Month: December 2013

Categories
Family and Community

Company’s Coming

By Patti Brooks
Lower School Coordinator, Lakehill Preparatory School

When you hear the words, “Company`s Coming,” what do you think?  “Oh, goody” or “Oh, dear?”

Well, I guess it depends on where you are.  If you are at home, you probably have a big list of things to do, like: 1. Buy more food–start cooking  2. change the sheets   3. decorate your house or maybe spiffy things up a little?
At Lakehill, we have been inviting “Company” to come to our Admission Previews this Fall to find out more about our wonderful school and look around. Our last Preview was on December 10, and I was so happy to hear the good questions our visitors asked and to see the smiles on their faces during their visit.
Our previews begin with a group meeting in the library where everyone is welcomed by our Headmaster, Roger Perry.  Roger has been at Lakehill since 1975 and his two sons were “lifers” here.  Lara Gajkowski, our Assistant Head of School, does a wonderful job of explaining the curriculum, extra-curricular activites, community service opportunities, and our college preparation process that we are so proud of at Lakehill.
Our Director of Admission, Holly Walker, always does a great job of planning the previews from start to finish. I am so proud of our Student Ambassadors who lead our guests on a tour of the campus and answer many questions about their experiences throughout their years at Lakehill. Candid answers and an open, welcoming atmosphere always produce smiles and nods from the parent visitors.
 We are all so proud of our students and our school that it is rewarding to show it off to others. Now we can prepare to welcome student visitors, and ultimately, the many new students who will add so much to our wonderful Lakehill family.
So…”Company’s Coming” at our school is an “Oh goody” time at Lakehill.
Categories
Service Learning

Seasonal Magic

By Kaye Hauschild
Middle School Coordinator, Lakehill Preparatory School

December has different faces for different people, but for me it is the pinnacle of a year of giving. It is the time when almost everyone you meet is open to giving to the bell ringer or the angel hanging from a tree or the canned food collector. Seasonal magic casts its spell over a wide array of generous people.

Of course, I am a very lucky person because I get to observe the giving magic throughout the year. Consider our Middle School students and their generosity throughout this first semester of the year. Our sixth grade has taken responsibility for delivering Meals on Wheels to about seventeen elderly or infirm residents of a nearby apartment building. It requires working ahead or making up time missed from class, but every student group returned from their deliveries excited about the opportunity to help these “nice people” and ready to go to again.

Our seventh grade stepped up as volunteers on Veteran’s Day for the residents of C.C. Young. Our Boy Scouts raised the flag and our Girl Scouts led the pledge, while everyone else helped to move the residents in wheelchairs from their home floor to the flag pole. More importantly, all of our students took time to listen when the seniors shared their memories and thoughts. It was a powerful experience for everyone.

Our Community Connections group has assisted at an area carnival, kept books ready for our Little Free Libraries, made dog toys for an animal shelter, and assisted with school wide drives like the UNICEF collection.

The seventh and eighth grade came together to create an event that was fun and a fundraiser. Their powder puff football game had all of the elements of a big rivalry plus money making concessions. In the end, their teamwork raised $750 for the Genesis Women’s Shelter. What an accomplishment!

Sometimes we wonder what we can accomplish as an entire group. Our Student Council led the entire Middle School to complete two service opportunities in one twenty-minute time period. Student Council wanted to do a project that would benefit the homeless or members of the military during the holiday season. After some research, they voted to do something for each group; they would make trail mix bags for the Soupmobile to deliver to the homeless and create handmade holiday cards to be dispersed to service men and women by the American Red Cross. In 20 minutes, Middle School students mixed and bagged approximately 175 bags of trail mix and created 200 holiday cards.

It makes me happy to know that the giving magic is with our students throughout the year.

 

Categories
Heath and Wellness

Coughs and Colds: It’s A Virus

By Kelly Johnson, MD, the founder and owner of Pediatric House Calls.

Coughs and colds: It’s a virus

When are antibiotics needed?   Almost Never!

Coughs and colds during the winter season are very common and spread easily from person to person.  Doctors call these upper respiratory infections and they are caused by viruses. They are spread from the fine mist of water droplets expelled when we cough or sneeze. They usually last about a week and then are gone. All you and your children need are fluids, rest, and fever medications.  Antibiotics will not treat viral infections and are never used for this purpose.  As usual, there are some exceptions and you may need to take your child to the doctor:

1)  If your child’s symptoms worsen after 4-5 days. 2)  Persistent fever over 100.4 for 5 days or more. 3) Develops a new fever with worsening cough after 3-4 days of symptoms. 4) Your child has asthma or wheezing.  5) Develops ear pain. 6) Your child is under 12 months of age and exposed to RSV.  7) Any age child that you suspect has the flu.

RSV is a respiratory virus that causes severe cough and cold symptoms with increased mucus production. It can cause children under two and children with asthma to have difficulty breathing and is a very serious illness. If your child develops severe cough and cold symptoms and is breathing fast or panting, they need to see a doctor immediately.

Flu is also an upper respiratory virus and can present with similar symptoms as RSV except there is usually a higher fever, body aches, sore throat and less mucus production. Getting a flu vaccine can prevent this illness in many cases.  Neither RSV nor flu can be treated with antibiotics.

As usual, good hand washing and covering your cough will help prevent the spread of all respiratory viruses. Please do not send your child to school until they are fever free for 24 hours to prevent the spread to other children.

If you have further questions, need an appointment or want to read previous newsletters, go to my website at www.pedihousecalls.com or 214-558-0037.