Brookfield Elementary Health Office

03/05/2025

Thank you to the Brookfield Community Club for awarding the Health Office an Apple Country Fair Grant! This grant provided the school with a new Health Office Emergency Go Bag, two field trip first aid backpacks, and five new first aid bags. Each of the five first aid bags will be strategically placed in the school for use during medical emergencies, lockdowns or evacuations.

The Brookfield Community Club (BCC) is a nonprofit, volunteer organization established to promote the purposed as set forth in Article 2 of its by-laws: “The objective shall be to benefit the school and community and to foster community spirit through service and fellowship.”

The Brookfield Community Club has been organizing the Apple Country Fair since 1979, held every October. The money raised at the Apple Country Fair has generated grants for a number of community service projects, including (but not limited to):
🍎Supplies for the Town's annual luminary display on Christmas Eve
🍎Printing of the Brookfield Citizen, the town's monthly newsletter
🍎Programs and speakers for Brookfield Council on Aging
🍎Sweatshirts for Brookfield Elementary 6th grade students
🍎Equipment for Brookfield Fire Department and EMS
🍎Improvements to Brookfield Recreation's Lewis Field
🍎Equipment for Brookfield Scout Troops
🍎Programs at the Merrick Public Library
🍎Diane Martell Community Service Award for a graduating Brookfield Senior

The Brookfield Community Club relies on the generous time and effort given by many volunteers and welcomes any assistance which may be offered. Please contact applecountryfair@gmail.com if you are interested in volunteering, donating or have questions about the Apple Country Fair!

🍎 Facebook: applecountryfair 🍎 Insta: applecountryfair01506 🍎 TikTok: applecountryfair01506

With Gratitude, Nurse Julie

09/22/2023

Here’s an update to the YLE fall 2023 vaccine chart and two random but relevant notes regarding Covid-19 tools.

The chart updates include…
- Covid-19 vaccine: Eligibility determined. Ideal timing after infection added.
- Flu vaccine: Updated effectiveness to match this year’s strain. (We got great news that the vaccine matches circulating strains well— The Southern Hemisphere reported a 52% effectiveness against hospitalization.)

Two random, but relevant notes:
1. Insurance coverage for Covid-19 vaccines. There are many reports that people are being asked to pay for their Covid-19 vaccines. To be clear: no one should be paying for a vaccine.
   --- Private insurance companies are mandated to cover this vaccine with no copay. What has changed since last year? Insurers are no longer required to pay for “out-of-network”. You may need to get your vaccine at your doctor’s office if your pharmacy is not in-network with your insurance plan.
  --- Uninsured or underinsured adults: CVS/Walgreens are required by federal law to cover your vaccine at no cost to you, thanks to the new Bridge Program. This is just for Covid-19, not for RSV, unfortunately.
   --- Uninsured or underinsured kids: Vaccines for Children cover all kid’s vaccines, not just Covid-19, for those that cannot pay.

2. Free Covid-19 tests are coming back! Starting Monday (Sept 25), households can receive 4 free rapid tests through USPS again. Order here: COVIDtests.gov. Shipments will start Oct. 2.

Subscribe to my Substack (link in bio!) for a PDF file of the updated chart (English and Spanish). Feel free to download, print, distribute, or doodle on.

Love, YLE

06/08/2023

09/10/2021

I would like to thank everyone for their continued understanding and patience with our COVID policies and procedures. Our goal is to keep our students and staff healthy and right now that unfortunately means if you have cold symptoms we need to make sure it is not COVID.

Please continue to keep your children home when they are sick, and communicate with me as to what will be needed for their return to school.

In-school student and staff COVID testing will begin the week of September 20th. Next week, Dr. Hosterman will be sending out a connect-ed with detailed information and consent forms.

There will be 3 modes of testing available:

Symptomatic testing:
• For students and staff who begin COVID like symptoms during the school day, if the test is negative and symptoms are manageable they will be allowed to stay at school.
• This is not intended for students and staff who start to feel sick at home, if you feel sick before coming to school, please stay home.

Test and Stay:
• This is for students and staff who have been identified as a close contact to a positive individual while at school. Those identified as a close contact will be tested with a rapid antigen test every morning of school for 5 days, if the test is negative they may go to class and return the next morning. Parents must drive their children to school in the morning and wait for the rapid result, approx. 15 min.

Routine COVID Testing
• Same “pooled” testing that was done last year. Asymptomatic participants are tested 1x week, this is to identify cases in people who are not experiencing symptoms.

If you have any questions, please call or email me!

~Nurse Julie
508-867-8774
lardizzonej@tantasqua.org

08/23/2021

Hello! I am looking forward to seeing your children and the new school year! A letter went out to families today regarding how the school year will start off in regards to COVID precautions, please email me if you have any questions at lardizzonej@tantasqua.org I am also trying to update the Health Office Website this week to reflect the changes.

Also, I apologize for the SNAP Health Portal emails that are saying you have unread messages. Please disregard, we will no longer be using the Parent Portal portion of SNAP. During the school year I will still be emailing clinic visit notes to you, but there will no longer be a parent portal. I hope your children are enjoying the last week of summer vacation!

~Nurse Julie

05/18/2021

6th Grade Parents! Most of our 6th graders have already turned 12. Click the link if you are interested in learning more about getting your 12 year old vaccinated for COVID-19!

Use this page to find information about the COVID-19 vaccine for youth and young adults.

04/28/2021

Weekly Pooled Testing started in March at Brookfield Elementary, since the beginning we have had all negative tests! The latest Pools included all participating individuals, and were separated by grade. See how many students are participating in your child's grade at the Health Office Website. You can also find the link to the consent form if you decide you would like your child to participate. https://sites.google.com/tantasqua.org/brookfield-health-office/pooled-testing

04/07/2021

Nurses Newsletter! Check it out 😁

03/30/2021

Added reassurance that school is the place to be! Governor Baker posted this press release: "The science is clear that it is safe for kids to be in the classrooms, and as communities and districts continue the return to in-person learning, this program will remain an important tool for local schools."

The Baker-Polito Administration today announced that data collected from its statewide, first-in-the-nation pooled testing initiative in schools across the Commonwealth found low positivity rates – far less than 1 percent – among students and staff. The statewide testing program, funded entirely...

03/23/2021

As of Monday, March 22, the Massachusetts Travel Order is replaced with a Travel Advisory. This new travel advisory urges all persons entering Massachusetts, including returning residents, to quarantine for 10 days upon their arrival if they have been out of the state for 24 hours or more.

Please note, travelers in the following categories are exempt from the quarantine advisory:
• Children younger than 10 years old
• Anyone returning to Massachusetts after being out of state for fewer than 24 hours
• Travelers who have received a negative COVID-19 result on a test administered not more than 72 hours prior to their arrival in Massachusetts. Travelers may also test out of the quarantine advisory after arrival in Massachusetts, as long as they quarantine until receiving a negative test result.
• Workers who enter Massachusetts to perform critical infrastructure functions (as specified by the Federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency) during required commuting to or from work and while at work.
• Travelers who are fully vaccinated (i.e. who have received two doses of either the Moderna or Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines OR who have received a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, 14 or more days ago) and who do not have symptoms.

03/05/2021

Brookfield Elementary Health Office website is updated with Pooled Testing FAQ's. Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions! 508-867-8774 or lardizzonej@tantasqua.org.
https://sites.google.com/tantasqua.org/brookfield-health-office/pooled-testing

02/08/2021

February Nurse Newsletter. Lots of great info about COVID Vaccine, changes to the MA Travel Order, Heart Health Month, and a special thank you from all of the Tantasqua & Union 61 Nurses!