A note from head of nursing Linda Corridan reads in part:

“To date we are not seeing evidence of the norovirus in the schools. Yes, we have children absent with vomiting and or diarrhea symptoms but not to the extent of the severe symptoms associated with the norovirus. The absentee numbers in the schools for children as well as the adults remain normal for this time of year. That said, with this type of virus, the status within any school could change quickly. The school nurses continue to monitor absentee numbers, clusters of students absent and the types of illnesses seen in the schools.”

Corridan recommends reading this fact sheet on noroviruses from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

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“To be clear, the article will NOT impact the rights of any homeowner to use any power equipment on their own property at any time.  The goal is to limit the commercial use (meaning operated by commercial landscapers) of leaf blowers which have such significant health impacts both through noise and the harmful emissions and particulate matter they spew.  You may be aware that several hundred cities and towns throughout the U.S. have already banned gas powered leaf blowers for health reasons.  The whole state of Hawaii and nation of Israel have bans.  Locally, we can look to Newton, Cambridge, and Brookline.  Each of these communities has taken a different approach to limiting leaf blowers.  I think it is also significant that the State of Massachusetts has a law that limits noise, for health reasons, at considerably lower decibels than leaf blowers create.  Unfortunately for neighborhoods and for the operators of the blowers themselves,  landscaping equipment is exempted.  There exist many studies on the harmful impacts of noise, toxic emissions, allergens, and more from gas powered leaf blowers.”

Items on the town warrant will be addressed at Town Meeting, which starts March 26.

This isn’t the first time a Wellesley resident has stepped forward to do something about leaf blower use in town. Back in 2009, a bylaw went into affect to address when commercial outfits could employ noisy equipment in town.

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The unfortunate fact is, most people will wait until a throwing arm injury occurs before they will educate themselves as to how it could have been prevented. Acknowledging that throwing arm injuries are one of the most common injuries sustained in baseball, Wellesley Little League is giving parents, players and coaches a chance to educate themselves, in advance, on how to properly prepare players for the baseball season. 

On Jan. 18, WLL will hold an Arm Care Seminar designed to educate their members on 3 aspects of proper arm health. The seminar will involve understanding the structure of the arm and how it relates to throwing a baseball, appropriate strengthening and conditioning as well as proper throwing mechanics. 

There will be 3 speakers each addressing a different component of the process.  

Dr Donald Bae: Highly respected orthopedic surgeon affiliated with Children’s Hospital in Boston. Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School. Subject covered: Structure of the arm , what the effects of throwing are and what happens when the arm is injured. 

Carl Gustafson PT, LATC, CSCS: Owner of Sports and Physical Therapy in Wellesley.

Subject covered: Injury prevention through strength and agility training. 

John Miller: Co-owner of Winning Pitchers Baseball Academy. Former collegiate pitcher and currently a pitching coach. Subject covered: Through proper throwing/pitching mechanics, how to avoid injuries. “John Miller is one of the most knowledgeable pitching instructors in the United States” Ryan Tatusko, Washington Nationals MLB 

The seminar will be held at the Wellesley Community Center, 219 Washington St. at 7pm on January 18^th. If you have questions or would like to attend, please RSVP to Patrick Doyle, Safety Officer WLL at patrick.doyle@raveis.com

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Concerned Parents of Wellesley has passed along a note from Schofield’s PTO that details changes made to the school’s ventilation system. It reads in part:

“I am pleased to report Joe McDonough [director of facilities for Wellesley Public Schools] has worked magic and has brought in HVAC technicians who have completely reworked, readjusted, cleaned, installed filters, replaced parts and reassembled the univents in our classrooms.  This was done throughout the 1993 wing, as well as the rest of the school.  Why is this a big deal?  Because mold, lethargy, headaches and increased exposure to airborne germs and illness are all symptoms of poor ventilation due to a poorly or non- operating ventilation system.  FINALLY, after a decade of documented, subpar environmental health and air quality conditions at Schofield, the moisture and ventilation issues are actually being fixed!  YAY!”

The state’s department health will be reviewing the changes and issuing a final report. A public session will be held regarding the issues, probably in January.

BACKGROUND: Indoor air quality study for Schofield Elementary School released this month

Schofield PTO

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We are writing to inform you about cases of pneumonia in the Wellesley Public School community. As of last week, there were cases isolated in the first grade at the Schofield School. A letter was sent to the parents at Schofield with information regarding pneumonia, and the steps taken at school to minimize further exposure. Simultaneously, the school nurses throughout the District were informed and careful surveillance in each school was initiated. Hand washing and cough etiquette has been reviewed and reinforced in the classrooms.

Today, we have isolated cases at other elementary schools; hence, this letter to the entire school community, so everyone is working with the same information.

The type of pneumonia being diagnosed is mycoplasma pneumonia, also known as “walking pneumonia”. The symptoms are typically fever, cough and fatigue, but can also include some wheezing and shortness of breath, especially in children with asthma. These symptoms are also similar to flu or cold-like illnesses. If your child is exhibiting these symptoms, we advise you to keep your child home from school and contact your pediatrician for evaluation and indicate that there have been other cases of pneumonia within the district. You can find more information about mycoplasma pneumonia at the CDC website.

Please remember that with any illness, your child can return to school only after he/she is fever free without medication for twenty-four hours; has been on antibiotic therapy (if indicated) for twenty-four hours, and is feeling well, eating, drinking and back to his/her regular routine. It is very important that you keep the nurse at your child’s school informed of any contagious illness, so they can track and trend within the school and take appropriate measures as needed.

Hand washing and cough etiquette have been reviewed in the elementary school classrooms. The custodial staff is routinely cleaning frequently touched surfaces. Elementary school seating arrangements are being assessed and may be adjusted to increase distance between students. Hand washing and cough etiquette are the best line of defense in preventing illness. It would be helpful to review good hand washing hygiene and cough etiquette with all family members. Please do not hesitate to contact the nurse at your child’s school or the Wellesley Health Department if you have any questions or concerns specific to your child.

The Wellesley Health Department has been consulted throughout the week and has been kept apprised of the situation at each school involved. The School Department will continue to monitor the incidence of pneumonia in each school and work with the Wellesley Health Department for direction. Thank you for your support as we work together for a healthier school community.

Sincerely,
Bella Wong Superintendent Wellesley Public Schools
Lenny Izzo Director Wellesley Health Department

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More than 2,000 Wellesley middle school and high school students took the MetroWest Adolescent Health Survey last fall and the results were presented last month at a School Committee meeting.  Substance abuse, sexual activity, bullying and violence, and mental health were among the topics addressed.

The summary is that Wellesley is making progress on the middle school front in areas such as cigarette smoking and alcohol use, but has work to do in areas such as pot smoking and bullying, including cyberbullying. Positive trends in cigarette smoking and physical activity showed up in the high school survey, while concerns remain about alcohol and marijuana use as well as bullying.

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“The second-hardest phase—after the initial diagnosis—is the minute your treatment ends,” says Carie Capossela, 43 years old, who marked 10 years as a breast-cancer survivor in June. “The reality sets in that you have to live with this the rest of your life and the safety net is gone. That’s when you really freak out.”

Capossela and her husband Rob Adler were instrumental in establishing a Dana-Farber program to help young women diagnosed with breast cancer.

RELATED: Program for Young Women with Breast Cancer

Susan G. Komen for the Cure

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