Friday Beat
December 8, 2017 Edition
The newsletter that takes a Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child(WSCC) approach.
Announcements
Health Alert: Flea-Borne Typhus
Last week the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) issued a health alert due to increased cases of flea-borne (murine) typhus in multiple parts of Texas this year. Rats, cats, and opossum may harborthis bacterial infection, which typicallyspreads to humans via flea feces. For more information, please review the DSHS Health Alert.
Stock Epinephrine Advisory Committee (SEAC) Members
The Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is seeking two members from Higher Education for the SEAC. The extended application deadline is December15, 2017. To find out what is required of SEAC members and how to apply for the open positions, please refer to the Texas Health and Human Services website.
DSHS-School Nurse Notes (DSHS-SNN)
The DecemberDSHS-SNN, Supervision of Nursing Care Provided, is now available on the TexasSchool Nurse Practice webpageby clicking on the DSHS-School Nurse Notes box at the top of the page. If you have any suggestions or questions, please use theEmail School Nurse Consultantlink at the bottom of the webpage.The next issue of DSHS-SNN will be released in February 2018, on the Peer Review Process.
Funding Opportunities
Salad Bars to Schools (SB2S)
Last month, SB2S announced they had reached the milestone of placing over 5,000 salad bars in schools across the country. SB2S works in partnership with other organizations to bring students daily access to fresh fruits and vegetables. To learn which schools qualify for salad bars and how to apply, visit the SB2S FAQs webpage.
Health Education
Healthy People 2020 Progress Review Webinar
On December 12, 2017, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. CST, theU.S. Department of Health and Human Services will host Learning and Growing: Healthy Development During Childhood and Adolescence.The webinar will also cover the City of Cincinnati Health Department’s comprehensive approach to providing school-based health services.
Power Up! Curriculum and Materials
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) created Power Up! Supercharge Your Food and Fitness as a resource targeted to teen needs and interests. The teen years are an important time to give people the tools they need to eat healthfully and be physically active. The curriculum consists of 12 lessons and supplemental activities with associated handouts and supporting materials (all downloadable).
Physical Education & Physical Activity
Working with Local School Boards and Elected Officials
TheSafe Routes to School National Partnership (SRTS) offers two fact sheets that provide pointers on how to build effective working relationshipswithSchool Boards and Principals and Local Elected Officials. The fact sheets are based on lessons learned from fellow SRTS practitioners and leaders. The hyperlinkedwebpage contains many related resources, such as toolkits and webinars.School Health Advisory Councils (SHACs), in particular, may find these resources helpful in understanding the roles of individuals who are able to support SHAC activities.
Nutrition Environment & Services
Webinar: Integrating Nutrition Education into a Well-Rounded Education
On December 13, 2017, at 3:00-3:30 p.m. CST, Action for Healthy Kids will present this webinar. Strategies and lesson ideas will be explored for incorporating nutrition education into core subject areas at multiple grade levels.
Lunch Quality and Academic Performance
This research study examines the end-of-year academic test scores of public elementary and middle school students in California from 2008 to 2013.About 12 percent of the schools in the study contracted with a private company for school lunches, while the majority of schools prepared lunches in-house. Researchers scored the nutritional quality of each company’s lunch menu using the Health Eating Index (HEI). They found that when a school contracted with a healthy food vendor for the school year, students’ test scores improved. The study concluded that increasing food quality is a cost-effective means of raising academic achievement.
Health Services
New Website for Adolescent Substance Use
The University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), in collaboration with the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, recently launched a resource hub for providers, parents, youth, and administrators interested in implementing substance abuse prevention and early intervention initiatives in their communities. In particular, the website provides resources to assist in implementingSBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment) for adolescents. The Schools webpage includes school-specific guides and tools that may be used in tandem with other resources on the website.
Counseling, Psychological, & Social Services
The Commonality of Childhood Trauma
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) can have devastating, long-lasting effects on children’s health and well-being. In Texas, 26 percent of children have experienced one ACE, and 25 percent have experienced two or more ACEs, by the time they are 18 years old. Access the ACEs Data Toolkit to learn more about the nine type of ACEs and the latest data and trends associated with them.
Social Emotional Climate
Restorative Discipline Practices
This brief Edutopiaarticle, though written one year ago, remains relevant in part because it highlights the interrelationship amongrestorative discipline,positive school climate, and students’ social and emotional learning (SEL). Brian H. Smith, Ph.D., who is interviewed in the article, explains that the main goals of restorative practices are to build relationships and repair harm. These factors foster a positive school climate, but students need SEL skills to manage the interpersonal facility required with restorative practices.
Family Engagement
Webinar: Connecting Parentsand Guardians to EWS
On December 14, 2017, at 2:00-3:00 p.m. CST, the National Student Attendance, Engagement and Success Center (NSAESC) will present this webinar. The speakerwill discuss how to get families and the community involved in Early Warning Systems(EWS)and how to engage caringadults in attendance, behavior, and course performance (ABCs).
‘Tis the Season for Scouting
From now through New Year’s Day, the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPW) has events listed in itsholiday calendar.Families can exercise together and enjoy the outdoors while exploring Texas State Parks, and several offer holiday-themed events. Visit the TPW website for active family ideas!
Quote to Note
“They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.”
—Andy Warhol, painter andfilmmaker
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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.
Public Domain. Permission granted to forward or make copies as needed.
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