November Update

 CHARDON HIGH SCHOOL

Included in this month’s update is the note headed home to parents to kick-off the cold and flu season from our school nurse, Jan Hoffman. Let’s fight the flu together!

​Your decision to get the flu shot or not goes well beyond you.  It also affects the many lives you touch…
Influenza is a contagious disease of the respiratory tract (nose, throat, and lungs) that can lead to serious complications, including pneumonia and the worsening of other chronic health conditions. Flu symptoms may include fever, headache, extreme tiredness, dry cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, and muscle aches.  The best way to protect your family from new influenza strains is to get vaccinated each year.

The five most virus-contaminated areas in the home are:
1.     Telephones (have you cleaned your cell phone lately)
2.     Appliances such as the refrigerator and microwave
3.     Faucets
4.     Light switch and door handles
5.     TV remotes

Follow good health guidelines: eat right, exercise, and get plenty of rest. Dress for the weather. Wear layers of loose-fitting clothing. Wear mittens or gloves and a hat. (Remember, the air that is trapped inside your clothing, warmed by your body heat, is the best protection from the cold) Wash hands frequently, do the elbow cough, and disinfect hot spots at school, work, and home. Treat the symptoms if you must, but avoid giving aspirin to children because it may cause a rare but serious illness called Reye syndrome


Strep Throat
Sore throats are one of the most common reasons people visit their doctors.  Most sore throats are caused by viruses and will clear up on their own after seven to ten days. However, some are caused by streptococcus bacteria causing strep throat.  If left untreated, strep throat may lead to heart or kidney damage.Symptoms of strep throat include fever, red, swollen tonsils, white patches in the throat, tender or swollen glands (lymph nodes) in the neck, and stomach pain. These infections are common in school-age children, especially during the school year.

The bacteria that cause strep throat (group A streptococcus) spread by person to person contact with nasal secretions or saliva Sneezing, coughing, and shaking hands can spread the infection easily
Call your doctor if your child has strep throat symptoms. Antibiotics are prescribed to treat strep throat. Make sure to finish taking the antibiotics even if you start feeling better!
The following remedies may ease a sore throat:

• Provide plenty of liquids. Warm soups and hot chocolate along with cold drinks and popsicles may soothe a sore throat. Avoid orange juice, grapefruit juice, lemonade, and acidic drinks.
• Gargle several times a day with warm salt water (1/2 teaspoon of salt in 1 cup water).
• Use a cool-mist vaporizer or humidifier to moisten and soothe a sore throat.
• Try over-the-counter pain medications, such as Motrin or Acetaminophen. Do NOT give aspirin to children.

You can help reduce the spread of strep throat and viruses.

• Teach your children to wash their hands often with soap and water.
• Keep sick children home for at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever without using fever reducing drugs.
• If your child is taking an antibiotic, they must be on it for 24 hours before returning to school.
• Teach your children not to share personal items like drinks, food, utensils, napkins, towels and to cover their cough and sneezes with their elbow when a tissue is not available.
• Discard your child’s toothbrush once the antibiotic treatment is started and replace it with a new one. Your nose is stuffy, your throat is scratchy, and your head is pounding. Is it a cold or the flu?

Chardon High School was proud to be invited to the VFW Veteran’s Recognition Ceremony on the Square.  Guest speaker Rocky Bleier, Purple Heart Recipient and former Pittsburgh Steeler, provided a motivational message for our student group.

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Photo Gallery

One of the goals that we continue to work on each year is communication.  Parents have commented that they appreciate the email blasts, but that they often delete them or cannot remember information from the email.  So, we have increased usage of our webpage.  I have included a link for you to view.  Note there are portals for students, parents, and staff.

Admin Page

Chardon High School is proud to host the official signing of Rachel Banks.  Rachel, senior, has officially committed to attend Pennsylvania State University next fall.  Rachel  will major in and run both cross country and track.

Chardon High School is proud to announce our National Merit Scholar Candidates for 2015-2016.  The National Merit Scholarship Program honors individual students who show exceptional academic ability and potential for success in rigorous college studies.  Approximately 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Although Melanie Gross will not continue in the 2016 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards, Commended students place among the top 5% of more than 1.5 Million juniors who entered the 2016 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2014 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which serves as the initial screening of program entrants.

Approximately 1.5 Million juniors entered the 2016 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2014 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, which serves as the initial screening of program entrants. The nationwide pool of Semifinalists, representing less than 1% of US High School seniors, includes the highest scoring entrants in each state.  This year, approximately 16,000 students were named as National Semifinalists. These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for National Merit Scholarships worth more than $32 million dollars.  Our finalist, Madison Brady will be notified in February whether she has been named as a National Merit Finalist.  Good luck, Madison!!