Bellerive Bulletin
March 29, 2026
From Ms. Dremann:
Check out the new Bellerive Art page!
Click here to find updates on student artwork, school displays and photos from art shows. Take a look around and see what we are creating!
Dear Parents/Guardians,
Seasonal allergies, also known as hay fever or seasonal allergic rhinitis, are allergy symptoms that occur during certain times of the year, usually when outdoor molds release their spores, or trees, grasses and weeds release tiny pollen particles into the air.
If your child tends to display severe allergy symptoms, please talk with your doctor to see if a daily non-drowsy antihistamine, nasal spray, or eye drop would be a good idea. School nurses are attentive to symptoms of runny nose, congestion, sore throat, headache, and cough as these are symptoms of allergies and colds as well as other viral and bacterial illnesses. The nurses follow a strict protocol to screen students and will determine if a child can stay at school, go home, or need to see a physician to be evaluated.
There is no real cure for seasonal allergies, but it is possible to relieve symptoms. Start by reducing or eliminating exposure to allergens. During allergy season, keep windows closed, use air conditioning if possible, and change your air filter often. It is also a good idea to give your child a bath at night if they have played outside that day.
At school, we are reminding students to wash their hands. In the nurse’s office, we can rinse the eyes if necessary with water and give a cold wet towel to place on the eyes for comfort. If a child is having an extreme reaction, they may stay inside, but this needs to be a temporary solution.
A child may stay in for no more than 1-2 days with a note from the parent. If the child must stay inside for a longer time period, we will need a note from the doctor. It is important for children to have time to run and play outside. The doctor's note can be faxed to the school nurse at 314-415-6059.
If reducing exposure to allergens isn’t possible or is ineffective, medicines can help ease allergy symptoms. There are many non-drowsy antihistamines, nasal sprays, and eye drops available as a prescription and over the counter. Many of these medicines can be taken at home once or twice a day.
** In order to reduce the severity of allergy symptoms in a person with known seasonal allergies, it helps to start the medication on a daily basis before pollination starts. This is much more effective in controlling symptoms than taking the medicine on an as-needed basis.
Please talk with your physician about what would be best for your child and remember that a consent form from the parent and a physician’s order is needed to give medications at school. The doctor can fax the order to the school nurse at 314-415-6059.
Sincerely,
Michelle Osterholt, BSN, RN, NCSN
mosterholt@parkwayschools.net
314-415-6060
