Updates & Special Announcements

Resources

• Archives
  View previous Updates & Special Announcements beginning in 2006.
  
• New study: parents have less influence on children’s eating behaviors than previously thought; Joint use agreements as a wellness tool [HTML 2,957kb]
  July 2, 2009—A recent study published by the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health indicates that parental influences on the eating habits of children and youth may be weaker than previously thought.
  
• Historic new law regulates tobacco products [HTML 3,075kb]
  June 26, 2009 -- This week, President Obama signed into law bipartisan legislation granting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority to regulate the manufacturing, marketing and sale of tobacco products. This law, The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, is the strongest action the federal government has ever taken to reduce tobacco use. Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death in the U.S., and 1,000 kids become regular smokers every day. Nearly 90 percent of smokers start smoking before the age of 18.
  
• Apply for EPA’s Indoor Air Quality Awards [HTML 3,798kb]
  June 25, 2009 - Want your school or school district to be honored for its commitment to improve children’s health by promoting good indoor air quality (IAQ)? Apply for the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) IAQ TfS Awards.
  
• H1N1: Guidelines for Schools [HTML 12,646kb]
  June 12, 2009 - Education Secretary Arne Duncan and Health & Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius sent a joint letter to all schools in the U.S. yesterday on the current status of H1N1 planning. June 11 also was the date that the World Health Organization declared a global H1N1 flu pandemic, a decision “based on the sustained worldwide spread of H1N1, not the severity of illness caused by the virus.”
  
• Celebrate National HIV Testing Day [HTML 6,867kb]
  June 19, 2009 - National HIV Testing Day (NHTD) is June 27. This event was initiated in 1995 by the National Association of People with AIDS to encourage people to “Take the Test, Take Control.” Currently, almost 40 percent of people with HIV are not diagnosed until after they developed AIDS and that can be up to 10 years after they first become infected. Finding out HIV status is the first step to improving the health of those infected and reducing transmission.
  
• New toolkit helps school and community policymakers create healthier schools and communities [HTML 2,432kb]
  June 11, 2009 - Leadership for Healthy Communities recently launched the new Action Strategies Toolkit: A Guide for Local and State Leaders Working to Create Healthy Communities and Prevent Childhood Obesity.
  
• School Connectedness is Focus of New CDC Publication [HTML 3,672kb]
  June 4, 2009 - A new publication on school connectedness recently released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that, when students feel connected to school, they are more likely to succeed academically and engage in healthy behaviors.
  
• New National Survey of Children’s Health [HTML 3,683kb]
  May 28, 2009 - The 2007 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) has just been released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics. The 2007 survey examined the physical and emotional health of children and special emphasis was placed on medical homes, family interactions, parental health, school and after-school experiences, and safe neighborhoods.
  
• World No Tobacco Day and the Truth About Philip Morris' "Education" Campaign [HTML 3,663kb]
  May 21, 2009 -- World No Tobacco Day is celebrated globally every year on May 31st. The event, sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO), is an opportunity to educate the public on the negative health outcomes associated with tobacco use and the deceitful marketing practices of tobacco companies, and is also a means of protecting future generations from the harmful effects of tobacco.
  
• Increase Your School’s Food Allergy Awareness [HTML 3,677kb]
  May 11, 2009 - Food Allergy Awareness Week is May 10-16, a time to focus public awareness on this growing health problem. Along with the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN), the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is encouraging all Americans to help those affected by this life-limiting condition.
  
• May is National Youth Traffic Safety Month; Safe Routes to School Programs Policy Report [HTML 3,082kb]
  Help keep students safe and healthy while traveling to and from school: start a Safe Routes to Schools Program in your district and celebrate National Youth Traffic Safety Month.
  
• May is National Physical Fitness & Sports Month [HTML 2,465kb]
  April 30, 2009—May is National Physical Fitness & Sports Month—a great opportunity to get students up and moving, and to encourage them to get involved in different fitness and sports activities they can continue over a lifetime. Physically fit students not only stay healthier but also reap a multitude of additional benefits.
  
• Celebrate the National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy [HTML 4,484kb]
  April 23, 2009 - The National Day to Prevent Teen Pregnancy is May 6, 2009. According to the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, the purpose of the day is straightforward: too many teens still think “It can’t happen to me.”
  
• Celebrate National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day [HTML 2,006kb]
  April 16, 2009 - Celebrated on May 7, 2009, Awareness Day is a day for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the initiatives and communities it supports to promote positive youth development, resilience, recovery, and the transformation of mental health services delivery for children and youth with serious mental health needs and their families.
  
• NEW! Promising District Practices Website [HTML 2,565kb]
  April 14, 2009 - NSBA’s School Health Programs department is pleased to announce a new online resource: the Promising District Practices website. This website shares success stories related to school health policies and practices being implemented in school districts and schools around the country.
  
• Celebrate Asthma Awareness Month [HTML 5,547kb]
  April 8, 2009 - Asthma can negatively impact student and staff health and school performance. Besides being one the most common serious chronic illness among children, it is also one the leading causes of school absenteeism. In 2003, an estimated 12.8 million school days were missed due to asthma.
  
• Celebrate National Healthy Schools Day [HTML 3,673kb]
  April 3, 2009 – National Healthy Schools Day is April 27, 2009. Sponsored by the National Healthy Schools Network, Inc. and the National Coalition for Healthier Schools, this day promotes and celebrates healthy school environments that are conducive to learning and protect school occupants. The day unites schools, parents, personnel, advocates, and agencies nationwide to promote healthy and green school environments for all children and school staff.
  
• Learn about the latest in school health: Sign up for our new RSS feed [HTML 964kb]
  April 1, 2009 - The National School Boards Association’s School Health Programs is pleased to announce a useful and exciting addition to its Updates and Special Announcements webpage: the RSS Feed.
  
• Upcoming Webcast on Cyberbullying [HTML 4,803kb]
  March 27, 2009 - On April 22, the Stop Bullying Now! Campaign will host a webcast on cyberbullying. The webcast will help participants learn about best practices in cyberbullying prevention and intervention and how to lend support when bullying occurs.
  
• Celebrate Kick Butts Day [HTML 4,677kb]
  March 19, 2009 - March 25, 2009 marks the fourteenth annual Kick Butts Day, an event that encourages young people to stand up against the tobacco industry. Participation is particularly important this year in light of new research indicating that tobacco companies have greatly increased efforts to target women and girls with purse-friendly packaging, and “slim,” “light,” and “feminine” products.
  
• New Findings on Diabetes among Youth [HTML 3,055kb]
  March 11, 2009 - New findings from the nation’s largest study of diabetes in youth, called SEARCH, shows that the disease is one of the most common chronic diseases in children and adolescents and that its occurrence is on the rise among every racial and ethnic group. Study results are presented in the March supplement of Diabetes Care within five articles related to these specific populations: non-Hispanic whites, Hispanics, blacks, Asian/Pacific Islanders and American Indians/Navajo Nation.
  
• Celebrate National Nutrition Month [HTML 4,917kb]
  March 6, 2009 – March is National Nutrition Month (NNM). This year’s theme is “Eat Right.” Created by the American Dietetic Association, the campaign focuses attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. This celebration provides a great opportunity for schools to increase awareness about the importance of eating healthy as well as revise and develop nutrition policies and programs.
  
• New Research: Physical Activity During School Improves Classroom Behavior [HTML 2,452kb]
  February 26, 2009--A new study published in the February 2009 issue of Pediatrics indicates that when children are given at least one break of 15 minutes or more during the school day, their classroom behavior improves. This research adds to the growing body of evidence that physical activity during the school day can provide myriad benefits for student health and academic achievement.
  
• Celebrate National School Breakfast Week [HTML 4,242kb]
  February 20, 2009 – Growing research shows that children who eat breakfast have improved memory, problem-solving skills, verbal fluency and creative abilities, and are better able to ward off obesity. National School Breakfast Week (NSBW) is March 2-6, 2009. The main goals of NSBW are to share important messages with students, parents and the media including: 1) The SBP is available in many schools, meets dietary guidelines and is a tasty and fun way to start the school day; 2) There is an established link between eating breakfast and academic success; and 3) Eating a nutritious breakfast can help kids maintain a healthy weight.
  
• New Youth-Related Resources from the CDC [HTML 5,131kb]
  February 16, 2009 - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH) has released new resources to help schools keep students healthy and ready to learn: 1) A new noise-induced hearing loss webpage; 2) New School Health Policies and Programs Study (SHPPS) 2006 District Report Cards and fact sheets; and 3) An updated Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (HECAT).
  
• Celebrate the Great American Spit-Out [HTML 3,912kb]
  Just as the Great American Smokeout is celebrated every November, so is the Great American Spit-Out every February. Spit tobacco often conjures images of older men, baseball players, and cowboys, but according to the 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 13.4% of high school boys reported current spit tobacco use.
  
• Special Report on Childhood Obesity Puts Spotlight on School Leaders [HTML 2,861kb]
  February 5, 2009—A special report in the February 2009 issue of the American School Board Journal highlights ways in which school leaders can support wellness and combat childhood obesity in their districts.
  
• Report Shows the Benefits of a School Breakfast Program [HTML 5,446kb]
  January 29, 2009 - In these tough economic times, the face of hunger is a familiar one – it has struck not only the poor, but people of other socioeconomic levels as well. Of the 35 million Americans currently affected by hunger, 10 million are children. What are the effects of hunger on children, the educational system, and the nation? What would an increase in school breakfast programs do to curb such a problem?
  
• New Cyberbullying Prevention Package for Schools [HTML 2,925kb]
  January 22, 2009 – NSBA’s Technology Leadership Network has partnered with CyberSmart! to distribute their free Cyberbullying Package to schools nationwide. The package was developed by examining all current research findings and best practices on cyber security, school violence prevention, and character education. The package offers schools the opportunity to begin a dialogue with students and build a sustained cyberbullying prevention campaign.
  
• Saved by the Lunch Bell: As Economy Sinks, School Nutrition Program Participation Rises [HTML 2,930kb]
  January 15-- The School Nutrition Association has published an analysis of student participation in free and reduced price breakfast and lunch programs during the 2008-2009 school year. The report, Saved by the Lunch Bell: As Economy Sinks, School Nutrition Program Participation Rises, which examines 137 school nutrition programs in districts of varying size in 38 states, appears as a follow up to Heats On: School Meals Under Financial Pressure, published in September 2008.
  
• School Nutrition Policy Changes Children’s Dietary Habits [HTML 3,680kb]
  January 9, 2009 - A study published in the January 2009 issue of the Journal of Nutrition shows that a policy restricting the availability of unhealthy snacks in elementary schools led to an increase in fruit and vegetable consumption among fifth-graders.
  

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