Are you prepared for an emergency?

I have a medically fragile student this year-- a great kid who tries so hard to overcome insurmountable odds-- but I got him at the last minute, so have been kind of playing catch up (studying up on his illness, reading his very very long IEP, making adaptations since the IEP hasn't kept up with his condition, etc.). The other day he suddenly started bleeding from his nose while I was working with another student. And very quickly we had several problems.

It all ended okay-- one kid let me know what was happening, the kids all stayed calm, he stayed calm, I stayed calm, we all tried to distract him as another kid found paper towels. I called the nurse (thank GOD for nurses!) who came very quickly.

But I just want to say to you, Edusphere friends, it reminded me of a few things.

Please make sure you have the following items in your classroom, even if you DON'T have medically fragile students:
1. Non-latex gloves, several pair
2. Spare trashcan liners in which to dispose of biohazard waste
3. Gauze pads
4. Bleach wipes

Then, here's the first aid for a nosebleed (advice directed to the person who is bleeding):

1. Tilt your head downward toward your chest, NOT back (tilting your head back causes blood to flow down your throat where it could make you throw up or possibly aspirate it into your lungs). Place something beneath your nostrils to absorb the blood-- gauze, but at least a paper towel or a clean cloth if you can get it.

2. Place pressure with the last joint of your thumb and forefinger on both sides of your nose below the bridge-- think of it as a pincer movement rather than a pinch.

3. Breathe through your mouth calmly.

4. Maintain pressure for several minutes. If you feel faint, try to lower your head toward or below your knees and call for help.

You never know when you might need to know this stuff.

Cruel to be kind?

How would you respond? Better yet, how do you think the teacher responded? Here are a few scenarios to discuss:

1. Erica enrolled in class a few weeks ago. She has a baby and has been kicked out of her home, and they are currently living in a shelter. She doesn't have to start school each day until 10 am because it is "hard for me to get to school any earlier, and I may be late to your class, too." Erica has been absent 75% of the time. She has yet to turn in any assignment, including ones that could be completed in class, and the last time she was given a quiz she returned it blank because she said she wasn't "ready."

2. Justin approached his teacher and expressed concern about his current grade. He admits to not doing the reading, and to procrastinating, but says that he hasn't added any activities that would explain his sudden inability to, um, "git 'er done," and yes, his teacher did wince mightily when that particular phraseology zoomed out of his mouth. When it was suggested that maybe he should start reading and and doing the assignments, he looked quizzical and said, "No, that can't be it."

3. Aaron has a severe chronic condition which usually causes its victims to have a life expectancy, on average, of 37 years. Aaron has also developed hypoglycemia and possibly a hernia. Aaron is gone quite a bit, but often the absences are unexcused, and when he comes to school, acts shocked that he has anything to make up, like getting a copy of notes or finding out what assignments were done. Aaron often eats candy for lunch or does not eat at all. When asked about his health, Aaron's mother states that it is actually really good. When told that there is an absolute deadline for grades to be done, Aaron is gone that day, and then gets the principal's permission to turn in three weeks' worth of work overnight, which the teacher is then required to evaluate and then manually override the grade.

4. Juanita is also gone from class a lot. The last four times she was gone she said it was because she was with someone in the hospital: her best friend, her brother, her grandma, and a neighbor.

What would you do?

Holiday hunger

A school district in Ohio is keeping its lunch lines open during the holiday break to make sure that needy students still have access to at least one hot meal a day during the week.

A school district in Ohio says the economy is so tight it has kept its cafeterias open during Christmas break to provide hot lunches for needy students.

It's the first time North College Hill School district outside Cincinnati has kept its lunch lines going through the holiday break.
Officials say two-thirds of the district's 1,600 students are economically disadvantaged, up from fewer than one in 10 a decade ago.

The national School Nutrition Association says almost 80 percent of the schools it surveyed are reporting an increase in the number of free lunches served this year.

What does it mean when our society has descended to this point? True, there are no doubt some of these students who could be fed if the adults in their lives made feeding their children a priority over their own entertainment-- and I am speaking as someone who knows personally people who do wrongheaded things like this consistently-- but kids should not suffer hunger as a consequence of the decisions of their parents.

In this time of giving, please don't forget to support your local food pantry as well.

Oh, puh-leeeeeze.

Hey, y'all! Only TWO kids in Texas out of 10,000 tested positive for steroids!

The nation's largest steroids testing program caught only two Texas high school athletes taking unauthorized substances out of more than 10,000 students who were tested, according to results issued Wednesday.

The results renewed criticism about the two-year $6 million program approved by lawmakers last year.

The two students who tested positive weren't identified by name, school or sport. Documents obtained by The Associated Press showed that a senior tested positive for the anabolic steroid boldenone, and a 10th grader was found using a steroid called methylandrostandiol.

Four tests came back unresolved and three students refused to be tested, according to the figures released by the University Interscholastic League. One athlete left a testing area without cause or approval, and 18 missed the mandatory testing without an excused absence.

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, one of the key figures in pushing the plan through the Legislature, was "encouraged" by the results Wednesday and feels the program's success should be measured by the number of students who never begin using steroids, said spokesman Mike Wintemute.

A critic, Republican state Sen. Dan Patrick, said the initiative is a "feel good" program that is not acting as a deterrent and should be abolished.

"It's turned out to be a colossal waste of taxpayer money," said Patrick. He said he would rather spend the money battling alcohol abuse among teens, arguing that it is a much bigger problem.

UIL spokeswoman Kim Rogers said the two students who tested positive are multi-sport athletes, but that the sports they play are unknown. Rogers said she did not know when conclusive results from the four unresolved tests would be ready.

Testing was conducted at 195 schools, testing 6,455 boys and 3,662 girls. Many participated in more than one sport. More than 3,300 football players were tested, more than three times the number of any other sport.

And no, I am not picking on Texas, because God knows high school sports are a big deal in lots of places. But I think I smell something not quite right (pronounced "rahhht") here.