Fairfax County Public Schools

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Spring 2024

 

FCPS Wellness Newsletter Immunization Update Plan: Is Your Child Up to Date?

On-time vaccination throughout childhood is essential because it helps provide immunity before children are exposed to potentially life-threatening diseases. FCPS will be implementing an updated Immunization Notice Process to increase immunization compliance across the school district, effective Monday, March 11. A student whose immunizations do not meet the school immunization requirements may be excluded from school for the protection of the student in the event of a public health emergency or a vaccine-preventable outbreak. 

Students who are not up-to-date on their school required immunizations will receive a Notice of Conditional Enrollment, which will provide the list of noncompliant immunizations as well as the reason for noncompliance. A 90-day conditional enrollment period will be allowed to obtain the required immunizations. Upon the expiration of the conditional enrollment period, students will then receive a Past Due Immunization Notice. The Past Due Immunization Notice includes language stating ‘Per the Code of Virginia, your student may not be allowed to attend school until the necessary immunization documentation is received.’

Student Information Assistants (SIAs) and registrars in FCPS schools will begin using the updated immunization notices effective on March 11.

Measles is Serious — And Preventable

Measles is making headlines as the number of measles cases nationwide has topped 40, with three confirmed measles cases in people living in or traveling through the National Capital Region. Measles outbreaks are occurring in every region of the world with health officials in many countries reporting large outbreaks.

Here is some helpful information on measles from the Fairfax County Health Department:

Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus. In fact, it is so contagious that if one person has it, up to 90% of the people close to that person who are not immune will also become infected.

Measles spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Other people then become infected when they breathe contaminated air or touch an infected surface and then touch their eyes, nose, or mouth. The measles virus can live for up to two hours in an airspace after an infected person leaves the area.

Measles symptoms typically begin (7-14 days after contact with the virus) with a high fever, cough, runny nose, and watery eyes followed by a rash. Measles can be serious in all age groups. However, some groups are more likely to suffer from complications:

• Children younger than five years of age
• Adults older than 20 years of age
• Pregnant people
• People with compromised immune systems, such as from leukemia or HIV infection

Serious complications include pneumonia (infection of the lungs) and encephalitis (infection of the brain). Measles infection can also be fatal.

The good news is that measles is preventable! Vaccines help teach the immune system how to defend against germs, helping to build up natural defenses. Give your child the best protection against measles with two doses of the Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) vaccine. All students enrolling in public and private schools in Virginia are required to be adequately immunized per the Code of Virginia.

With Spring Break ahead, it is advisable to check vaccination records prior to international travel and travel to identified U.S. hot spots.

To find out more about measles, please visit the FCHD website.

Immunization Clinics Offer Extended Hours

Protecting infants and children with vaccinations early in life — when they are most vulnerable and before they are exposed to potentially life-threatening diseases — is an important tool. To help parents/guardians obtain vaccinations, the Fairfax County Health Department (FCHD) will offer immunization clinics with extended hours on Thursday, March 21, and Friday, March 22. Parents/guardians should make an appointment but a limited number of walk-ins will be accepted. To schedule, please call 703-246-7100.

Thursday, March 21, Joseph Willard Health Center

• Clinic hours: 4:30-7:30 p.m.
• Walk-ins accepted until 7 p.m.

Friday, March 22, Annandale District Office

• Clinic hours: 1-5:30 p.m.
• Walk-ins accepted until 5 p.m.

For more information about vaccinating your child, please visit the CDC website for parents/guardians. For additional resources to obtain health services for students and families in  FCPS, please visit Community Resources.

FCPS Wellness Reporting Begins

Beginning Monday, April 8, FCPS will implement annual wellness reporting, as required by FCPS Regulation 2100. Previous wellness reporting results for each school are available to the public and may be accessed on the FCPS Wellness Reporting Webpage.

On April 8, school principals will be asked to complete their wellness reporting for SY 23-24. The survey reporting window will open on April 8 and close April 19, 2024.

Each school has identified a Wellness Committee, including a staff wellness liaison and two additional wellness team members. Wellness committee members may be asked by administrators to support wellness reporting in their school communities. Thank you, in advance, for your support of FCPS wellness reporting.

Girls on the Run (GOTR)

Oakton Elementary School - Fall 2023 season. The team completed their Community Impact Project (a school staff appreciation event with baked goods, cards, and posters).

Girls on the Run of Northern Virginia (GOTR NOVA) uses running and other physical activities as a platform for teaching life skills and promoting positive social, emotional, and holistic health outcomes for third through eighth grade girls. Through the program, girls learn critical life skills and behaviors such as how to manage emotions, help others, make intentional decisions, and resolve conflict that they can use at home, at school, and with friends, long after the program’s conclusion. Girls on the Run also inspires girls to build lives of purpose and to make a meaningful contribution to society. This message comes to life through a key element of the curricula when each team creates and executes a community service project. The season concludes with a celebratory 5K event. Completing the 5K gives participants a tangible sense of achievement as well as a framework for setting and achieving life goals.

Start a Team

Join us and start a team at your school! Starting a team is easy when you follow the Start a Team Checklist provided on GOTR NOVA’s website.

•     Designate a Site Liaison to serve as the team contact.
•     Complete the New Site RSVP — Available in November and May.
•     Identify a practice space and schedule.
•     Gain support from local administrators.

Volunteer Opportunities

•     Junior Coach (16-18 year olds)
•     Coach
•     Substitute Coach
•     Team Adelaide
•     5K Volunteer

5K Events

GOTR NOVA hosts four 5K events a year with two following the conclusion of both the spring and fall seasons. While the 5K events are a celebration of the program participants completing the season, it is also a chance for the community to get involved! 5K registration is open to the public and everyone is invited to participate. Learn more at www.gotrnova.org/5K.

GOTR for Grown Ups

In addition to reaching thousands of girls each year with the program, GOTR NOVA offers a unique opportunity for older youth and adult leaders in our community to grow their professional and personal skills through an adaptation of our programming known as GOTR for Grown-Ups. Styled similarly to a Girls on the Run lesson (but with no running required), these workshops develop a wide range of hard and soft skills for participants and provide tangible examples that attendees can take and implement in their everyday lives. GOTR for Grown-Ups can be delivered to any group — leadership conferences, workplace groups, civic organizations, and more. While our programming for elementary and middle school youth focuses on girls and girlhood, GOTR for Grown-Ups workshops are meant for all genders and ages. 

Fuel Your Bodies, Fuel Your Minds: Celebrating National Nutrition Month

March is National Nutrition Month®, a time to celebrate smart food choices and healthy habits. This year's theme, "Beyond the Table," highlights the entire journey of our food — from where it's grown to how we enjoy it. It's a perfect opportunity for parents/guardians and students to team up and learn how to make nutrition fun!

Why Does Nutrition Matter?

Think of food as your body's fuel and your brain's building blocks. Good nutrition gives you:

• Energy: To power through school days, sports practice, and playtime.
• Strong Bodies: Nutrients build strong bones and muscles, helping kids grow and adults stay healthy.
• Sharp Minds: Eating well helps with focus, memory, and all-around good thinking.
• Boosted Immunity: A healthy diet helps fight off illnesses and keeps you feeling your best.

Beyond the Table: Making Nutrition a Family Affair

1. Explore the Food Journey: Visit a farmers' market or watch videos about how food gets from farms to your kitchen. This encourages understanding and appreciation!
2. Cook Together: Get kids involved in meal prep. It's a fun way to learn and build healthy habits.
3. Try New Things: Introduce a new fruit, vegetable, or whole grain each week. Make it a fun challenge!
4. Read Labels: Teach kids about food labels and how to make informed choices.
5. Pack Smart Lunches: Ditch the processed snacks and focus on whole foods for sustained energy.

National Nutrition Month Resources

• Eatright.org: The official National Nutrition Month website offers tons of recipes, tips, and activities for families. Make sure you check out the Resources tab.
• ChooseMyPlate.gov: Great resource from the USDA for understanding food groups and portion sizes.
• Local Resources: Check out the Fairfax Food Council. () It has the most up-to-date information on local resources available. There is a link for available farmer’s markets including information on using SNAP benefits for local farmers markets.

Small Changes, Big Impact

Building healthy eating habits doesn't happen overnight, but small changes can make a big difference. This National Nutrition Month®, let's go on a food adventure together — your body and mind will thank you!

Every Kid Healthy Week — April 22-26

Every Kid Healthy Week is an annual observance that aims to spread awareness regarding the health of children through nutrition, mental health, physical activity, and learning. Children who are healthy and active from a young age, grow up into healthy adults. Healthy kids are able to learn better and be more successful.

Daily health focus this year are highlighted below:

Whether at school or at home, events and activities should promote and reinforce healthy habits, good nutrition, emotional health, and physical activity. For fun ideas and resources, please visit Action for Healthy Kids.

May 13-19, 2024, is Food Allergy Awareness Week

More than 33 million Americans live with food allergies, and nearly 6 million of those are under the age of 18. That’s 1 in every 13 children.  

A food allergy is an abnormal response by the immune system to a food protein. A food allergy is serious and can be life-threatening. The only way to prevent a food allergy is to avoid the food.

Ninety percent of all reactions are caused by the following foods: Peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, wheat, fish, shellfish, sesame, and soy. Symptoms of an allergic reaction can include hives, swelling, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, shortness of breath, difficulty swallowing, coughing, and loss of consciousness. Symptoms can be severe and lead to an anaphylactic reaction which can be life-threatening if left untreated.

The following links provide tips and resources for managing food allergies and preventing life threatening emergencies:

• FARE- Food Allergy Research & Education (check back late March for updates) 
• Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
• Allergic Living
• AAAAI- Just for Kids                                          

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month: Teen Driver Safety

Safe driving is important all year. Spring brings two opportunities to highlight and remember the value of practicing safe driving, especially for teens and new drivers. April is recognized as Distracted Driving Awareness Month, encouraging everyone to educate themselves on the importance of responsible driving and the serious consequences of driving while distracted. In Virginia, it is illegal to use a cell phone while driving; and for teens this also includes hands-free cell phone use. A cell phone or other telecommunication device can only be used for teen driver emergency purposes and when lawfully parked or stopped. Take the pledge with friends to avoid distracted driving. Additionally, May is Global Youth Traffic Safety Month, and aims to raise awareness to reduce distractions while driving and promote safe driving practices.

Parents and caregivers play a crucial role in influencing a teen's driving behavior. We encourage you to watch the video Parents: You are the key, which highlights your impact on your child's driving habits. There are various strategies you can implement to help your teen drive safely, such as modeling safe driving behaviors, keeping phones out of reach while driving, maintaining focus on the road, ensuring seatbelt usage for all passengers, obeying speed limits, watching for pedestrians, and maintaining a safe distance from other vehicles.  Share the dangers and consequences of driving after using alcohol and other drugs and insist your teen does not ride with someone who has been using.

To assist in promoting safe driving habits, we recommend the use of safe driving apps which offer features such as crash detection, driver monitoring, and rewards for responsible driving practices.

Virginia Passenger and Curfew Restrictions for Teens

Also remember Virginia has passenger and curfew restrictions for teen drivers to help keep them safe. Drivers under the age of 18 may only have one non-family member passenger under age 21 unless a licensed parent (or other adult acting in place of the parent) is in the front passenger seat. 

After a driver under age 18 has held their license for one year, they may have up to three passengers under age 21 in certain situations:

• Traveling to and from a school-sponsored activity.
• A licensed driver aged 21 or older is in the front passenger seat.
• In the event of an emergency.

Teens under age 18 cannot drive between the hours of midnight to 4 a.m. There are some exceptions:

• Driving to or from work.
• Driving to or from an activity sponsored by a school, or by a civic, religious, or public organization and supervised by an adult.
• A licensed spouse aged 18 or older or parent or other adult in place of a parent is in the front passenger seat.
• In case of an emergency including responding as a volunteer firefighter or rescue squad personnel.

Let's work together to prioritize and instill good driving habits in our community!