MARCH 2021
Hill Country
Backpack Connection
CELEBRATING 100 DAYS OF SCHOOL
AUE • FABRA • KENDALL • CURINGTON • LEON SPRINGS ELLISON • FAIR OAKS • HERFF • CIBOLO CREEK • VAN RAUB • MCANDREWS
Connecting Our Families, Our Schools and Our Local Businesses
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Distributed into the Backpacks of 6,000 Boerne / Leon Springs Students Aue • Fabra • Kendall • Curington • Herff Fair Oaks • Cibolo Creek • Ellison Van Raub • McAndrews • Leon Springs
Art Director • Susie Fluckiger Sales • Audra Miller Content for the Elementary School pages contributed by each school. Backpack Connection magazines are published every six weeks during the school year by BP Publishing LLC. The advertisements in this magazine are paid for by the advertisers, which allows this magazine to be distributed free to the families of the elementary students. Unless specifically noted, no advertisers, products or services are endorsed by the publisher, BISD, or NISD, or any districts employees. BP PUBLISHING LLC is not responsible for omissions, errors or misinformation within this publication. All real estate advertised within this publication are subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which make it illegally to advertise any preference, limitation, or discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin or intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination. We will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings adverting are available on an equal opportunity basis. Reproductions of this magazine in whole or part without written permission is prohibited.
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BP Publishing LLC 209 Walnut Grove Rd. • Boerne, TX 78006 (210) 367-3048
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ENTER OUR CONTEST! Count the Which Wich logos for a chance to win $20 Gift Card
Count the Which Wich logos in this issue (including this one!). Submit to: contest@backpackconnection.com by March 15, for a chance to win a $20 gift card to Which Wich. Include name, email, and phone number so we can contact the winner! Correct answers will be placed in a drawing to win; only one winner chosen. You could be the next winner so count, then count again to double check!
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Congratulati ons! M s . B o nnie M ar t in
ALE (Alternative Learning Environment) Teacher
BEES 1st Year Educator of the Year
Ms. Nydia Torres 2nd Grade Dual Language Teacher
BEES Educator of the Year
K
7 Ways to Keep Your Child’s Immune System Strong
ids are inevitably going to get colds during the winter. There are many cold-causing viruses circulating through public environments. The truth is that colds help build your child’s immune system. When a child gets a cold, their immune system “learns” how to fight that particular virus and will therefore be ready to fight that virus the next time it appears. That said, there are ways to keep your child healthy in the winter,
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and a healthy body is the best way to boost your child’s immune system. Sunlight: One of the easiest things you can do to boost your child’s immunity is to get them outside. Sunlight stimulates the production of Vitamin D, which plays a crucial role in your immune system. Vitamin D helps fight invading bacteria and viruses.
Exercise: Exercise can certainly help boost a child’s immune system. Texas Children’s Hospital recommends providing kids with a variety of exercise options. Setting a certain time of day for exercise is a good way to ensure kids are getting daily physical activity. Flu Shots: You should get your kids flu shots when they’re offered by their doctor. The CDC recommends that everyone
lates a broad range of immune processes. Look to dairy products and fish for good sources of vitamin A. • Vitamin C - The C vitamin contributes to immune defense. Citrus fruits, tomatoes, and potatoes are foods rich in vitamin C. • Zinc - This mineral helps your immune system function. Oysters actually contain the highest amount of zinc per serving. If your kids aren’t into oysters, red meat and chicken are also good sources. • Beta Carotene - This substance, only found in plants, helps increase your immune cell count. Serve kids fruits and veggies with red, orange, or yellow colors to provide them with beta carotene.
sure you’re modeling healthy reactions to stressful situations. There is no magic pill for boosting a child’s immune system in the winter. But keeping their immune system healthy through exercise, flu shots, adequate sleep, sun exposure, proper handwashing, and stress reduction will certainly help them avoid germs and fight infections faster.
Adequate Sleep: A consistent lack of sleep lessens a child’s ability to fight viruses, according to the Mayo Clinic. The amount of sleep a child gets can also affect how quickly they will recover from an illness. According to HealthyChildren. org, toddlers need 11-14 hours of sleep, preschoolers need 10-13 hours, gradeschoolers need 9-12 hours of sleep, and teens need 8-10 hours.
six months and older get a flu vaccine before the end of October. A flu shot is especially important for children younger than five years old, as they can develop serious flu-related complications. Balanced Diet: A healthy diet will help build up your child’s immune system. Aim for a colorful mix of fruits and vegetables, plus grains and proteins to help keep their immune system strong. A balanced, varied diet ensures kids get important immune-supporting nutrients, like: • Vitamin A - This vitamin regu-
Handwashing: Teaching your child good hand-washing hygiene is one of the most important things you can do to keep their immune system healthy. According to the CDC, handwashing with soap could protect 1 out of every 3 children who would otherwise get sick with diarrhea, and 1 out of every 5 young children who would otherwise get sick with respiratory infections. Coping with Stress: It is wellproven that stress weakens the immune system. Stress makes your immune system produce fewer germ-fighting white blood cells, which puts you at higher risk for getting sick. Children commonly feel stress around school pressure, peer relationships, social media, life transitions, and family conflict. You can help children learn to release stress and anxiety by taking deep breathes and exercising. Children also learn how to cope with stress by watching their caregivers. Make
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