Friday Beat
October 20, 2017 Edition
The newsletter that takes a Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child(WSCC) approach.
Announcements
Epinephrine Auto-Injector Draft Rules—Informal Comments Open
In response to Senate Bill 66 from the 84th Legislative Session, 2015, and Senate Bill 579, 85th Legislative Session, 2017, the Department of State Health Services (DSHS), in consultation with the Stock Epinephrine Advisory Committee, drafted rules regarding epinephrine auto-injector policies in schools.Toaccess the draft rules for informal stakeholder input, please visit the DSHS website.The deadline to submit feedback via email is Friday, November 3, 2017.
Influenza Awareness
Texas Influenza Awareness Day was October 1, but it certainly is not too late to get the flu shot. Everyone six months and older should be vaccinated to protect themselves from getting the flu, which is an illness caused by a number of related viruses. You can obtainadditional information about how to prevent spreading the fluand where to find vaccinations at TexasFlu.org.
New Focus on Youth Use of E-Cigarettes
This summer the U.S. Food Drug Administration (FDA) announced it would pursue a public health education campaign aimed at discouraging the use of e-cigarettes and other electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) by kids. The FDAis expanding “The Real Cost” campaign this fallto include messaging to teens about the dangers of usingthese products, while developing a full-scale campaign to launch in 2018.
Professional Development
School Nutrition Industry Conference (SNIC)—January 21-23, 2018
The School Nutrition Association’s SNIC will be held in New Orleans, Louisiana. Attendees will learn innovative ideas and tangible solutions to key challenges in school nutrition. Early birdregistration is available through November 10, 2017.
Funding Opportunities
Fuel Up to Play 60 (FUTP 60) Grants
The National Dairy Council will provide qualified K-12 schools with up to $4,000 per year to jumpstart healthy changes. The schools must be enrolled in FUTP 60 and participate in the National School Lunch Program. The first step in applying is to choose one Healthy Eating Play and one Physical Activity Play from the 2017-2018 Playbook. Applications are due by November 1, 2017.
Health Education
Webinar: The Impact of SHACs—October 24, 2017
From 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. CDT, the Texas Action for Healthy Kids will presentSchool Health Advisory Councils (SHACs) in Action – The Impact of SHACs. Join the webinar to learn how a school district’s SHAC can involve parents, work effectively, and use the district’s local wellness policy to affect the health of students.
Physical Education Physical Activity
Recess Webinar: Why It Should Rock!—October 24, 2017
At 2:00-3:00 p.m. CDT, the Action for Healthy Kids will host this webinar. Find out how the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools in North Carolina upgraded their recess and what they learned about best practices.
Nutrition Environment & Services
National Farm to School Month (NFSM)
NFSM is a time when schools can educate students about and involve them in farm to school efforts in their communities. The National Farm to School Network offers free resources on its website, as does the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), including The USDA Farm to School Planning Toolkit. Also, the Action for Healthy Kids has a Game On activity that provides several ideas for celebrating NFSM.
Mix It Up at Lunch Day—October 31, 2017
On the Teaching Tolerance website, you can register for Mix It Up and view a short, on-demand webinar to help prepare. Mix It Up at Lunch Day was established by Teaching Tolerance in 2002. It offers the school community a simple way of breaking down social barriers and making friends: sitting with someone new during lunch.
Social Emotional Climate
Some Statistics on Bullying . . .
According to the YouthTruth Student Survey, 25 percent of students in grades 5-12 report being bullied.This survey draws on anonymous responses from 180,000 students in 37 states, including Texas. The surveyfound that most bullying happened in person, not online. Almost half of all bullied students (44 percent) cited appearance as the reason they were bullied. This survey contains additional information on bullying that can be utilized in supporting bullying prevention activities.
Physical Environment
National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (LPPW)—October 22-28, 2017
The National Center for Healthy Housingoffers resources for National LPPW, such as the recently released report, 10 Policies to Prevent and Respond to Childhood Lead Exposure. Researchers analyzed existing policies for their impacts on public health and health equity (the concept that every person should have the same opportunity to be healthy). One key finding is that providing targeted academic and behavioral interventions for children with a history of lead exposure could increase their lifetime family incomes and likelihood of graduating from high school and college, as well as decrease their potential for teen parenthood and criminal conviction.
Family Engagement
National Teen Driver Safety Week—October 15-21, 2017
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens. Parents Are the Key, a campaign from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), helps parents, pediatricians, and communities keep teen drivers safe on the road. Use the CDC website toreview theEight Danger Zones, create a Parent-Teen Driving Agreement, and download materials.
Being a Healthy Role Model
In recognition of National Health Education Week(October 16-20), parents maytake the opportunity to implement personal behaviors that cancultivate healthy habits in others. The U.S. Department of Agriculture offers a helpful resource:10 Tips: Be a Healthy Role Model for Children, which is available in English and Spanish.
Community Involvement
Volunteer Service to Improve School Performance
Points of Light is aleading volunteer service organization.Its national Corps 18 Education Programallows non-profit organizations and companies to mobilize around boosting the academic achievement of low-income youth. Corps 18 collaborates with schools, communities, and families to develop initiatives that motivate better attendance (e.g., parenting workshops, no-bullying videos, and family science nights). Of students who haveparticipated in the program, 70 percentdemonstrated improvement in attendance, academic engagement, and/or discipline.
Quote to Note
“We can find meaning and reward by serving some higher purpose than ourselves, a shining purpose, the illumination of a Thousand Points of Light. . . . We all have something to give.”
—George H. W. Bush, U.S. president
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The articles and hyperlinks to external websites appearing in Friday Beat are intended to be informational and do not represent an endorsement by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). Other websites may not be accessible to people with disabilities. External email addresses may also be provided as a courtesy. If you choose to correspond, please be advised that DSHS policies may not apply. For information about any of the programs listed, contact the sponsoring organization directly. For comments or questions about Friday Beat, email the School Health Program at or call (512) 776-7279.
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