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Weekly Update to Families

Saturday, January 28, 2023

Additional information and details can also be located on our website https://hardwick.ossu.org.  If you have questions, please call the office and leave a message on Christine's voicemail (472-2599) or email at  cgifford@ossu.org. Staff are checking their voicemail and email during normal school hours.

 

Hello Hardwick Families,

Good morning everyone.  Don’t ask me why but for some reason I can’t sleep in on Saturday mornings.  I seem to enjoy getting up before the sun and easing my way into the day knowing that I can relax and attend to other things in my life besides work.  This time of year that means a lot of inside projects like painting and cleaning.  Anyway, I hope you all had a good week, even with the sloppy weather we experienced.  One upside to it is that we can continue to enjoy the outdoor sports that Vermont is famous for.  One way to do that is by joining the Hardwick Trails Committee this morning at 9:00 AM over at the Hazen Trails.  They will outfit you with Cross Country Skis for free and even give you lessons should you need them.  

Have a great weekend!

Thank you,

William Deiss

Principal - Hardwick Elementary School 

802 472-5411

wdeiss@ossu.org

Medicaid Rules are changing in April 2023! Learn more at the Town Hall.

Important Medicaid update for Vermonters!

Vermonters currently enrolled in Medicaid and Dr. Dynasaur will once again see renewal notices in their mailboxes. The renewal process has been on pause since March 2020. States have been required to keep people on Medicaid with a few exceptions. It has helped protect people from breaks in health insurance coverage and access to care.

This is changing. Vermont is preparing for the end of this requirement. It is known as the Medicaid unwind process. The "unwind" is when states restart the Medicaid renewal process for members. This process will happen gradually and be spread out over a 12-month period.

 

Starting in April, we will contact Vermonters when it is time for them to renew. If a customer is no longer eligible for Medicaid, they will get a notice. The notice will tell them why they are no longer eligible or if more information is needed. If no longer eligible, they will learn how to apply for other health insurance with financial help. Many Vermonters who can’t get Medicaid may be able to get a plan for less than $25 a month through Vermont Health Connect.

The Medicaid unwind process for all Vermonters will take just over a year to complete. This process will impact the following  Vermont Medicaid programs:

  • Medicaid for Children and Adults (MCA), including Dr. Dynasaur;

  • Medicaid for the Aged Blind and Disabled (MABD);

  • VPharm;

  • Medicare Savings Program;

  • Disabled Children's Home Care; and

  • Healthy Vermonters program.

What to do now?

  1. Inform Vermonters. Encourage people to update their address and pay attention to their mail for important information.

  2. Share information with Vermonters. Look for social media posts, articles, and other tools designed to prepare Medicaid enrollees for this change.

  3. Educate Vermonters. Help people understand what is happening and their options.

Medicaid Unwind Virtual Town Hall

Learn more information about the Medicaid unwind process. Learn when Vermonters enrolled in Medicaid will be renewed and coverage options for those who are no longer eligible for Vermont Medicaid.

 

Mark your calendar for Friday, February 3, from 12-1 p.m. Join us online at bit.ly/VTunwind and bring your questions to this virtual Town Hall!

 

Free CrossCountry Skiing (Here is the Form for signing up)

Last Saturday, 30 enthusiastic Hardwick area participants of all ages, individuals and families, streamed into the log cabin behind Hazen. They were outfitted in largely new Nordic ski equipment, in anticipation of their first ski lesson of the year - and for many, the first lesson in their lives.

This Saturday looks like we will have fresh snow! Arrive at 9:00 AM to pick up your equipment at the cabin behind the school. The classic ski lesson begins at 9:15 and skate ski lesson at 10:15. Those who borrow skis are welcome to keep them for the weekend for use on our trails, and return the equipment to the trails cabin at Hazen Sunday, late afternoon. We also have a large inventory of snowshoes to borrow.

Cross country skiing is a sport for all ages and athletic abilities. It is a wonderful family activity and can seed a lifelong love of this way to enjoy the beauty of our many fields and woodlands.

This program will be offered by the Hardwick Trails and Recreation Committees every Saturday (weather dependent) for the winter season.

The Hardwick Trails Committee will offer the same loan and lesson opportunity throughout the winter season, as long as weather permits (check the Hardwick Trails facebook page or web, hardwicktrails.com, for potential cancellation information). It is our goal to encourage full use of our extensive ski inventory, allowing as many residents as possible to experience the joy of this winter sport, and the beauty of our trails.

January Basketball Schedule

January Lunch Calendar

 

Upcoming Events

February 1- Kindergarten and Preschool registration begins

February3- Early Release Day- dismissal will be at 11:30

February 4- No school for students- professional development for staff

 

 
A Message from our Health Team

Hello OSSU families, 

 

We are seeing many of the usual childhood communicable illnesses spreading in our buildings.  Please remember that although masks are not required, you may choose to send your child to school with a mask to help reduce the spread of all respiratory illnesses. At school, we continue to practice frequent handwashing, covering coughs with the elbow, and frequent cleaning of any contaminated surfaces.  

 

We do continue to see cases of Covid19, and expect that we will continue to see Covid19 as well as all of the usual seasonal illnesses throughout the year. 

 

Currently, we have many individuals experiencing respiratory symptoms - coughs, runny noses, scratchy throats, watery eyes etc. Many of these students who have seen their medical provider have been diagnosed with the common cold, and some have been diagnosed with viral upper respiratory illnesses, including RSV (respiratory syncytial virus). 

 

RSV is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms. We are all exposed to this virus many times throughout our lives, and most older children and adults will experience this illness as nothing more serious than a nasty cold. Most people recover in a week or two, but RSV can be serious, especially for infants and older adults. Nationwide, medical providers are reporting an increase in RSV cases and severity in preschool and young elementary age children. This is most likely because they have not been previously exposed to RSV, due to the use of masks and social distancing during the peak of the Covid19 pandemic. 

 

CDC surveillance data has shown an increase in RSV detections and RSV-associated emergency department visits and hospitalizations in multiple U.S. regions (additional information on RSV). Please contact your child’s medical provider for any serious illness, including fever that does not respond to treatment with tylenol or ibuprofen, difficulty breathing, or other concerning symptoms. 

 

Please review our Current OSSU Illness/ Covid19 Info to understand when to stay home related to illness. We are following current Vermont Department of Health guidelines to keep our school community safe, healthy, and ready to learn. Rapid antigen Covid19 test kits are available to all families, please contact your school nurse for more information.

 

Thank you, 

 

Your OSSU school health team