head contact with your children and encourage your child with long hair to keep hair tied up in a ponytail or braid. 

Please watch for the following symptoms in your child:

• Intense itching of the scalp.
• Regularly check the nape of the neck and behind the ears for lice eggs (called nits).  Nits are usually whitish ovals that glue themselves to the hair shafts and cannot be removed easily.
• Adult lice are tiny, grayish-brown, wingless insects and shy away from light.  They are harder to see than the nits. 
• If you find lice or any nits, it means your child has head lice. 
• If your child has head lice, please contact me immediately so other children in the class can be checked. If your child has lice, they will need to be treated before re-entering school. Each case will, of course, be treated confidentially.  

***For more lice information, please refer to the Lice Handbook on the Jefferson Township website (click link for District Offfices, then Health Services, then Forms & Documents)

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to reach out to me at (973) 697-4777 ext. 5535. 

Medication Request

If your child requires emergency medication to treat a chronic medical condition such as anaphylaxis, seizures, or severe asthma, please be sure that I have the appropriate documentation and medicine in the Cozy Lake Health Office.  It is imperative that I have the tools necessary to best manage your child's care in the event of an emergency.

Medication Forms can be found on the district webpage under District Offices/Health Services/Forms & Documents. 

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out to me at (973) 697-4777 ext. 5535.