Friday Beat
June 8, 2018 Edition
The newsletter that takes a Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) approach.
Announcements
Extended Deadline—Texas School Health Advisory CommitteeApplications
The Texas Department of State Health Services is accepting applications for membership on the Texas School Health Advisory Committee. Applications are being accepted for three categories including: one representative of an organization or agency; one school superintendent, school principal, or school district board member; and one physician, physician’s assistant, or nurse practitioner. If interested in school health programs and school health issues, please review the category criteria and committee requirements. Download applications online, and email completed applications to by June 15, 2018.
June is National Safety Month
June is recognized as National Safety Month. The National Safety Council has posted free resources for each week of the month, focusing on different themes. This year’s four major themes include emergency preparedness, wellness, falls, and driving. Summer safety tips are also provided. Access the resources online.
Summer Learning Preparation Resources
The UCLA Center for Mental Health in Schools has compiled a “Quick-Find” webpage for after-school and summer programs. The webpage includes info on how to launch programs, tackle issues, assess their effectiveness, and a comprehensive list of research on after-school programs. Review the webpage by going online.
Professional Development
National Center for School Engagement Professional Development Series
Join the National Center for School Engagement for a series of webinars from June 11 to 15, 2018. The webinars will discuss creating a trauma informed school, problem solving, improving and evaluating attendance, and preventing dropout. Sign up for one or all of the webinars by visiting the webpage.
Funding Opportunities
TEA Announces Physical Fitness Character Education Expansion Pilot Grants
The Physical Fitness Character Education Expansion Pilot Grant Program provides funding for middle, junior or high school campuses to expand a physical fitness character education program to additional campuses within a district currently implementing the program. Programs to be expanded should deliver physical education instruction and character education lessons to kids in grades 6-12. The grant program is designed to measure a program’s impact on student’s academic achievement, attendance, discipline, physical fitness, and other areas. Apply by June 22, 2018 by 5:00p.m. CDT. Review application criteria and submission details online!
Health Education
CPR Programs Expanding Across U.S. High Schools
Considered a crucial skill, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a requirement for graduating high school in 39 of 51 states. This coming fall, California and other states will join the list. The average survival rate form cardiac arrest, can increase by 10 percent or more depending on how quickly CPR is initiated by a capable individual. To learn more about CPR class curriculums and see which states have the requirement, go online.
Physical Education & Physical Activity
Know Your Dose Campaign, the Acetaminophen Awareness Coalition
While physical activity is great for overall health, testing limits can lead to physical discomfort and fatigue. It is common for kids and adults to turn to acetaminophen to overcome these discomforts, among other ailments. The Know Your Dose Campaign is working to educate the public on how to use medicines containing acetaminophen safely at all ages across scenarios. Review and download free materials for use in the home, health office, waiting rooms, and at schools, by going online.
Nutrition Environment & Services
Fundraising for Farm to School
Join the National Farm to School Network on June 19, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. CDT for a webinar discussing fundraising for farm to school. Led by the network’s director, the webinar will discuss opportunities and avenues for fundraising. Sign up online today.
Health Services
NASN’s Back-to-School Interactive Health Office
The National Association of School Nurses (NASN) has updated their interactive health office website to help school health staff prepare for the upcoming school year. The toolkit assists in navigating the NASN website by introducing users to new or updated student and family outreach initiatives, health office tools with templates, resources that articulate school health staff’s roles, and new educational courses. Explore the toolkit online.
CDC Feature: Schedules your Preteen's Summer Vaccines
Summer is a common time for doctor’s visits for pre-teens and others. According to the CDC, boys and girls at ages 11 or 12 should plan on getting their HPV, Meningococcal conjugate, and Tdap vaccines. Additional catch-up vaccines may be needed. Consult your doctor and review the CDC webpage to plan your child’s summer check up!
Counseling, Psychological, & Social Services
NAEP 2017 Results: Happiness and Sense of Belonging at School
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) released its 2017 results this April. Included in the redesigned survey were two questions assessing student’s happiness and sense of belonging at school. With 300,000 fourth-and eighth-graders participating, 49 percent of fourthgraders said they are happy in school “all or most of the time,” while only 26 percent of eighthgraders felt the same. Feeling “awkward” or “out of place” was also assessed in the survey. To learn more about student feelings across gender, race, and other areasread the article.
Social & Emotional Climate
Addressing School Adjustment Problems
With the start of summer, a new school year is just around the corner. The fall comes with new schools, teachers, and other adjustments that can present difficulties and discomfort for students. It is a teacher’s role to be proactive and assist students as best they can in overcoming these new environments. Read the brief and learn new strategies to help students adjust.
Physical Environment
The Association between Smoking and E-Cigarette Use in Adolescence
With the increasing rate of e-cigarette use, it’s difficult to determine if smoking initiates e-cigarette use, or the opposite is true. A recent study surveyed adolescents 11 to 18 year’s olds to determine use escalation of tobacco products. The results showed that use of either product was related to use of the other product, with escalation from e-cigarette use, to smoking being more likely. Learn more by reading the research, online.
Family Engagement
Free Sun Smart U Education Materials
The Skin Cancer Foundation has developed the free Sun Smart U education program to help teachers educate students about sun safety and prevent skin cancer. The program is aligned with the CDC’s National Health Education Standards for middle and high school students. Explore interactive lesson plans, prevention guidelines, stories from survivors, and much more by going online.
Community Involvement
Assessing the Meaningful Inclusion of Youth Voice in Policy and Practice
The Research and Training Center for Pathways to Positive Futures at Portland State University has released their most recent State-of-Science Series article. The newest edition discusses the importance of capturing youth’s voice in developing youth based policies. Consistent and meaningful engagement of youth can be difficult but beneficial to program advancement. Read the brief to learn how to include youthin the decision making process for organization and systems moving forward.
Quote to Note
“Put your heart, mind and soul into even your smallest acts. This is the secret of success.” – Swami Sivananda, Hindu spiritual teacher
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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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