Classes will resume on Thursday, January 30, 2025.

If you have any questions, please contact the District Clerk at 315-642-3441.

To our IR Community:
In anticipation of the high winds today and tomorrow, the Health Services Department would like to send out information about the dangers of wind chill.  While we are certainly no strangers to that term here in the north country, it is a commonly misunderstood concept that can be detrimental to our health if ignored.
Essentially, the wind chill temperature is how cold people or animals feel while outside.  This figure is based on the amount of heat lost from exposed skin caused by both wind and temperature.  As the wind increases, it draws heat from the body, decreasing skin temperature.  For instance, if the temperature outside is 0°F, and the wind is blowing at 15mph, the wind chill is -19°F.  At this temperature, potential damage to exposed skin, also known as "frost nip" or "frostbite", can occur within 30 minutes.  
Frostbite is most commonly seen on the cheeks, ears, fingers and toes.  Because the first symptom is often numbness, you may not realize you have frostbite until the skin changes color.  Skin may turn pink or red, and progress to white, gray, or blue with prolonged exposure.  
Eventually, this can also reduce the internal body temperature, a condition known as "hypothermia".  Symptoms of hypothermia include intense shivering, slurred speech, drowsiness, and trouble walking.  Because this is a life-threatening emergency, it is recommended to call 911 and apply warm, dry clothing while you wait for help to arrive.
Please review the wind chill chart below, supplied courtesy of the National Weather Service.  You can also visit the Health Services page of the Indian River website for more information on how to protect yourself, your loved ones and your pets during the cold, windy weather.

Chelsea Kolb MSN, FNP-C
Director of School Health Services
Indian River Central School District\

• February 26, 2025 - Early Dismissal: Wednesday, February 26 will be an early dismissal day for students for the purpose of staff professional development. Students in grades 6-12 will dismiss at 10:30AM, and students in grades K-5 will dismiss at 12:00PM.

Other upcoming dates of note:\

• January 29, 2025 - Lunar New Year: The schools of the Indian River Central School District will be closed on Wednesday, January 29 in observance of the Lunar New Year.
• February 17-21, 2025 - Winter Recess: The schools of the Indian River Central School District will be closed from Monday, February 17 to Friday, February 21 for our Winter Recess. Classes will resume on Monday, February 24, 2025.
• March 17-18, 2025 - Early Dismissal: Monday, March 17 and Tuesday, March 18 will be early dismissal days for students for the purpose of Parent/Teacher Conferences. Students in grades 6-12 will dismiss at 10:30AM, and students in grades K-5 will dismiss at 12:00PM.

The Health Services Department at Indian River would like to update the community before everyone settles in for the long weekend.   At this time of year, our nursing staff generally sees a higher volume of sick students, and it can be hard to know when to send children to school if they tell you that they do not feel well.  Usually, the best place for them is in school, but there are some times when keeping them home to rest or call for an appointment with your health care provider is recommended.

Here are some reasons to keep your child home and/or contact your child's doctor:

- Fever greater than 100.4°F within the last 24 hours
- Vomiting and/or diarrhea within the last 24 hours
- Severe sore throat
- Honey-crusted sores around the nose or mouth, or rash on other parts of the body
- Large amounts of mucus from the nose or throat
- Severe ear pain or fluid coming from the ear
- Severe headache\

To help control the spread of illness, please remind children to throw away used tissues, cover their mouths when they cough or sneeze, keep their hands away from their face, and to wash hands often with soap and warm water.

At this time of year, we must also prepare for the inevitable drop in temperature that comes with north country winters,  We encourage all parents/guardians to talk with your children about cold weather safety and supply them with appropriate outerwear when the weather turns bitterly cold.  Warm jackets, hats, scarves, boots, and an extra pair of gloves in their pockets will protect them during extremely cold temperatures.

Some helpful cold weather tips include:\

• Developing an emergency plan and reviewing it with your children in case you are not home either before or after school. \

- Instructing your children where, when, and how to get help if their bus is delayed.
- Educating your children on the dangers and risks of extreme weather, including frostbite.
For more information on infectious disease, cold weather safety and more, please visit the Health Services page of the IR website.  Parents/guardians now have their own specific tab where you can find information about infection control and hand hygiene.  There's also guidance on the signs and symptoms of frostbite, and a wind chill chart, courtesy of the National Weather Service,
Spring will come soon enough, but until then, let's work together to keep our students, and our community, safe and healthy!
Sincerely,
Chelsea Kolb, FNP-C
Director of School Health Services

Classes will resume on Tuesday, January 21, 2025.

The Indian River Class of 2026 (Junior Class) is sponsoring

****Billy Martin’s All Star Circus

Friday, February 7th at the Indian River Middle School Gym starting at 6:30PM.

****
****Thank you for your support, and we hope to see you there!

Save the Date! The Indian River Backpack Program will be holding the fourth-annual Indian River Backpack Tournament at Willowbrook Golf Course on June 7, 2025 starting at 9AM. More information to come in April!