BLS Nurse Blog
SMALL POX
Did you know?
December 9, 1979, marks the day scientists declared smallpox eradicated!
Before smallpox was eradicated, it was a serious infectious disease caused by the variola virus. It was contagious—meaning, it spread from one person to another. People who had smallpox had a fever and a distinctive, progressive skin rash.
Most people with smallpox recovered, but about 3 out of every 10 people with the disease died. Many smallpox survivors have permanent scars over large areas of their body, especially their faces. Some are left blind.
Thanks to the success of vaccination, smallpox was eradicated, and no cases of naturally occurring smallpox have happened since 1977. The last natural outbreak of smallpox in the United States occurred in 1949. The World Health Assembly declared smallpox eradicated in 1980. ~ CDC
CELL PHONE POLICY
From Kinsey Martin
If a student has an IEP, 504, or Health Plan that expressly permits a
personal electronic device, then they get to keep it on their body and use it throughout the day—no request/permission form required.
If their IEP or 504 doesn’t talk about device use/access and they genuinely need it, then their documentation either needs to be amended to include that permission, or they need to follow the request process that everyone else has to follow.
Here is the policy—see item #2 on that doc, and the related footnote #2 as well, which reflects what I described above.
On the request form, the first check-box option (medical condition, etc) is for students who don’t have device usage already included in their IEP or 504, and won’t have it there because the IEP/504 team
doesn’t deem it necessary. We anticipate most of those will be “my child has anxiety and needs their music playlist” type of requests that will be denied due to available options on the school iPad.
You’ll see up at the top of that form that the form states it isn’t required to be completed if they have an IEP or 504 that permits device usage.
CONCUSSION
CBIRT – Center on Brain Injury Research and Training
Taryn E. Townsend,SLPD, CCC-SLP CBIS
What the Pediatric Hospital SLP Wants You to Know
Components of early cognitive-communication and dysphagia assessment in pediatric acquired brain injury within hospital setting
Texas Children’s Hospital approach to interdisciplinary management of pediatric brain injury from ICU to acute care discharge.
PPE SUPPLIES REMAINING
From Gerry Hunt – Distribution
12 cases small gloves
8 boxes large gloves
2 cases hand sanitizer
DATES TO REMEMBER
Upcoming Nurse Events/Meetings
| DATE | EVENT | TIME | LOCATION |
| 12/10/25 | Nurse Meeting | CANCELLED | CANCELLED |
| 12/22/25-1/2/26 | Winter Break | No School! |
| January 9, 2026 | April 10, 2026 |
| February 6, 2026 | May 8, 2026 |
| March 6, 2026 | June 12, 2026 |