Fight Flu at Home and School

Each year, to comply with New York State Public Health Law (PHL) § 613, licensed and registered daycare programs, nursery schools, pre-K, kindergarten, school-age childcare programs, and public and non-public schools are required to post information about influenza (flu) and the benefits of flu vaccination at the start of flu season in early fall. Flu vaccination is more important than ever because the flu, RSV, and the virus that causes COVID-19 may all be spreading. Flu vaccination will help reduce the spread of flu, ease the burden on our health care system, and reduce the number of illnesses that interrupt education and lead to absences.
Influenza (flu), spreads easily and can make people very sick, especially kids. 

You can help stop flu!

Flu symptoms include:
Fever or chills, body aches, cough, sore throat, headache, runny or stuffy nose, feeling very tired. Some people, especially children, may have stomach problems and diarrhea. Unlike a cold, the flu comes on very suddenly.

Prevent flu!
• Flu vaccine is the best protection against the flu. It is recommended every year for everyone 6 months and older.
• Get the flu vaccine for you and your children every year! It helps make flu sickness milder or prevents it altogether.
• Getting the vaccine early in the fall means you and your children will be protected when flu season starts.
• Make sure people close to your children, like babysitters and relatives, are also vaccinated.
• The vaccine is especially important for people with certain medical conditions like asthma, diabetes, and heart or lung disease, because the flu can make them even sicker.

If your child gets the flu:
• Your child will need plenty of rest and lots of fluids.
• Keep your child home from school for at least 24 hours after their fever is gone without using fever-control medicine. This helps avoid giving the flu to others.
• Talk with your child’s health care provider before giving a child any over-the-counter medicine.
• Never give your child or teenager aspirin or any medicine that has aspirin in it. Aspirin can cause serious problems for children and teens.
• Young children and those with certain medical conditions, like asthma, diabetes, and heart or lung disease, are at greater risk for getting seriously ill from the flu.
• If your child gets flu symptoms and is younger than 5 or has a medical condition, call their health care provider and ask about antiviral treatment.
• If you are worried about your child, call their health care provider.

Don’t spread flu!
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• If soap and water aren’t handy, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
• Cough or sneeze into a tissue or your elbow, not your hands. Put used tissues in the trash.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. That’s how germs spread.
• Stay away from people who are sick.

Fight Flu at Home and School - English

Fight Flu at Home and School - Spanish

Having a conversation about substance use is just as important as buying school supplies.

Resources for starting the conversation

• Tips on Starting the conversation on Fentanyl - English & Spanish
• English Postcard
• Spanish Postcard

Back to School Resources

• NYSED Back to School Resources

Bullying and Cyberbullying  

As students start back-to-school, our school communities are invited to use SchoolSafety.gov's resources and tools on Bullying and Cyberbullying to create safe and supportive learning environments for students.

Bullying and cyberbullying threaten students’ physical and emotional safety and can impact their social and academic success at school. There are several reasons behind school violence; in some cases, being the victim of bullying could play a contributing role.

• Department of Health & Human Services: Warning signs of bullying
• CDC's Fast Facts on Preventing Bullying
• CDC: Technology and Youth: Protecting your Child from Electronic Aggression
• US Dept of Justice: School Safety
• US Dept of Justice: Five things about School-based Violence Prevention Programs

Videos

• Be Someone's Hero Video
• Connecting the Dots Training Video

Affordable Connectivity Program Helping Households Connect

The Affordable Connectivity Program is an FCC program that helps connect families and households struggling to afford internet service.

The Affordable Connectivity Program provides:
• Up to $30/month discount for broadband service
• Up to $75/month discount for households on qualifying Tribal lands
• A one-time discount of up to $100 for a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet purchased through a participating provider if the household contributes more than $10 but less than $50 toward the purchase price.

The Affordable Connectivity Program is limited to one monthly service discount and one device discount per household.

Who Is Eligible?

A household is eligible for the Affordable Connectivity Program if the household income is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, or if a member of the household meets at least one of the criteria below:
• Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year
• Participates in the Free and reduced-Price School Lunch Program or the School Breakfast Program,  including through the USDA Community Eligibility Provision
• Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating provider's existing low-income internet program
• Participates in one of these assistance programs:

 • SNAP
 • Medicaid
 • Federal Public Housing Assistance
 • Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
 • WIC
 • Veterans Pension or Survivor Benefits
 • or Lifeline;

Check out fcc.gov/ACP for a Consumer FAQ and other program resources.

Two Steps to Enroll

Step 1: Go to AffordableConnectivity.gov to submit an application or print out a mail-in application.

Step 2: Contact your preferred participating provider to select a plan and have the discount applied to your bill. Some providers may have an alternative application that they will ask you to complete. Eligible households must both apply for the program and contact a participating provider to select a service plan.

Sullivan BOCES is pleased to share its
2022-2025 Strategic Plan and
new Mission and Vision Statement.

Click here to view the
2022-2025 Strategic Plan  

Mission Statement

*** STUDENTS & PARENTS ***
BE AWARE!

The Affordable Connectivity Program is a Federal Communications Commission program that helps connect families and households struggling to afford internet service. This new benefit provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward broadband service for eligible households. Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers.

Eligible households can enroll through a participating broadband provider or directly with the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) using an online or mail-in application.

You can learn more about the benefit, including eligibility and enrollment information, by visiting www.fcc.gov/ACP or calling
877-384-2575.

Resources: 

• FAQs for the program
• Fact Sheet - English
• Fact Sheet - Spanish
• Flyer - English
• Flyer - Spanish  

Catholic Charities of Orange, Sullivan, and Ulster Prevention Department Can Help with Your Prescription Drug Storage and Disposal Needs

Catholic Charities has been working with Sullivan BOCES to provide the school district health offices with prescription drug safe storage and disposal items and would like to offer these items to the families of students.

They can provide 

• Lock bags (to store prescriptions safely)
• Lock caps (with combination)
• Drug destruction products (Dispose of RX or Deterra to safely dispose of an unneeded prescription)
• Prescription Trackers (to keep track of when prescriptions were taken)

Please contact Luisa.Parker@cccsos.org  (845) 794-8080, ext. 2531 to get any of these items for your home.