2006 Updates & Special Announcements

Resources

• New Report Shows Childhood Asthma to be a Significant Public Health Care Problem in the U.S. [HTML 6,410kb]
  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the prevalence rates of childhood asthma are at historically high levels. The State of Childhood Asthma, United States, 1980-2005, published in Advance Data from Vital and Health Statistics, shows the significant burden of asthma through its prevalence, health care use, and mortality rates. In 2005, 8.9% of children had asthma and 5.2% had at least one asthma attack.
  
• New Action for Healthy Kids Report Shows That Kids Can be a Catalyst for Change in the Fight against Obesity [HTML 8,307kb]
  A new Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK) Field Report shows that involving students in the fight against obesity can be very effective. The report portrays an initiative launched by the Massachusetts AFHK called “Students Taking Charge”, in which six pilot high schools were awarded grants of $1,000 in fall of 2004. The grants were used to aid students in helping to develop, evaluate, and work on a “toolkit” about nutrition and physical activity in the school environment, and subsequently to help students assess their own school environments, plan for improvement, advocate for change, and implement a sustainable, policy-based action plan.
  
• Help Prevent the Flu - Participate in National Handwashing Awareness Week [HTML 6,483kb]
  December 3-9 is National Handwashing Awareness Week, an event promoted by the Henry the Hand Foundation. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), handwashing is the single most important means to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, such as the flu, which the CDC estimates kills 36,000 people each year, as well as other infections such as foodborne illnesses.
  
• December 1st is World AIDS Day [HTML 7,395kb]
  December 1st is World AIDS Day – a day that serves to focus attention on the devastating impact HIV/AIDS has had around the world. Established by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1988, World AIDS Day provides an opportunity for governments, national AIDS programs, churches, community organizations and individuals to demonstrate the importance of the fight against HIV/AIDS.
  
• November 27-December 3 is National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW) [HTML 6,431kb]
  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has designated the week November 27 through December 3, as National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW). This event’s objective is to raise awareness of the importance of continuing influenza (flu) vaccination, as well as to foster greater use of the flu vaccine through the months of November, December, and beyond. According to the CDC, national interest in getting a flu vaccination has traditionally tapered off after Thanksgiving. However, flu activity typically does not peak until February or later, therefore, November and December are also good times to be vaccinated.
  
• New Action for Healthy Kids Report Shows the Importance of Getting Parents Involved in Fighting Childhood Obesity [HTML 5,674kb]
  In the fight against childhood obesity, schools play a major role in teaching children to be physically active and eat healthy. However, the greatest impact happens when there is a connection between school and home, that is, when parents have an understanding of what kids are learning and hearing about healthy eating and physical activity at school, and when parents grasp the importance of emphasizing it at home.
  
• New NSBA Book Portrays Students Affected by HIV/AIDS [HTML 2,677kb]
  The National School Boards Association (NSBA) has released Living with HIV/AIDS: Students Tell Their Stories of Stigma, Courage, and Resilience, a new book that focuses on the challenges that students affected by HIV and AIDS have dealt with in growing up and at school, as well as the opportunities school officials have to contribute to their well-being. The book is also a timely reminder that, 25 years after the first reports of AIDS in the United States, schools still have a significant role to play in helping build HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention.
  
• Participate in the Great American Smokeout 2006! [HTML 4,494kb]
  Join the American Cancer Society in participating in the 30th Annual Great American Smokeout on Thursday, November 16th, 2006! The event challenges smokers to quit smoking for the day! Adults and children across the country will be raising awareness about tobacco use, helping smokers to quit, and learning about tobacco prevention measures.
  
• Food Industry Leaders Agree to Healthier Snack Guidelines for Sales to Students [HTML 5,802kb]
  On October 6, 2006, the Alliance for a Healthier Generation – a joint initiative between the William J. Clinton Foundation and the American Heart Association – and representatives from Campbell Soup Company, Dannon, Kraft Foods, Mars, and PepsiCo announced an agreement to adhere to new, healthier guidelines for snack foods supplied to schools.
  
• New Study Indicates that Language Challenge Can Affect Parental Involvement at School [HTML 3,947kb]
  A new study recently released by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCHS) indicates that the primary language spoken in the home and poverty status may hinder communication between parents and their child’s school. Whether it is due to the inability to understand English, unfamiliarity with the school system, or differences in cultural norms regarding appropriate levels of parent-school involvement, parents of children from a language minority household and those from lower income households show lower levels of parent-school interaction.
  
• Celebrate National Latino AIDS Awareness Day October 15 [HTML 6,626kb]
  October 15th is National Latino AIDS Awareness Day (NLAAD). This year’s theme is Knowledge is Power. Get the Facts. Get Tested for HIV. On NLAAD, over 1,000 institutions in 350 cities across the continental United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands will sponsor activities that relate to the state of AIDS among Latinos in their specific communities. NLAAD’s objective is to raise awareness, prevent infection and celebrate the day as a recognized day of remembrance.
  
• New School Health Index Training Manual [HTML 4,010kb]
  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Adolescent and School Health recently released the School Health Index Training Manual – a packaged set of materials for conducting trainings or presentations on the School Health Index: A Self-Assessment and Planning Guide (SHI).
  
• Stigma Associated with Mental Health among Youth and Implications for School Mental Health Services [HTML 7,934kb]
  A survey conducted by Harris Interactive revealed that youth believe that kids with depression are more likely to be made fun of than those who have asthma, for example. It also showed that children would rather work closely on a school project with an asthmatic student than one who has depression.
  
• Participate in October’s Celebrations and Help Promote Children’s Health [HTML 6,510kb]
  October presents many opportunities for schools and communities to promote life long healthy behaviors among children. First and foremost, October is Children’s Health Month. This year’s theme, promulgated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is Promoting Healthy School Environments.
  
• New Resource Helps Make School Wellness a Reality [HTML 6,615kb]
  Creating local wellness policies can present many challenges. Nevertheless, there are many tools and resources made readily available to help school districts move forward with and implement sound and adequate wellness policies. A recently added resource is We Can! – Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity and Nutrition which can help schools comply with wellness policies tasks and requirements.
  
• New Study Indicates Decrease in U.S. High School Students' HIV-related Sexual Risk Behaviors [HTML 1,916kb]
  A new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) indicates that the percentage of U.S. high school students engaging in HIV-related sexual risk behaviors decreased between the years 1991 and 2005. The results are based on an analysis of the biennial national Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) conducted during that period.
  
• Two New Websites with Materials for Students and Caregivers about Healthy Eating and Activity [HTML 3,236kb]
  This month the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) launched two new websites as part of its Eat Smart. Play Hard. campaign. The sites will help caregivers and children learn about balancing their food intake and activity levels, as well as have parents and other caregivers better understand the need for the new wellness policies and get them involved in teaching students about healthy lifestyles.
  
• Pandemic Flu Program for Schools Now Available on DVD [HTML 2,397kb]
  "The Facts on Pandemic Flu--Keys for Schools in Planning, Preparedness, and Procedures" is a 90 minute program that was aired "live" nationally on Education Solutions Global Network (ESGN) on June 14, 2006. Now available on DVD, the program provides useful and practical information to school personnel including school board members, superintendents, school health professionals, counselors, and others. It features Dr. Anne L. Bryant, Executive Director, National School Boards Association and Eddie Hedrick, Senior Epidemiology Specialist, Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
  
• New Data on Nutrition and Physical Activity Education in Public Secondary Schools [HTML 4,201kb]
  According to a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), nearly all secondary schools in 25 states and 10 urban school districts provided education to students on nutrition and physical activty topics through required health education courses and taught key related topics. CDC analyzed data from the 2004 School Health Profiles for public secondary schools serving students in grades 6-12. Since 1994, the School Health Profiles survey has been conducted once every two years by state and local education and health agencies to assess school health programs.
  
• The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Now Accepting Applications for Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Awards [HTML 7,050kb]
  Since 2000, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has recognized over 100 schools that have developed sound, comprehensive, sustainable Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)management plans, demonstrated a commitment to the health of their students and to IAQ, and promoted IAQ practices both in and out of the classroom.
  
• Participate in Game On! The Ultimate Wellness Challenge, a Back-to-school Event that Focuses on Nutrition and Physical Activity [HTML 9,891kb]
  In support of school districts’ new wellness policies, Action for Healthy Kids has created “Game On! The Ultimate Wellness Challenge,” a tool kit for a back-to-school event that provides the opportunity for students, parents, teachers, administrators, and others to celebrate coming back-to-school with a fresh approach. The Game On! event integrates nutrition, physical activity and learning through a series of fun-filled activity stations that will stimulate minds and bodies and remind the school community of your commitment to, as well as the need for, good wellness practices. Partners are working with districts, communities, and schools to host Game On! The Ultimate Wellness Challenge events in every state culminating with a national event on the afternoon of October 5, 2006, in Washington, D.C.
  
• Two Recent Reports Provide Information to Promote Tobacco-free Schools [HTML 6,814kb]
  Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Office of the Surgeon General at the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently released reports about tobacco that are relevant to smoking and tobacco education and school policies.
  
• Two Papers Provide New Information for Wellness Policy Discussions and Implementation [HTML 6,840kb]
  Two papers were published in the last month that contain information that will be useful to districts as they finalize and implement their wellness policies. The Department of Education released Calories In, Calories Out: Food and Exercise in Public Elementary Schools, 2005, the results of a survey of public elementary schools that looked at the opportunities students have to both consume and expend calories. In addition, the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) published a position paper Recess for Elementary School Students, which describes NASPE’s position on the importance of recess in elementary schools.
  
• 2005 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) data now available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [HTML 6,023kb]
  The Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) of health risk behaviors in high school students grades 9 – 12 in 50 states and the District of Columbia is conducted every two years by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The 2005 report, published June 9, 2006 in the Morbidity and Mortality (MMWR) Surveillance Summaries, provides national data collected by CDC, data from 40 states and local data from 21 urban areas that decided to participate. The survey monitors behaviors in high school students such as tobacco, alcohol and drug use, physical injury or violence, sexual behaviors, and dietary and physical activity habits that can lead to serious health issues. It has been conducted since 1991 and provides a broad picture of how the behavior of high school students has – or has not – changed over the years. Because of the number of students involved, it also provides good data on racial, ethnic, gender, and age differences which will allow policy makers to focus prevention efforts in the most effective manner.
  
• Adolescent Victims of Physical Dating Violence are More Likely to Engage in High Risk Behaviors [HTML 3,103kb]
  According to a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), one in eleven high school students, or approximately 1.5 million high school students, report physical dating violence (PDV) annually. Students who experience PDV victimization, as defined by reports of having been hit, slapped or physically hurt by their boyfriend or girlfriend in the last year are also more likely to report engaging in four of five high risk behaviors: sexual intercourse, attempted suicide, episodic heavy drinking, and physical fighting. PDV was not associated with current cigarette use.
  
• 25th Anniversary of HIV/AIDS in the United States [HTML 4,309kb]
  Monday, June 5, 2006 marks the 25th anniversary of the first reported case of what is now known as the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). On June 5th, 1981, the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) published a report of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in five previously healthy young men in Los Angeles, CA. These cases were later recognized as the first reported cases of AIDS in the United States; from these initial MMWR reports on an emerging illness, AIDS has grown into a global pandemic affecting men, women and children in nearly every country of the world. It is estimated that the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the cause of AIDS, has infected more than 65 million people worldwide, causing more than 25 million to die according to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS.
  
• Tobacco's Worldwide Impact: Participate in World No Tobacco Day [HTML 4,770kb]
  World No Tobacco Day, sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO), is observed every year on May 31. This year’s theme is Tobacco: Deadly in Any Form or Disguise. The goal is to raise awareness about the harmful health effects of all forms of tobacco (e.g., cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, bidis, kreteks, clove cigarettes, cigars, shisha [flavored tobacco smoked in a hookah pipe], and others). Tobacco use is associated with cancers of the lungs, throat, mouth, larynx, esophagus, pancreas, cervix, kidney, stomach and bladder and life threatening diseases such as cardiovascular disease.
  
• Participate in a National Webcast on What Schools Can Do to Prepare for a Potential Pandemic Flu Outbreak [HTML 3,975kb]
  On June 14, 2006 from 10 – 11:30 am Central time and again from 5:30 – 7:00 pm Central time, the Missouri School Boards Association will host “The Facts on Pandemic Flu: Keys for Schools in Planning, Preparedness, and Procedures – A National Issue,” as a live broadcast to your computer. The viewer fee is $40.00.
  
• New Shape of the Nation on status of physical education in schools [HTML 12,630kb]
  On May 2, 2006 the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) and The American Heart Association (AHA), jointly released the most recent Shape of the Nation Report: Status of Physical Education in the USA. This survey of the current status of physical education in each state and the District of Columbia found that most states receive a failing grade on their physical education requirement.
  
• Beverage Companies Agree to Healthier Beverage Guidelines for Sales to Students [HTML 14,182kb]
  On May 3, 2006 the Alliance for a Healthier Generation – a joint initiative of the William J. Clinton Foundation and the American Heart Association – and representatives from the American Beverage Association, Cadbury Schweppes, Coca-Cola, and PepsiCo announced an agreement to adhere to new, less-caloric guidelines for beverages supplied to schools.
  
• Celebrate National Physical Fitness and Sports Month and The President’s Council’s 50th Anniversary [HTML 10,846kb]
  May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. This year’s celebration includes the 50 years of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (PCPFS) which has helped individuals, schools, communities, businesses, and organizations promote healthy lifestyles.
  
• New Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool [HTML 6,331kb]
  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has published the Physical Education Curriculum Analysis Tool (PECAT) to help school districts conduct clear, complete, and consistent analyses of written physical education curricula, based upon national physical education standards.
  
• Participate in the Action for Healthy Kids Web Forum on the Role of School Wellness in Creating High-Performing Schools [HTML 2,921kb]
  On Thursday, April 27, 2006 from 3:00 to 4:15 pm ET, Action for Healthy Kids will be hosting an interactive web forum for school administrators and school policy-makers on “The Role of School Wellness in Creating High-Performing Schools.”
  
• Participate in National PE Day [HTML 2,956kb]
  On May 2 and 3, join PE4life, Sporting Goods Manufacturing Association (SGMA), champion celebrity athletes, top industry leaders, educators and physical education advocates to support and celebrate PE4life’s annual National PE Day as well as honor the achievements of individuals and organizations committed to physical education and healthy lifestyles for children. This is the 6th Annual National PE Day and event activities will be held in Washington, DC.
  
• May is Asthma Awareness Month [HTML 4,135kb]
  Asthma has reached epidemic proportions in the United States, affecting approximately 20 million people of all ages, particularly children. Although asthma is widespread, public awareness of common asthma triggers and ways to manage asthma remains limited. Within that context, in 1999, the Global Initiative for Asthma, a joint project of the World Health Organization and the National Heart, Lung, Blood Institute at the National Institutes of Health, established World Asthma Day and Asthma Awareness Month.
  
• New Report Shows How Schools Can Help Students Make Better Food Choices [HTML 6,827kb]
  In 2001, the Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity identified schools as a key setting for addressing the problems of poor nutrition and inadequate physical activity – two root causes of the current obesity epidemic among the nation’s children. In order to help schools in their efforts to combat obesity among children and youth, Action for Healthy Kids released a new report in January which showcases a demonstration project and technical assistance model developed to provide insight into the strategies, tactics, and actions necessary to help students make better food choices.
  
• New School District Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist [HTML 7,498kb]
  Crises vary in scope and intensity from incidents that affect a single student to ones that impact the entire school and/or community; and crises can happen before, during, or after school and on or off school campuses. In essence, a crisis is a situation where schools could be faced with inadequate information, not enough time, and insufficient resources, but in which leaders must make crucial decisions. An example of a crisis schools might face is a pandemic influenza outbreak. Knowing what to do when faced with a crisis can be the difference between calm and chaos, between courage and fear, as well as between life and death.
  
• Celebrate National Kick Butts Day [HTML 3,635kb]
  National Kick Butts Day (KBD) is Wednesday, April 5, 2006. This year KBD will pay special attention to 1200 – the number of Americans who die every day from tobacco and secondhand smoke. KBD has established project 1200 to help people visualize the number 1200 and understand the impact of these tobacco-related deaths.
  
• Celebrate National Nutrition Month® [HTML 7,163kb]
  March is National Nutrition Month® (NNM) – a nutrition education and information campaign sponsored annually by the American Dietetic Association. Initiated in March 1973 as a week-long event, it became a month long observance in 1980 in response to a growing public interest in nutrition. The campaign is designed to focus attention on the importance of making healthy and informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits.
  
• National School Breakfast Week Starts March 6 [HTML 6,290kb]
  The School Nutrition Association (SNA) is inviting schools around the nation to celebrate school breakfast during National School Breakfast Week (NSBW), March 6 through March 10. This year’s theme is: “Go Places with School Breakfast,” which explores the wide world of travel and stresses the importance of a good breakfast as an important aspect of children reaching their full potential. The theme is based on the premises that just like a car, plane or train, children need fuel to make their daily journey.
  
• Participate in the National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day [HTML 5,897kb]
  March 10, 2006 marks the first annual National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. This day is intended to raise awareness on the increasing impact of HIV/AIDS transmission on women and girls.
  
• The American Academy of Pediatrics Has New Resources for Asthma Management [HTML 8,102kb]
  The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) with funds from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Adolescent and School Health (CDC/DASH), has developed, implemented and is currently evaluating the Schooled in Asthma project.
  
• EPA Releases Guidance on Reducing Lead in Drinking Water in Schools [HTML 8,144kb]
  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released a new guide to help schools reduce lead in drinking water: 3Ts for Reducing Lead in Drinking Water in Schools. This guide provides the information schools need to: identify potential sources of lead in their facilities; monitor school drinking water for elevated lead levels; resolve problems if elevated lead levels are found; and communicate about their lead control programs.
  
• Help Teens Avoid Too-Early Pregnancy and Parenthood in the Month of May [HTML 7,484kb]
  May is National Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month (NTPPM). NTPPM is sponsored by Advocates for Youth and seeks to involve communities in promoting and supporting effective teen pregnancy prevention initiatives.
  
• Participate in the National Public Health Week and Help Raise Healthy Kids [HTML 7,712kb]
  In 1995, President William Jefferson Clinton proclaimed the first full week in April as National Public Health Week (NPHW). During this week, he called on federal, state, and local health agencies to work with private organizations towards building healthier communities and awareness of public health issues around the country. This year’s NPHW will be held from April 3-9. The focus will be on children and the built environment and the theme is “Designing Healthy Communities: Raising Healthy Kids.” The American Public Health Association (APHA) aims to use NPHW 2006 to improve understanding of the relationship between the built environment and the health and safety of children and to promote solutions to improving children's health.
  
• Free EPA Software is Now Available to Help Schools Evaluate and Manage Environmental Issues [HTML 5,042kb]
  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed the Healthy School Environments Assessment Tool (HealthySEAT) – a free software tool to help school districts evaluate and manage school facilities for key environmental, safety, and health issues. The HealthySEAT is designed to be customized and used by district-level staff to conduct self-assessments of school facilities and to track and manage information on environmental conditions on each school within the district.
  
• Analysis Reveals that Most Behaviors that Precede Major Causes of Preventable Death Begin in Young Adulthood [HTML 6,294kb]
  A recent analysis funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that, by the time American youth reach early adulthood, a large proportion of them have begun poor practices which contribute to the three leading causes of preventable death in the United States: smoking, overweight and obesity, and alcohol abuse. The analysis also revealed that significant health disparities exist between racial groups, and that Americans are less likely to have access to health care when they reach adulthood than they did during adolescence.
  
• February 7 is National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day [HTML 4,730kb]
  February 7th is recognized annually as the National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NBHAAD) – a nationwide community mobilization effort to increase awareness, participation and support for HIV prevention, care and treatment among African-Americans.