Category Archives: Nurse’s Notes

Emergency Lunches

We are out of Cup of Noodles in the  nurse’s office. I appreciate the many generous donations from you parents who have been so gracious contributing food items. If other parents are so inclined, the kids could use another case of Cup of Noodles from Costco (or wherever) to tide them over until next year. I have reminded the “frequent fliers” who tell me that they do not have time to make lunch in the mornings that their lunch can be made the night before. Next year it looks like we’re going to have Souper Steller every Friday, so everyone will have a nutritional meal that day.  Steller is excited about that!

Thank you for the Cup of Noodles, other food contributions and the many great things you do for this wonderful school. There have been many hungry Steller students who made it through the remainder of the school day  thanks to your generosity.  Have a great summer and be safe!

Motivational DNA Study Group

Parents and Students,

I am planning an educational study group for adolescent girls starting immediately after school April. 3rd. I prefer to just have girls so that there will be more participation and less socialization. This is a group strictly for fun. Consequently, I have chosen an interesting topic that everyone can benefit from.

The group will focus on motivational styles. We will identify our motivational style by taking a short quiz, and then we will discuss what we found out and how we can use this information to motivate us as well as others. We will also talk about goal planning and related topics.  The study group is based on a 2009 book entitled Get Motivated.  Learning what most motivates us can help to facilitate success in school, careers, relationships and other areas of life. The book says we are motivated by drives, needs and values. The information is informative and entertaining. It is fun to find out about ourselves and learn how we can use that information.

I will need a commitment from the group members to stay with the group until its completion (six weeks). It is disruptive to be present one week and not another.  So, if as a student or the parent of a student, you feel this group could be beneficial please complete the attached form and return ASAP. I must have parental consent for participation. We will start immediately after school on April 3rd.   The group will last about an hour and will meet every Tuesday for six weeks, ending May 8th.  If you need more information, a detailed explanation of the group was posted on Flash back in February and you can always call me at 742-4963.

Sincerely,

Anne McCarron, RN

Steller Secondary School Nurse

 

Click Here to Download the Informed Consent

Steller Sophomore Day

Friday April 13th

8:30-2:05 pm

BP Energy Center

Parents,

Each year Steller conducts an educational program for the sophomore class. The emphasis is on issues related to sexuality. This is a full day workshop that features guest speakers from the community.

The purpose of this event is to present students with current, accurate information. AIDS, HIV, STDs, internet safety, gender identity, drug and alcohol use and other related topics will be discussed. There will also be discussion of human anatomy and physiology, healthy relationships, responsible decision-making, etc.

All sophomores are encouraged to attend. The importance of reinforcing information related to these adolescent issues cannot be over emphasized.  Adolescents need to be provided with the facts to help them make the wisest decisions. This day will be an informative event where your adolescent will come away with increased knowledge of many difficult life issues.

The attached consent for the workshop, signed by you, must be in the nurse’s hands by Wednesday April 11th. * Students will be excused from their regular classes. They must attend the full day, however, to be excused by the school for this event.

Sophomore parent volunteers are needed to donate and deliver lunch to the BP Energy Center. In the past, pizza, salad, juice or water, paper plates and plastic utensils have been provided.    Approximately 10 pizzas will be needed for a total of 43 students. Set up is at 11:15 and lunch will be at 11:45.  Those parents interested in volunteering to bring food, plates, forks, etc., or those who have questions please contact Nurse Anne at 742-4963. (Thank you ahead of time for your generosity.)

An ASD bus will depart promptly at 8:40 and will return at 2:05 pm or shortly thereafter. All students are expected to ride the bus.

Sophomore students must attend Sophomore Day if they plan to participate in Steller Activity night that evening.

Click Here to Download Sophomore Day Consent Form

Free Vision Screening

Parents,

The Lions Club has agreed to come to Steller and perform a very sophisticated vision screening for students, faculty and any parent who is interested. ASD has purchased two of the machines that are to be used it is expected that this will become part of the routine ASD screening in the future. I have arranged for the Lions Club volunteers to show up Thursday, March 29th. They will be start screenings soon after 8:30. Please make certain your adolescent has his/her glasses on or contacts in that day. They will not be screened without them.

I would also like a few parent volunteers to go to the classrooms and bring students down to the MPR. I want this to go as rapidly as possible so that students are not out of class longer than necessary.

This screening checks for a multitude of visual problems. It is not quite as advanced as the screening an optometrist does, but very close. It does not screen for distance screening, therefore I will check for distance vision on those students I have not already screened. These are the potential visual problems that Plusoptix looks for:

Anisometropia – difference of the spherical equivalents of both eyes (unequal refractory power)

Astigmatism – blurred vision from irregular or toric curvature of the cornea or the lens

Hyperopia – farsightedness; greater difficulty seeing near objects than distant

Myopia – nearsightedness; greater difficulty seeing distant objects than near objects

Corneal reflexes – problems with asymmetry of the corneal reflexes of both eyes

Anisocoria –difference of the pupil diameters of both eyes

Since a similar screening is going to be routine with ASD and this is not an invasive procedure, no consent form required. A form will be sent home with the results. If a referral is necessary, the problem will be addressed on the form. You are highly encouraged to follow up with an optometrist or ophthalmologist.  Recently a student in ASD was found to have a detached retina. If it had not been caught, the child likely would have lost vision in that eye. Please call me at 742-4963 if you have any questions.

 

Thank you,

Anne

Steller School Nurse

Motivational DNA study Group

Parents and Students,

 

I am planning a psycho-educational study group for adolescent girls starting March 20th immediately after school. After talking with Steller students, I come to the conclusion that groups such as this have acquired the reputation of being for students who have “issues.” That is NOT the intent of this group at all. I want to dispel that belief. Consequently, I have chosen a fun topic that everyone can benefit from.
The group will focus on motivational styles – how they can be applied to us, and others. Next year we can consider tackling more serious topics (dating, drugs, etc.).  The proposed study group is based on a 2009 book entitled Get Motivated.  If you are interested in finding out more go to www.getmotivatedbook.com or purchase the book.  The initial activities will involve taking a short quiz designed to determine each participant’s motivational style.  The author has over 20 years of research and personal experience working with thousands of people across the globe. Her book and motivational test are the results of this experience. Learning what most motivates us can help to facilitate success in school, careers, relationships and other areas of life. The information is both interesting and entertaining. It is fun to find out about ourselves and learn how we can use that information.
In the group we will talk about different combinations of motivational styles, take the Motivational DNA test (drives, needs and values), share the information with others and talk about how we can use it. Through the seminars her company puts on, the author has gotten to know such renounced celebrities as Margaret Thatcher, Colin Powell, Ronald Reagan, Joe Montana, Mother Theresa, etc. She talks about their motivational styles, as well as what demotivates them.
I will need a commitment from the group members to stay with the group until its completion (six weeks). It is disruptive to be present one week and not another. I also would also like the participants to become familiar with a more confidential group mode. This is a benign topic, however, with the intent of eventually having more serious groups, I will emphasize group rules such as confidentiality, i.e., “What is here, stays here.” We will go over group rules every session until the groups is familiar with them.
If, as a student or the parent of a student, you feel this group could be beneficial, please complete the attached form and return ASAP. I must have parental consent for participation. The group will last from 45 minutes to an hour. We can start immediately after school on March 20th. The group will continue for a total of six weeks.  I am receptive to your thoughts or concerns. Please contact me at 742-4963.

 

Sincerely,
Anne McCarron, RN
Steller Secondary School Nurse

Blood Drive – Friday, Feb. 17th

Parents,

 

I am still trying to recruit donors for the blood drive.  I am hoping you will read this over the weekend and make arrangements to come to Steller during lunch or on the way home from work Friday, February 17th. This is a staff development day, so no students will be here except those who have generously agreed to donate blood. If one of those students is your adolescent, then please make certain they have provided me with a consent signed by you.  We need 18 donors to make the drive worth the Blood Bank’s time.
I am really proud of the students who have come forth and volunteered. Some have told me, “I have really looked forward to this.” That’s the Steller spirit!  It is heartening to see what a positive influence other students have been on those who were underage and could not donate in the past.  Again, the attached guideline says that a student must be at least 16 years old, have a signed parental consent on file with the nurse (if they are not 18 or older) and weight 113 pounds minimum.
Let’s give the Blood Bank at least the minimum number of donations so that they will know they can depend on Steller each and  every year.

 

Thanks for your help.
Anne McCarron, RN
Seller School Nurse

Blood Drive – February 17th

Parents and Students,

 

Steller is hosting a blood drive on February 17th from 12 pm until 5 pm in the gym. This is a no school day for students, however, students who don’t mind coming to school for a short while on that day can donate with parental consent (see attachment). Students must be at least 16 years old and weight a minimum of 113 pounds. Of course, 18 year olds do not need a parental consent. Parents, if you work close by, you could come by at lunchtime or leave work a little early.  All donors will be asked to fill out a questionnaire before the blood draw. The procedure itself should not take anymore than 15 to 20 minutes. You will be given a snack afterward and then can be on your way.
The Blood Bank needs at least 18 people to make the drive worth their time.  If you and/or your adolescent, spouse, friend, neighbor, etc., is interested, please call (742-4963) and let me know what time. We will try to schedule the times so that you will not have to wait and so that we can make the best use of the  blood bank staff’s time.  You can call me anytime during the school day or leave a message on my voicemail after hours. I will return your call. Mitchell will take your calls in the main office as well (742-4950).
Please spread the world. Since the parent-teacher conferences were changed to the end of the year, there just seemed to be too much going on to do it at that time. I did not want to disappoint the blood bank people and cancel the drive, so we will do our best to meet their quota on the 17th. Thank you for your help with this.

 

Sincerely,
Nurse Anne
Steller Secondary School Nurse