December 20, 2024
That's a wrap for 2024! It has been a year of ups and downs, but every day spent with students is a day well spent.
Moretown Special Educator MJ Wright and her KIT group
lead a food drive the past few weeks. The Moose and Fisher KIT groups collected more than 7 bags of items to donate to local families in need. Thank you to all who contributed!
Our hallways have been full of excitement this week. Ms. Thompson's first and second graders have been practicing The Wizard of Oz by Frank Baum and performed it this morning for community members. They did a miraculous job reading their scripts and acting out their characters. Have no fear, Dorothy found her way back to Kansas.
Our fifth and sixth graders earned a Day of Reading and spent
Thursday snuggled in with a good book and some delectable treats (even Shelley the turtle participated). Our kindergarten students finishing reading Charlotte's Web by E.B. White and held a Charlotte's Web party on Thursday to celebrate. Our third and fourth grade students have been working on their reading by practicing and performing puppet shows. Our preschool students baked muffins and bread as gifts to the neighbors and jumped into a new year.
I'd like to send a special thank you to our Moretown Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) for all that they have done, and continue to do, for our school community. Thanks to all who donated for today's staff luncheon and to the PTO for arranging it. MES staff will finish out the year with some time spent together over a nice meal and before preparing for the return of our students in January.
I am sending you all best wishes for a joyous break filled with plenty of moments to connect with those you hold near and dear. I look forward to welcoming our students back in the new year on Thursday, January 2nd.
Best,
Ms. Kate
Health Class
There are just two health classes left for the school year. The week of January 6th will follow the usual schedule with 5/6 on health class on Monday and K-4 on Tuesday. The week of January 13th, 5/6 will have class on Monday and K on Tuesday as usual. Due to skiing on Tuesday, health class for grades 1-4 will be on Wednesday January 15th.
Beginning the week of January 20th, PE will be on Monday and Tuesday for all grades as health class has concluded.
Thoughts on Cold Weather from the MES Health Office
What bites but doesn’t have teeth? Frost 
As winter starts in earnest, I thought it might be helpful to provide some information about cold weather injuries, specifically frostbite and hypothermia, along with treatment if
these injuries occur as well as preventative measures. Through personal observation over the years I have noticed that many children claim they don’t feel cold and therefore don’t need to wear cold weather gear – physiologically this isn’t true.
Fact: Children lose heat faster than adults in cold weather. This is due to children having …
a larger surface area compared to body weight which leads to greater heat loss
less body fat, so less “insulation” to retain heat) and
their ability to regulate internal body temperature may not be fully developed so they are more vulnerable to temperature changes.
Did you know that frostbite can occur in as little as 30 
minutes? This can happen if your child’s skin is exposed to a temperature of 0? along with a 15 mph wind, which equates to the wind chill temperature of -19?.
Frostbite happens when the skin and outer tissues become frozen and tend to occur on the fingers, toes, ears and nose. The skin may become pale, gray and possibly blister and your child will complain that their skin burns or is numb. If this occurs, bring the child inside and place the frostbitten parts of the body in warm (not hot) water; around 104? (about the temperature of a hot tub). Warm washcloths may be applied to frostbitten nose, ears or lips. DO NOT rub the frozen areas. After a few minutes, dry the affected area and cover your child with clothing or a blanket and give them something warm to drink. If the numbness continues for more than a few minutes, call your pediatrician.
Hypothermia occurs when your child’s temperature falls below normal to extended exposure to the cold. The most often happens when a child is playing outdoors in extremely cold
temperatures without wearing proper clothing or in clothing that is wet. As hypothermia sets in, your child may start to shiver, become lethargic/clumsy and have slurred speech. If you suspect hypothermia, call 911. While you are waiting for emergency services, bring your child indoors, remove any wet clothing and wrap them in dry blankets or clothing.
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Many students dislike bulky or restrictive clothing – dressing in multiple layers of lighter/stretchy fabric can typically resolve this complaint. However, hats, gloves and in some cases neck gaiters are very important in helping eliminate cold related injuries. When it comes to cold-weather clothing, trust your instincts so your children are warm and toasty while enjoying Vermont’s outdoor playground. One final note – Last winter it was so cold that I had to cut my piano up for firewood. Sadly I was only able to get two chords…
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