October 4, 2007

A Letter from Ms. Heffron, October 4, 2007

Juggling Geoff, the unicycle rider and juggler, made a great splash with the students at yesterday's Walk to School event. With the perfect weather, coffee generously donated by Stone Creek Coffee and smiling children, the day got off to a great start. Later in the day, we went on an all school walk around the entire block, again to emphasize the value of walking as a way to reduce traffic congestion and pollution and to increase physical fitness. We have many families who walk daily and it is our hope that the Walk to School Day will increase the number of times throughout the year that those within walking distance will walk to school.

Getting back into the routine of a daily school schedule, one of the questions that frequently comes my way is "How much sleep do children need?" The following comes from Children's Hospital.

CHILDREN NEED MORE SLEEP ACCORDING TO CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL SLEEP CENTER
	Milwaukee (3/25/2005) - In general, children get less sleep than is recommended by experts, but parents are not always aware of how much sleep is needed, according to the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Sleep Center. Sleep is necessary for children's optimal functioning. Insufficient sleep can adversely affect children's daytime behavior, including their cognitive and behavioral function as well as overall health. The National Sleep Foundation recommends the following sleep guidelines: -Newborns 0-2 months of age require 10.5-18 hours of sleep. -Infants 2-12 months 14-15 hours. -Toddlers 1-3 years 12-14 hours. -Preschoolers 3-5 years 12-14 hours. -School-age children 5-12 years 10-11 hours. -Teens require 8-9 hours. "As in other aspects of a child's development, good sleep hygiene is an important component to the overall health and well-being of children," said Lynn D'Andrea, MD, pediatric pulmonologist at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin. "Sleep affects every aspect of a child's physical, emotional, cognitive, and social development, and sleep problems exacerbate virtually all medical, developmental, and psychosocial problems in childhood. Parents and caregivers need to make sleep a family priority." D'Andrea also is an associate professor of Pediatrics at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Parents can take the following steps to create a healthy family environment for sleep: -Determine the amount of sleep each family member needs, and take steps to ensure their individual needs are met. Make a good night's sleep part of everyone's daily schedule. -Create regular bedtime routines and adhere to bedtime. Set the stage by creating regular routines like brushing teeth, reading books and creating a quiet and comfortable sleep environment. -Television and computers should not be in the bedroom, and caffeine should not be part of a child's diet.

Notes:

• Harvest Festival is this Friday. I look forward to seeing you on the playground!
• Bay Ball invitations have been mailed. If you did not receive one, extras are in the office.
• Annual state required WKCE testing for 3^rd-5^th graders is scheduled for 5^th: Oct. 30-Nov. 2,

4^th: Nov. 6-9, 3^rd: Nov. 12-15. More information will follow but please avoid pulling your children out of school during these days if at all possible. Thanks.

• UWM Science Bag: One hour free shows held in the Physics Building at UWM. Shows are at 8PM on Fridays with one Sunday show each month. The November program is "Living in a Material World," presented by Prasenjit Guptasarma. More information is available at uwm.edu/letsci/sciencebag/
• The Great Peanut Butter and Jelly Challenge is coming to the Whitefish Bay Homecoming Parade on Friday October 5^th at 5:00 on Silver Spring Drive! Help us win for the 5^th year in a row. . . Please bring any non-glass containers of Peanut Butter and/or Jelly (any size accepted) to the parade.The PB&J kids will be a part of the parade, and they will be collecting your donations!

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