Friday Beat
Month 16, 2018 Edition
The newsletter that takes a Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) approach.
Announcements
Spinal Screening Policy Changes for 2018-2019 School Year
House Bill 1076, 85th Legislature, Regular Session, 2017, allows the Department of State Health Services to consider the most recent, nationally-accepted, peer-reviewed recommendations when considering appropriate age for conducting mandatory spinal screening. Read about the changes to the Spinal Screening Policy in the 2018-2019 school year online. For questions, call 512-776-7420 or toll free 1-800-252-8023, extension 7420 or email .
Expert Panel Provides Recommendations on Using Photo-screening
In response to stakeholder feedback and as part of House Bill (HB) 3157 implementation activities, the Texas Department of State Health Services Vision Screening Program convened an expert panel to provide recommendations related to screening children for vision disorders.HB 3157 explicitly allows schools to use photo-screening technology as part of the screening process, but it does not require schools to use this technology. Read the panel’s five recommendations online.
Vision Screening Open Meeting: March 22, 2018
The Vision Screening Program is holding an open meeting to accept public comment related to vision screening. The meeting will be held on Thursday, March 22, 2018 at 1:00 p.m. CDT at the Department of State Health Services, Moreton Building in Room M-100. The address is 1100 West 49th Street, Austin, TX 78756. For questions, email or call 512-776-7420 or toll free 1-800-252-8023, extension 7420.
Professional Development
APHA: Public Access to Firearms Research for All
On March 6, 2018, the American Public Health Association (APHA) announced that all research papers, commentaries and analytic essays on public health and firearms published in the American Journal of Public Health will be available free of charge with no subscription required to access the research, data and findings. The APHA believes better public access to peer-reviewed research will lead to better policies from professionals in schools and communities. Review the research online.
Funding Opportunities
Action for Healthy Kids: Parents for Healthy Kids Grant
Action for Healthy Kids is pleased to announce that grants are now available for the 2018-2019 school year. Their Parents for Healthy Kids Grants are for parents or parent groups that are interested in leading school based physical activity or nutrition programming that will engage more parents in student and family health. Grants of up to $1,000 are available. Learn how to apply online.
Health Education
SOPHE 69th Annual Meeting: Igniting Change and Innovation— The Impact of Health Education
The Society of Public Health Education’s 69th Annual Conference will be held at the Hyatt Regency in Columbus, Ohio from April 4-6, 2018. This year’s theme of “Igniting Change and Innovation” highlights ways for health educators to improve their classroom programming and address an array of topics. Pre and post conference workshops are also available. Register for the conference online.
Physical Education & Physical Activity
2018 Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee Submits Report
The 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee has submitted recommendations to the US Department of Health and Human Services. The Scientific Report, describes findings from the Committee’s systematic review of scientific evidence to inform the next edition of the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. To see the recommendations, read the brief online.
Nutrition Environment & Services
Fruit and Vegetable Safety
In light of national nutrition month, the CDC has highlighted the importance of eating a balanced diet. Eating a diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables keep kids healthy and ready to learn.To receive full nutrients, vegetables need to be selected with care. With kids being at high risk for foodborne illness, it’s important they learn how to select and prepare food properly. Tips for how to select foods for nutritious meals and how to prepare and store foods are provided on the website.
Health Services
NFID Webinar—HPV Vaccination: Improving Coverage
The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) will present a webinar titled "HPV Vaccination: Recommendations and Strategies for Improving Coverage" on March 21at 11:00 p.m. (CDT). NFID medical director, William Schaffner, MD, and subject matter experts Joseph A. Bocchini, Jr., MD, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, and Shannon Stokley, DrPH, Immunization Services Division of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, CDC, will provide anupdate on current HPV vaccine recommendations, vaccine safety and effectiveness, and strategies for improving immunization rates.Register on the NFID website.
Counseling, Psychological, & Social Services
Counselors and Special Educators in Rural Schools Working Together
School counselors and special educators can be a powerful team in helping schools create a positive school community. For example, one school community though the guidance of their counselors and special educators implemented a School Wide Positive Behavior support program. To learn how school staff can work together to implement support programming, read the article.
Social & Emotional Climate
Webinar—SHACs in Action: Social Emotional Learning
Wednesday, March 28 from 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. CDT join Action for Healthy Kids for a webinar titled “SHACs in Action—Social Emotional Learning.” The webinar will discuss what is included in Social Emotional Learning, what effective programming looks like, and how you SHAC can get involved. Register for the webinar online.
Physical Environment
NIH: Kids Environment, Kids Health
The monthly newsletter from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is featuring their Kids Environment Kids Health website this March. The website features resources for kids, parents, and teachers to discover more about health, science, and the environment we live in today. Visit the website, to learn more.
Employee Wellness
The Art & Science of Health Promotion Conference—March 26-30, 2018
The 28th Annual Art & Science of Health Promotion Conference will be held at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego, CA, March 26-30. The year’s theme of Best Science + Expert Implementation= Best Outcomes focuses on combining scientific knowledge with expert management to produce better health outcomes. Topics include worksite wellness, health promotion, and health education. Register online to attend the conference.
Family Engagement
Archived Webinar— Engaging Families through Home Visits
The second webinar of a four webinar series, Equity Matters discusses educators can address inequities to improve access and opportunities for students. In this webinar, educators discuss family engagement as one of the many keys to student success. Watch the webinar to learn how to implement home visits as a way to implement effective engagement. Register online.
Community Involvement
Evaluation of Healthy Lifestyles Initiative for Improving Community Capacity
The Healthy Lifestyle Initiative is a capacity building initiative that supports policy, systems, and environmental approaches to increase healthy eating, active living, and reduce childhood obesity rates in Missouri and Kansas. By the means of multiple engagement strategies, the initiative has implemented evidence based approaches to obesity prevention in schools and other community based environments. To see which approaches were most effective read the research study.
Quote to Note
“From the bitterness of disease man learns the sweetness of health.”
–Catalan Proverb
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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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