Weather Alert

Alert
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 1 PM EST WEDNESDAY...
* LOCATIONS...CAPE COD AND MARTHA'S VINEYARD.
* HAZARD TYPES...SNOW.



Enough Already. I. Am. Not. Going. To. Post. About. The. Weather.

So, Latham friends, what the heck else is going on in the universe? Apparently, if I think hard, other topics may be able to rise to the surface of my brain. Isn’t it interesting how we can get ourselves stuck on a topic? I pledged to myself this morning that I would not “go there” (you know where). So, I have spent much of the morning trying my hardest to talk about something, anything else besides the weather. Communication however, is a two-way street and I am apparently on a one-way that is also a dead end.

Where to go, where to go after the “Good Mornings” are exchanged? I know. I could ask about the State of the Union address happening later today. Politics is always a conversation starter! Well, that didn’t work. The response back was, "Will it get cancelled due to the impending snow storm?" Ok. Then I tried, "Who are you rooting for in the Super Bowl?" "The Broncos, but if it is frigging freezing out, then Manning will stumble." Ugh. This is harder than I thought. Keep trying, I tell myself.

I deftly move another conversation along to TV. "Hey, have you seen that new series on HBO? True Detective? It is intense!" Oh yes, and here it comes, "Is that the one in Louisiana? Did you know they are getting snow down there and it is so cold they are closing schools?"

Music! Always a good topic! "So, did you watch the Grammys Sunday night? I loved, loved, loved Pink!" "Not much of it, no. Can you imagine wearing one of those dresses on a red carpet here in the East? You’d be an icicle before you closed the limo door."

Food. When you work at Latham, food is a topic we discuss professionally. It should be a great topic to chat about. I say: "I brought a salad in for lunch today." "Salad? What are you, crazy? It is so cold out; you should have soup, something to warm you up. Whip up something in the slow cooker like a stew and it will get you through this artic vortex (that is never leaving us)."

As I bang my head slowly on my desk it has sparked concern in the voice of my friend.
"Are you OK she asked?" "No, no I’m not." "Well, says she, it’s better than slipping on the ice and breaking your hip."

I. Give. Up.

Submitted by:
Chris Gallant

“If you don't like the weather in New England now, just wait a few minutes.” 

 ~Mark Twain

Latham Students and Staff Brave the Blizzard!

Students everywhere feel excited when they hear "No School!" Latham students are certainly no exception.

Well-bundled up, our students and staff are enjoying a fun day off from school. While we are enjoying playing in the snow, we are making sure to take a lot of breaks to go inside and warm up, because it is COLD!

Many thanks to our wonderful staff who braved the snow and the roads to make sure our students are well cared for, as always.



Pam Nolan
Director of Children's Services

It’s Snowing at Latham

It’s snowing (she said with a sigh). When I was young this would elicit shouts of joy and a search for mittens and boots. Growing up in a neighborhood of close homes and big families meant we shouted from yard to yard to gather the troops for a trip to the steepest street down the block. On rare occasions, we would get someone to bring us one town over to a golf course that was magical for rides down long hills. I loved winter back then. Now I see only the hassle involved with snow. The good news is that I think I left the ice scraper in the car all summer so all I have to do is shift the beach chair, umbrella and all the other stuff I never removed from the trunk to find it.

This is one of the reasons I love working at the Latham School campus. Nothing, and I mean nothing, is better than a kid’s excitement at seeing snow. It is joyful noise--an anticipation of the touch of a snowflake on your nose, the absolute coldness of it on your hands as you form that snowman. Who doesn’t want to make snow angels? Talk about a sensory experience. What is more fitting In December than a white blanket on the ground? And here’s a secret: We don’t need to tell anyone they are “exercising”. Pure & simple; playful fun. Now that makes a little snow down the collar worth it.

Submitted by:
Chris Gallant

“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.” 

 ~John Steinbeck
 

TIP of the WEEK: Preparing for Winter

In New England preparing for winter typically means snow tires, weather proofing windows and stocking cabinets but there is more to consider if you have a child with PWS.

1. Be mindful of the change in daylight. If your child has spent the first two months of school waking up with the sun and now suddenly has to wake and get ready in the dark you may see a change in behavior. Even slight changes in routine and environment can cause havoc and if your child cannot tell time he or she may rely heavily on how light or dark it is outside.
2. 
   Children and adults with PWS are more susceptible to hypothermia. This is especially problematic because most cannot accurately report pain or discomfort which are the first signs of cold weather related illnesses. Pay close attention to skin color, texture, behavior and time spent outside in the cold. Direct exposure to freezing temperatures should be extremely limited.
3. 
   Cold weather brings dry skin which brings temptation. When skin is dry it becomes itchy and this is when we see an increase in picking. This is also true for chapped lips. Use plenty of lotion and chap stick to reduce cracked and itchy skin.
4. 
   Have a pre-planned routine for snow days. There should be a written schedule that can be presented to your child ahead of time in the event that school is cancelled. Because we often do not know until the morning of, we can't let our kids know ahead of time which is ideally how we handle this kind of a change.

We'd love to hear your ideas for getting through the winter months!

Submitted by:
Patrice Carroll
Manager PWS Services

Related Posts:
Transitioning to Winter
A Winter Landscape
Greetings From Facilities!

"Welcome, winter. Your late dawns and chilled breath make me lazy, 

but I love you nonetheless."

~Terri Guillemets

Wintertime on the Cape

The holidays at Latham may have been a blast, but there’s nothing like finding the time to enjoy all of the fun Winter on Cape Cod has to offer!  We’re looking forward to weeks of brisk hikes, cozy movies with friends, and, with a little luck, building the first snow fort of the season.  While the rest of the Cape settles in after the holidays, the Latham community is free to get out and explore.

Here’s to another Cape Cod Winter shared by all the members of the Latham community!

Submitted by:
Hal Johnson

"The color of springtime is in the flowers; 

the color of winter is in the imagination."

~Terri Guillemets