Updates & Special Announcements

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• Celebrate World AIDS Day [HTML 4,514kb]
  November 26, 2008 - December 1st is World AIDS Day. This year marks its 20th anniversary. While many countries, such as the U.S., have come a long way in combating HIV, there is still much more that needs to be done. This year’s celebration brings attention to the need to work collaboratively in preventing and treating HIV/AIDS by emphasizing “the power of partnerships.”
  
• Upcoming Webcast: Leadership in School Wellness [HTML 2,984kb]
  November 20, 2008—Mark your calendars: Action for Healthy Kids and the Education Solutions Global Network will host a live webcast on December 8 focusing on leadership in school wellness.
  
• Food Allergy Rates Increase among Children [HTML 4,217kb]
  November 18, 2008 - A report released in October of this year by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) shows that food allergy rates among children is on the rise. The report shows that from 1997 to 2007, the prevalence of reported food allergy increased 18% among children under age 18 years.
  
• 32nd Annual Great American Smokeout [HTML 3,979kb]
  November 13, 2008 - One of the best ways to keep teens from smoking is to make sure that their schools are 100% tobacco-free, and school policies from around the country are reflecting it. How does your school’s policy measure up? The Great American Smokeout on November 20 marks a perfect opportunity to find out. On a day when smokers across the country are laying down their lighters, take a look at what your school is doing to keep teens from picking them up.
  
• New MRSA Education Campaign [HTML 3,546kb]
  November 6, 2008 - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has launched a new education campaign on MRSA, a type of staph bacteria that causes skin and other infections and can be potentially dangerous because it is resistant to certain antibiotics. The campaign intends to help Americans better recognize and prevent MRSA.
  
• Sexual Orientation Bullying within Schools Can Hinder Academic Achievement [HTML 3,959kb]
  October 31, 2008 - A new report released by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLESN) not only shows that the majority of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students in the U.S. feel unsafe within their schools, but also that being harassed causes them to miss school days and have lower educational aspirations and academic achievement.
  
• Federal Government Issues Guidelines on Physical Activity [HTML 2,718kb]
  October 23, 2008—The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has issued the first-ever federal Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans , which describe the amount and types of physical activity that provide health benefits to people over the age of 6, including special populations.
  
• School Wellness Policies Web Seminar [HTML 2,038kb]
  October 16, 2008 – Want to know if your school’s wellness policies are working? Register for the upcoming web seminar offered by the District Administration Magazine: “School Wellness Policies: Do you have one – and is it working?”
  
• Help Prevent the Flu - Celebrate the First-Ever Global Handwashing Day and Get Vaccinated! [HTML 5,130kb]
  October 14, 2008 – Tomorrow, October 15, 2008 is the debut of Global Handwashing Day – an event that will bring the world together in learning about the importance of washing hands with soap to prevent serious illnesses such as the flu. An initiative of the Public-Private Partnership for Handwashing with Soap – a coalition of international handwashing stakeholders – the Day’s vision is a local and global culture of handwashing with soap.
  
• New Report Shows Continued Decline in Substance Abuse among Youth [HTML 4,829kb]
  October 9, 2008 - This week is Mental Illness Awareness Week. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), real recovery from mental illness requires community action, understanding, and teamwork. And recovery is made possible through improved science, better community supports, and reduced stigma. However, significant barriers still exist: services are at risk, insurance can be insufficient, and stigma is still prevalent.
  
• Webinar on the Impact of Rising Food Costs on School Nutrition [HTML 2,001kb]
  October 7, 2008 - Tomorrow, Wednesday, October 8, 2008, don’t miss an opportunity to participate in a free webinar sponsored by the School Nutrition Association (SNA) on the impact of rising food costs on school nutrition.
  
• Celebrate Child Health Day [HTML 3,437kb]
  October 2, 2008 - It is estimated that 1 in 6 children in the U.S. between the ages of 2 and 19 is overweight, a risk factor for serious health conditions including asthma, diabetes and heart disease. October 6, 2008 is Child Health Day – a day to stand against childhood obesity by taking the Surgeon General’s pledge to help children eat healthy and be active.
  
• New Report Shows Significant Cut in Calories of Beverages Offered in Schools [HTML 2,776kb]
  September 25, 2008 - A new report released by the American Beverage Association shows that calories of beverages shipped to schools has been reduced by 58 percent.
  
• New School Health Policies and Programs Study Podcasts [HTML 1,504kb]
  September 23, 2008 - Want an easier way to learn more about the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) School Health Policies and Programs Study (SHPPS) 2006? Tune in to the new SHPPS podcasts.
  
• Two Upcoming Nationwide Events Engage Students in Physical Activity [HTML 1,829kb]
  September 17, 2008 - This Fall, Take a Child Outside Week and International Walk to School Day are both excellent opportunities for schools and parents to get students outdoors and active.
  
• School Nutrition Policies Withstand Economic Hurdles [HTML 4,746kb]
  September 11, 2008 - A new report released by the School Nutrition Association (SNA) shows that school nutrition policies have remained intact despite rising food, labor, and indirect costs.
  
• September 7 – 13 is Suicide Prevention Week [HTML 4,895kb]
  September 3, 2008 - According to the American Association of Suicidology (AAS), every year, over 1 million people die of suicide worldwide and there are several million suicide attempts. Suicide and suicidal behavior affects individuals of all ages, genders, races and religions across the planet.
  
• Recess more prevalent than previously thought, but improvements still needed [HTML 3,662kb]
  August 29, 2008 - The Center for Public Education has released a new report that indicates that recess is offered more frequently than previously cited, but there is still cause for concern.
  
• Apply for EPA’s Indoor Air Quality Awards [HTML 3,025kb]
  August 27, 2008 - Want your school or school district to be honored for their commitment to improve children’s health by promoting good indoor air quality (IAQ)? Apply for the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) IAQ TfS Awards.
  
• New Fact Sheets on Health Behaviors and Academic Achievement [HTML 3,135kb]
  August 21, 2008 - New fact sheets recently released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show possible associations between certain health behaviors and academic achievement.
  
• New Report Indicates Need for Improvement in Addressing School Wellness [HTML 2,336kb]
  August 14, 2008 - A new report from Action for Healthy Kids indicates that, while progress is being made in improving school wellness, there are still significant hurdles to overcome.
  
• August is National Immunization Awareness Month [HTML 3,309kb]
  August 12, 2008 - “Back-to-school” is around the corner – a time for children to buy new clothes and school supplies, but also a time to get healthy and ready to learn. Part of that process includes getting immunized.
  
• New CDC Reports Reveal Trends in HIV Infection Rates and HIV Education [HTML 3,855kb]
  August 8, 2008 - A breakthrough technology is allowing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to obtain the clearest picture on HIV infection rates to date. According to the new surveillance system, approximately 56,300 new HIV infections occurred in the United States in 2006. Analysis suggests that the epidemic has been roughly stable since the late 1990s, but the number of new infections remains unacceptably high, according to the CDC.
  
• New CDC Webpage Focuses on Disparities among Hispanic Youth [HTML 3,472kb]
  July 31, 2008 - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH) has a new webpage that focuses on health disparities among Hispanic youth.
  
• NIH Study Reports Drop in Physical Activity Levels as Children Get Older [HTML 4,110kb]
  July 24, 2008 - Children’s physical activity levels decrease dramatically between the ages of 9 and 15, a new study by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) shows.
  
• Research Links Childhood Overweight to Lower Academic Achievement; New Report Shows What States are Doing to Combat Childhood Obesity [HTML 4,953kb]
  July 17, 2008 - A new study shows that childhood obesity is predicted by a variety of social, behavioral and environmental factors, and is also linked to lower academic performance.
  
• New Report Shows that Cigarette Use among High School Students Has Stalled [HTML 2,268kb]
  July 10, 2008 - A new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) shows that current cigarette use among high school students in the U.S. remained stable from 2003 to 2007. This comes after a significant seven year decline - according to the report, in 1997, the prevalence of current cigarette use among high school students was 36.4%, and, in 2003, the prevalence was 21.9%.
  
• New Publication Relays Successes in Establishing Local Wellness Policies [HTML 2,710kb]
  July 3, 2008 - A publication recently released by the School Nutrition Association (SNA) shows how school nutrition operators and their allies in the school and community have met challenges and seized opportunities presented by local wellness policies.
  
• CDC Releases 2006 School Health Profiles [HTML 3,190kb]
  June 26, 2008 - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released the report School Health Profiles: Characteristics of Health Programs among Secondary Schools. The report includes state and local school-level data from the 2006 School Health Profiles Survey on the following topics: school health education; physical education; health services; nutrition-related policies and practices; school health policies related to HIV/AIDS prevention, tobacco-use prevention, violence prevention, and physical activity; as well as family and community involvement in school health programs.
  
• NSBA Uses Multiple Opportunities to Support Tobacco Use Prevention among Youth [HTML 3,461kb]
  June 19, 2008 - This week, the National School Boards Association (NSBA) joined the National Association of Secondary School Principals and the American School Health Association in supporting legislation that would dramatically improve the protection of the health of young people by allowing the Food and Drug Administration to regulate tobacco products, restricting the advertising, marketing and sales of tobacco products to children.
  
• NASPE Issues Position Statement on Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs [HTML 4,022kb]
  June 12, 2008 - A new position statement released in May by the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE)recommends comprehensive school physical activity programs (CSPAPs) for all pre-K through 12th-grade schools that include physical activity programming before, during, and after school.
  
• CDC Releases the 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Survey [HTML 5,212kb]
  June 5, 2008 - On June 4, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released results from the 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). The data reveal that the nation s high school students are showing overall improvements in health-related behaviors, that is, they are less likely to engage in many health risk behaviors than high school students in the early 1990s. However, results indicate that Hispanic students remain at greater risk for certain health related behaviors.
  
• CDC Releases Asthma-Friendly Schools Toolkit [HTML 1,932kb]
  May 29, 2008 - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released a new toolkit to assist advocates at the district and school levels in informing schools and communities about the importance of asthma-friendly schools.
  
• Are Your Schools Tobacco-Free? May 31 is World No-Tobacco Day! [HTML 1,979kb]
  May 28, 2008 - World No Tobacco Day is celebrated annually on May 31st. The occasion, sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO), is an opportunity to educate the public on the effects of tobacco use, the business practices of tobacco companies, and ways in which people around the world can protect future generations from tobacco addiction and disease.
  
• Report Shows the Need for Prevention Strategies to Keep Adolescents Healthy [HTML 4,395kb]
  May 13, 2008 - A report on adolescent health in the United States, released in the end of 2007 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), shows that the majority of adolescents are healthy when assessed by traditional measures of morbidity and mortality, but that there are still many social and behavioral threats to their health. Adolescent Health in the United States, 2007 reveals that the most costly and widespread adolescent health problems are often related to risky behaviors and are potentially preventable such as: unintended pregnancy, sexually-transmitted infections, violence, suicide, unintended injuries, and the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs
  
• National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day [HTML 2,344kb]
  May 8, 2008 - Today, many are celebrating National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day across the country. The Day’s main goal is to raise awareness of effective programs for children’s mental health needs. This year’s theme is “Thriving in the Community,” with a special emphasis on high school youth. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), when high school youth receive the services they need, they are more likely to have positive outcomes such as better grades and higher rates of education. They are also less likely to have negative outcomes, such as involvement with the juvenile and criminal justice systems.
  
• NSBA Releases New Publication on Food Safety in Schools [HTML 4,365kb]
  May 1, 2008 - Did you know that each year as many as 76 million people in the U.S. experience a foodborne illness, which result in 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths? Did you know that about 3% of the foodborne illness outbreaks reported nationwide between 1990 and 1999 occurred in schools and that approximately 6% of the U.S. student body has a significant food allergy, which may put them at risk for a potentially life-threating allergic reaction?
  
• Help Teens Make Smart Choices – Teach Them the Dangers of Abusing Prescription Medication [HTML 5,219kb]
  April 28, 2008 - A new program designed to educate teens about the serious risks of abusing prescription medicines has been launched. Developed by National Association of School Nurses (NASN), with funding from PriCara, Division of Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Smart Moves, Smart Choices includes web-based resources and a series of videos, which are part of an in-school newscast called “the.News.”
  
• CDC’s Pre-teen Vaccine Campaign [HTML 4,110kb]
  April 24, 2008 - When people think of the importance of vaccines, they usually think of infants and young children. But, vaccines aren’t just for these groups. As children enter their teen years, they also need protection from many diseases.
  
• Several Opportunities In May to Celebrate Health in Schools [HTML 5,842kb]
  April 17, 2008 - The month of May has several events that can help schools promote children’s health, create healthier and safer school environments, and get students ready to learn.
  
• CDC Funds State and Local Government Agencies for School Health [HTML 1,972kb]
  April 9, 2008 - Want to partner with your state or local government to improve student health and the success of your schools? Then check out the newly updated Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH) funded partners’ webpages. On March 1st, 2008, the CDC began a new funding cycle for state, territorial, and local agencies and tribal governments, which the CDC refers to as “801 partners.”
  
• Updated USDA's Eat Smart Play Hard Website [HTML 3,496kb]
  March 26, 2008 - Want to spread the message of healthy eating and physical activity among students? Then check out the newly revamped United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Eat Smart. Play Hard. website. The website has been updated with new resources, ready-to-go tools, and ideas on how to use them.
  
• Participate in National Kick Butts Day [HTML 2,488kb]
  March 19, 2008 - National Kick Butts Day (KBD) is Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008. KBD is a day of activism that empowers youth to speak up and take action against tobacco use at more than 2,000 events nationwide.
  
• Plan an Event for Asthma Awareness Month in May [HTML 4,966kb]
  March 13, 2008 - Asthma is the leading cause of school absenteeism. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), asthma affects approximately 22 million people of all ages and races within the U.S., and more than six million of those are children. Asthma is the most common serious chronic illness among children, and accounts for one third of all pediatric emergency room visits. Despite these statistics, public awareness of common asthma triggers and asthma management remains limited.
  
• March – A Month with Many Reasons to Encourage Healthy Eating among Students [HTML 8,138kb]
  March 6, 2008 - March is National Nutrition Month – a campaign created by the American Dietetic Association (ADA) to focus attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits.
  
• Interested in Planning an Event for National Healthy Schools Day, April 28th? [HTML 1,375kb]
  March 4, 2008 - The Healthy Schools Network is offering two dial in calls to help you plan an event to celebrate National Healthy Schools Day on April 28th.
  
• Working Collaboratively to Enhance Mental Health in Schools and Increase Student Achievement [HTML 6,936kb]
  February 28, 2008 - Why is mental health in schools important? According to a new publication released by the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) National Center for Mental Health in Schools, 1) mental health services made available through schools help assess and meet the needs of students and their families; and 2) addressing psychosocial and mental and physical health concerns is essential to the academic performance of some students. “Mental Health in Schools and School Improvement: Current Status, Concerns, & New Directions” shows that advancing mental health in schools does not only mean expanding services in schools; it also involves becoming part of a comprehensive, multifaceted systemic approach that strengthens students, families, schools, and communities which in turn maximizes learning, caring, and well-being.
  
• It’s Not too Late to Help Your Schools Prevent the Flu [HTML 4,713kb]
  February 21, 2008 - Winter is almost over, but influenza outbreaks still linger. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the flu season begins as early as October and can last until May. Flu activity is currently elevated across the nation. During the week of February 3 – 9, 2008 alone, 44 states reported widespread influenza activity.
  
• SAMSHA Issues New Report on Nicotine Dependence; Report has Significant Implications for School-Aged Children [HTML 3,225kb]
  February 15, 2008 - A new report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) demonstrates that among past-month cigarette smokers aged 12 or older, 57.7 percent met the criteria for past-month nicotine dependence.
  
• CDC Report Reviews School Laws and Policies Concerning Child and Adolescent Health [HTML 3,855kb]
  February 8, 2008 - According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), school health laws and policies can lead to improved wellbeing and academic performance of children and adolescents in schools. These laws and policies can promote programs and strategies to create an environment in which youth can be healthy and ready to learn.
  
• CDC Updated Its Alcohol and Drug Use Webpages [HTML 4,678kb]
  January 31, 2008 - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH) recently updated its Alcohol and Drug Use webpages. The webpages now include new resources, links and CDC podcasts.
  
• NASBE Publication Relays State Strategies to Support Local Wellness Policies [HTML 6,346kb]
  January 24, 2008 - An Issue Brief released by the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) in October 2007 showcases promising state-level strategies that could strengthen local school wellness policies. The brief's goal is to provide education policymakers with a broad overview of wellness policy strategies that have been implemented in several states across the country, and with that, strengthen the capacity of local school districts in developing their own wellness policies.
  
• CDC Launches New Student Health and Academic Achievement Webpage [HTML 3,405kb]
  January 16, 2008 - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH) has started a new webpage that focuses on the link between health and academic achievement as well as the relationship between educational success and life-long healthy behaviors.
  
• Need Help with Health Education Curriculum? Check Out the HECAT! [HTML 3,612kb]
  January 10, 2008 - According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), health education is essential to an overall school health program, and choosing and developing a good health education curriculum is necessary to ensure that a health education program is effectively promoting healthy behaviors. Nevertheless, choosing an appropriate health education curriculum can be difficult when there is little or no structure and focus. Within that context, the CDC developed HECAT – a Health Education Curriculum Analysis Tool.