Stomach viruses and nits the first week?

Posted Aug 29, 2011 by Sherri Ackerman

Updated Aug 30, 2011 at 09:30 AM

Four days into the first week of school and I got the call.

My son had a stomach virus and needed to go home.

The next day, I found out my daughter had nits.

“Welcome to public school,’’ I was told.

I knew this would happen sooner or later. I just expected it would be later.

And not both kids in the same week.

“What an initiation,’’ one of my Facebook friends wrote on my wall.

Luckily, I could work from home one day and my husband could stay home the next.

With one kid with diarrhea and a districtwide “No Nit’’ policy, what choice did we have?

The stomach bug cleared up in a day.

The nits, well, that took a few more.

Our weekend was spent first trying to find the nits then hunting down remedies, some suggested by our daughter’s doctor’s office and others from friends who have been-there-done-that.

We washed and washed our hair using an over-the-counter shampoo that supposedly nixes the nits, but, unfortunately, it didn’tt remove them.

We combed and combed before turning to some safe, nontoxic remedies, including a soak in Listerine followed by a white vinegar rinse to loosen the nits, then another scrubbing with Denorex, which, we were told, kills lice.

We finished off by slathering on Suave coconut conditioner then a spritz of J. Crew styling lotion - some folks swear that lice don’t like these particular hair products and using them makes it harder for the nits to stick on the hair shaft.

Whatever works!

Next, we searched for the tiny lice eggs using a magnifying glass then invited over a former summer camp counselor for another thorough inspection.

We only found a few that we think were nits, but one is all it takes.

It was back to the drawing board, but I’m happy to report no nits or any hair debris whatsoever. Today.

I’m not sure which product did the trick, or if it was the obsessive combing and picking, or if we really had nits at all.

But you can bet we’ll be checking our heads again and again and doing everything we can to make sure the itchy critters and their microscopic eggs don’t land in our hair.

And I hope other parents do the same.

Please don’t ignore this problem.

It does not go away on its own. Your child can only miss a few days due to lice, according to the Hillsborough school district’s student handbook.

Take care of it now and welcome to public school.

Know of any remedies that worked for your family? Vaseline? Mayonnaise? Let me know here or email me at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

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Going to a D school? Here’s how you, the parent, can help

Posted Aug 19, 2011 by Sherri Ackerman

Updated Aug 19, 2011 at 04:53 PM

I spoke recently with Hillsborough County principals at schools graded a D by the state, based on scores on the FCATs.

And one concern kept coming up.

Parents at many of these lower-performing schools aren’t very involved in their children’s education.

All of these schools are in neighborhoods so poor, almost every student qualifies for free or reduced lunches.

Some families only have one parent or a grandparent. In others, mom and dad work at least one job, sometimes two.

There’s not a lot of time for teacher conferences or transportation to get there.

But parents can make such a difference at school, says Sligh Middle School Principal Barbara Fillhart.

“Talk and work with your child for 20 to 30 minutes every night,’’ says the mom of a first-grader, who reads with him every day.

Parents need to put a value on education so their children will value it, too, she says.

Make sure their child attends school every day - and on time.

Potter Elementary Principal Kim Thompson knows some parents are fearful of the school district.

They may not have had the best experience when they were in school, she says. Some may have even dropped out.

“We understand the difficulties,’’ she says.

But parents have to be willing to overcome their obstacles so that their children can do better.

Come in and talk to her and the teachers, learn about their programs and ask questions like why your school is a D and what you can do to help raise the grade.

Oak Park Principal Joyce Miles says parents don’t have to be at the school to show children that education is a priority.

It starts in the home.

Turn off the TV. Make sure children have a quiet place where they can study.

Some parents simply aren’t willing to live up to their commitment.

Lockhart Elementary Principal Larry Sykes has a message for them:

You don’t have to be really smart or have a lot of money or fancy equipment to help your kids learn.

Go to the local library. Make the time.

“Invest in your child,’’ he says.

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Back-to-school shopping deals are out there

Posted Jul 18, 2011 by Sherri Ackerman

Updated Jul 18, 2011 at 01:19 PM

Hillsborough County public schools don’t start for another month, but already I’m hearing from friends, coworkers and family about back-to-school sales.

At Publix, school supplies are on sale with two- and three-for-one deals on crayons, glue sticks, pencils and notebooks.

Check out OfficeMax, where composition books are going for 75 cents each and five-subject notebooks are only $1.

Office Depot has a 24-pack of Crayola crayons for just 25 cents, 10 notebooks for $1 and buy-one-get-one free Sharpie markers.

It’s also a good time to stock up on school uniforms, but be sure to check in with your school first.

One of my friends has learned that Young Middle Magnet, now a creative science center as the district prepares to open up two new single-gendered middle schools, will no longer require uniforms.

Target has rolled out an assortment of solid-colored polo shirts for girls and boys, around $7 each, and pants and shorts, some as low as $4 a pair.

Walmart and Bealls also feature uniform-worthy clothing with great shipping options for online orders.

There is also a bevy of back-to-school events set for the end of this month through the start of school.

The All About Kids Back to School Bash is 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 30 and noon to 4 p.m. July 31 and the Tampa Convention Center.

Parents and kids can sample some of the district’s new lunch items as well as enjoy interactive exhibits and other entertainment.

Don’t forget to sign up for the prize giveaway – a family weekend at the Tradewinds.

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Florida Holocaust Museum honors students with humanitarian award

Posted Jul 18, 2011 by Sherri Ackerman

Updated Jul 18, 2011 at 11:33 AM

The Florida Holocaust Museum honored 89 high school juniors last month with the 2011 Anne Frank Humanitarian Award.

In Hillsborough, 33 students received recognition for making a conscious decision to improve the lives of others.

Each will receive a personalized glass plaque symbolizing Kristallnacht – the Night of Broken Glass when Jewish men and women were killed and their homes ransacked in Nazi Germany and parts of Austria. Students also will receive an award certificate and a year family membership to the museum.

Schools submit the confidential nominations that are reviewed by an award committee.

The Hillsborough winners are:
Katelyn Smith – Academy of the Holy Names
Ayushe Misra – Alonso High School
Jordan Cosentino – Armwood High School
Katherine Ross – Berkeley Preparatory School
Veronica Kellum – Blake High School
Robert Rivers – Bloomingdale High School
Marlee Taylor – Brandon High School
Sarah Grove – Cambridge Christian School
Lindsey Corcho – Chamberlain High School
Erin Parke – Durant High School
Amy Kopstad – East Bay High School
Kurt Schaller – Freedom High School
Alexandra Maltezos – Gaither High School
Julie Coutu – Hillsborough High School
Rachel Christy – Jefferson High School
Hunter Pratt – Jesuit High School
Betsey Giammattei – King High School
Mayra Espindola-Maya – Lennard High School
Jocelyn Macho – Leto High School
Kily Fontaine-Ellis – Middleton High School
Kathryn Wallace – Newsome High School
Justin Keel – Plant City High School
Davee Thompson – Plant High School
Jafet Reyes – Riverview High School
Andrew Granholm – Robinson High School
Natalie Scott – Sickles High School
DanQing Huang – Spoto High School
Cary Anne Bame – Steinbrenner High School
Emily Almand – Strawberry Crest High School
Roshni Patel – Tampa Bay Technical High School
Danielle Natale – Tampa Catholic High School
Bailey Carraway – Tampa Preparatory School
Jamila Blake – Wharton High School

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Rebekah Heppner to serve as interim leader of Hillsborough Education Foundation

Posted Jul 15, 2011 by Sherri Ackerman

Updated Jul 15, 2011 at 03:48 PM

Rebekah Heppner, a consultant for not-for-profit organizations, will serve as the interim president of the Hillsborough Education Foundation.

Heppner takes over for Bill Hoffman, a leader who was passionate about education.

Hoffman resigned abruptly last week after nearly nine years with the foundation.

Heppner will oversee operations while a national search is underway for a new president.

It’s a familiar role for the former vice president of the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay who has served as the interim director at two other local not-for-profit organizations.

Heppner has a doctorate in applied anthropology from the University of South Florida and served as an adjunct faculty member in the nonprofit management graduate program and in the MBA program at Schiller International University.

The Hillsborough Education Foundation provides millions of dollars in scholarships through its business partnerships. The agency also helps raise money for extra resources for teachers and schools.

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