DEADLINE EXTENDED 

Turn in your tickets by Tuesday June 11th 

It is a Burr School tradition for the graduating 5th grade class to donate a gift to the school. 

This year, the graduating class of 2013 AND last year's class of 2012, are joining forces, and will donate a LARGE screen and projector for the cafetorium.

Please take a chance and support Burr School- CHECK your child's folder for tickets!

 Which raffle(s) do YOU like? $1 for 1 ticket, $5 for 5 tickets or $10 for 20 tickets

Raffle #1    

A Facial and an assortment of Organic Skincare Products

Donated by  Diane Welch Skin Care of Wellesley Hills 

(value $155) 

Raffle #2    

"The PERFECT family tablet"

Raffle #3    

Summer Water Safety! Surprising Misconceptions & Safety Tips

Did you know...

• Drowning can be SILENT and quick. Most children DO NOT thrash around and yell for help when they are drowning, they just quietly sink.

• About 88% of children who drown WERE under some form of supervision. Adults who were present at the time were often distracted (eating, on the phone, doing chores, reading, or chatting with others).

• 77 percent of the children who drowned had been seen 5 minutes or less before being missed and subsequently discovered in the water.

• Even with a lifeguard present, drownings can still occur. You must watch your child! Lifeguards are NOT the main person responsible for supervising children in the water. The typical lifeguard-to-swimmer ratio at public swimming areas may be high.

• Children can drown in as little as an inch or two of water. Be aware that shallow wading pools are an easily accessible hazard. Adults think the child is still inside the home, but has really gone outside and into the pool/water area. Empty wading pools immediately after use, store them upside down and out of children's reach. The same goes for tubs and large buckets. Cover and lock hot tubs/spas.

• There are different levels (Graded 1-3) of life vests! Level 1 floats the best. Look for US Coast Guard & UL approved vests specific to your child's weight and have a snug (not loose) fit. Make sure it keeps the child afloat & really works.

• Even life jackets DO NOT substitute the need for a competent adult actively supervising children. Children can still float face down and drown while wearing a life vests. Do not substitute air mattresses, or inflatable water wings & toys for approved life vests. For more life jacket info see Healthy Children.org http://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-play/Pages/Life-Jackets-and-Life-Preservers.aspx

• US Coast Guard Site http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/cg5214/pfdselection.asp#selection 

   

TIPS

• Enroll your children in approved swimming lessons. But, DO NOT consider children "drown-proof" because they have had years of swimming lessons, can swim well or are with a "buddy".

• NEVER leave a child unsupervised for even a moment that is in or near any water: pool or spa, tubs, lake or ocean.

• Never leave an older child in charge of a younger child.

• Fence in portable pools and encourage your neighbors to do the same. If you can't fence the pool, use smaller, easier to store portable pools. Then, empty the water ANY time you are not supervising the pool and turn it upside down or store it away.

• Children may leave the home with adults believing the child is still inside. Install door and window alarms/locks that will alert you when someone leaves the house and enters any area that has water. Close up pet doors.

• Don't let children who cannot swim use inflatable toys or air mattresses in water that is above their waist. Keep children at arms length.

Pool & Spa/Hot Tub Tips

 

• PUT A FENCE COMPLETELY AROUND ALL POOLS. If the house serves as the fourth side of a fence surrounding a pool, install an alarm on the exit door to the yard and pool. For additional protection, install window guards on windows facing the pool. Learn the importance of why four sided isolation fencing completely separating the pool from the house and yard is best, & fence types that are and are not recommended (children can climb some chain link fences with loop openings that exceed 1¼ inches). Make sure pool gates open out from the pool and self close and self latch at a height that children can't reach. Remember to lock gates immediately after use. Consider alarms on the gate to alert you when someone opens the gate and surface wave alarms. Check specific local regulations on fencing. Please see: Consumer Product Safety Commission www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/pool.pdf and the American Academy of Pediatrics http://www.healthychildren.org Swimming Pool Safety

• Protect your child from hazardous drain suction entrapment in pools, kiddie pools and spas/hot tubs. Familiarize yourself with The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act, use compliant Anti-Vortex Drain covers, know where the pump cut off switch is located, For more see http://www.poolsafely.gov/faqs/

If you and your family have ever wanted to know more about China, we have an extraordinary opportunity for you! The Newton Beijing Jingshan School Exchange Program is seeking families to host students and teachers during the fall semester of the 2013-2014 school year.  This is a great chance to learn about Chinese culture while sharing your own family's culture and traditions.   

Participants all speak English and are eager to learn about and take part in American family life.  Beijing Jingshan exchange students and teachers arrive mid-September and depart mid-January.  Students attend regular classes at the high schools. Teachers teach in our schools.

To explore this unique opportunity, please check out our website http://www3.newton.k12.ma.us/jingshanexchange/hosting or contact:  Michael_Kozuch@newton.k12.ma.us