Thursday, December 20, 2012

Letter from PTA

Davis Families,

We are all still reeling from the recent violence at a Connecticut elementary school, and wondering what can be done to keep our own students safe.  If you read the letter from Dr. Mobley, you know our administration and the county are reviewing procedures and investigating additional methods of enhancing school safety.  Meanwhile, there ARE things the rest of us can do:

ALWAYS sign in.  Always.  Many of us have run in for “just a second”  and perhaps skipped that step, but it is important and it takes just a moment.  The sign in sheet will either be in the front office or at the desk in the front lobby.  Take a moment, and sign in.

DON’T be offended if a faculty or staff member questions your presence in the school or asks if you need help or directions.  It’s part of their job to ask.  In fact, we should thank any employee of our school who takes the time to inquire, as it’s a key part of keeping our students safe.  Also, if you are volunteering in the school and see someone who appears out of place or who might need direction, you should ask as well.  And if you have any concern about someone in the school, report it to the front office immediately.

VOLUNTEER for a shift at the front lobby desk.  We have had very little participation in this volunteer program despite repeated calls for volunteers.  This is a simple yet extremely effective way of monitoring who is in the school.  You can sign up for one shift or multiple shifts in a row if you have a day off, and you can sign up for multiple days at a time. Please sign up here:  http://www.volunteerspot.com/login/entry/342345634578268077

If we all work together, we can improve the safety of our school, and therefore of our students.

Davis Elementary PTA

Monday, December 17, 2012

Letter from Dr. Mobley


Dear Davis Parents:                         Monday, Dec. 17, 2012

It has been a difficult weekend for all of us. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Newtown, Connecticut community and especially the Sandy Hook Elementary school family.

I want to assure you that Davis has many security measures in place and we practice several different safety drills throughout the year. We want our students to feel that school is a safe place to be. We have multiple measures in place that enable us to keep the learning environment uninterrupted and safe.

Unfortunately there are acts of violence that take place like the events in Newtown that even our surveillance cameras, limited access to the building or other security measures cannot protect against. This was perpetrated by a disturbed individual. Despite that our highest priority is the safety of our students, your children. 

The staff will meet this afternoon to remind us all of the safety plans we have in place, to address concerns and make plans as we move forward from these heart wrenching events. We will make every effort to reassure the students that they are safe and we will do everything we can to keep them safe. We will not have discussions of what happened in any detail.

Cobb county police are visiting all schools in the county this week. We had an officer visit already this morning. They will also be readdressing safety plans and making any needed adjustments.

Thank you for your support. Hug your children a little tighter and celebrate the time you spend with them.

Dee Mobley

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Flu Season...yuck!

Hello everyone, I just received some information about the flu, and since I have already had it this season I decided to pass this info on to you.
So here it is:


As you are well aware it is influenza (flu) season, and many of our students and staff are showing flu-like symptoms.  These students/staff get sick very quickly and have symptoms of high fever, cough, sore throat and possibly headache, stomachache and vomiting.

The flu can be passed from person to person.  It is most contagious starting one day before the person feels sick and for approximately three to seven days after the symptoms begin.  The flu-causing virus is spread when a person with the disease coughs, sneezes, or speaks, and releases the virus in the air. The virus can be transmitted from the surface to the hand, then to the nose, mouth, or eyes, resulting in flu infection.  Therefore, it is important to wash hands frequently, cover your cough, keep hands away from the face, and clean commonly touched surfaces.

If the student/staff develops a fever or flu-like symptoms, it is important that they stay home and rest.  Guidelines for exclusion and readmission to school due to illness include:

  1. Returning to school when fever free (100.9 or below) for 24 hours without fever reducing medication
  2. Returning to school 24 hours after the last diarrhea stool
  3. Returning to school 24 hours after the last vomiting episode 

Thorough hand-washing with soap and water is the best prevention.   

The best prevention from influenza (flu) is to be vaccinated with the flu vaccine even now.  It’s not too late.

Informational links below:








http://www.choa.org/health-professionals/nurse-resources/school-nurses/building-bridges/building-bridges-newsletters