Friday Beat

November 18, 2016 Edition

The newsletter that takes a Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child approach.

Announcements

Immunization Report—Due: December 9, 2016

This is a reminder that the 2016-2017 Annual Report of Immunization Status is due by Friday, December 9.Please submit your report on the Child Health Reporting System website. For more information, call the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Immunization Unit at (800) 252-9152.

ESSA Public Input Survey—Closes: November 18, 2016

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is seeking public input on implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) for Texas. ESSA is the law that replaces the No Child Left Behind Act.The online survey takes less than 10 minutes to complete but must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. CST today.TEA is encouraging parents, teachers, and community members to share their views on how ESSA can be implemented to meet the educational, health, and other needs of children.

Native American Heritage Month

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Community Food Systems webpage offers numerous fact sheets. To celebrate Native American Heritage Month, schools can refer to the Special Topic fact sheet Bringing Tribal Foods and Traditions into Cafeterias, Classrooms, and Gardens. It includes links to websites as resources.

Professional Development Opportunities

School-Based Health Center (SBHC) Program

The Center for School, Health and Education at the American Public Health Association (APHA) seeks applications for A Program to Improve Graduation by Integrating Public Health Prevention and Primary Care in Schools. This program, which is in its fourth year, merges evidence-based capacity building assistance with practice-enhancing technical assistance to increase the health and graduation outcomes of at-risk youth. Activities for the next cohort begin in early 2017.

Funding Opportunities

Healthy Smiles, Healthy Children (HSHC)

HSHC: The Foundation of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) offers Single-Year grants of up to $20,000 for community-based initiatives that provide Dental Homes for children from families who cannot afford dental care. The Access to Care grant cycle opened in October, and applications are due by December 15, 2016. Projects must have dentist involvement and matching funds (cash or in kind).

Health Education

Injury Data Fact Sheets

The Children’s Safety Network (CSN) has posted child and adolescent fact sheets by state that analyze injury hospitalizations and fatalities for 2016. Each fact sheet describes factors associated with suicide, drug overdose, falls, and motor vehicle traffic crashes. Information from the Texas 2016 State Fact Sheet, such as the top five causes of injury fatalities, will be highlighted in future Friday Beat editions.

Nutrition Environment & Services

School Nutrition (SN) Magazine

The School Nutrition Association (SNA) makes its flagship publication SN Magazine available each month on the SNA website, where you can find featured recipes and Bonus Web Content for current and archived issues. The November issue contains information about SN’s third consecutive “Where’s Ruby Roaming?” contest, which is open to entries until January 27, 2017. This month’s issue also provides a recap of National School Breakfast Week 2016 and explores new ways of serving cereal.

Health Services

Flu Shot Reminder!

If you have not yet been vaccinated against the influenza virus, the Thanksgiving break may be the perfect time. Flu season is here and no one wants to be sick during the holiday break in December. Once vaccinated, your body still needs two weeks to develop antibodies to protect you from the virus. Visit the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) website to learn more about the flu and to find vaccination locations. You may also visit the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) website to find vaccination locations in other states.

Social Emotional Climate

Webinar: What Happens When Districts Prioritize SEL?

From 2:00 to 3:15 p.m. CST on November 30, 2016, the American Institutes for Research (AIR) will co-host Bringing Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) to the Forefront. This will include a panel of researchers and practitioners who will discuss ways in which leaders have embedded SEL in district and school priorities.

Employee Wellness

The Great American Smokeout (GASO) 2016

Every year on the third Thursday in November, people take part in the American Cancer Society’s GASO by quitting their nicotine habit or helping others plan to quit. Tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the world; it causes at least 12 types of cancer. The Texas Department of State Health Services operates the free and confidential Quitline at (877) YES-QUIT. Web-based referrals and support are available at YesQuit.org.

Family Engagement

At Home - Move More Activities

Children should have 60 minutes of physical activity per day. With their Game-On Activities, the Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK) provides numerous suggestions for families to accomplish this goal while having fun at the same time. The Thanksgiving break could be an opportune time to try one of the At Home - Move More activities.

Community Involvement

Webinar: Overcoming Transportation Barriers to Access Healthy Food

At 1:00-2:00 p.m. CST on December 1, 2016, the Safe Routes to School National Partnership will present Safe Routes to Healthy Food: Where Food Access and Active Travel Intersect. Presenters will discuss why active-transportation advocates and food-access advocates should collaborate, as well as provide examples of how communities across the country have made it easier and safer for people to access nutritious food by walking, biking, or taking public transit.

Quote to Note

“Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.”

Anton Chekhov, Russian author and playwright

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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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