Friday Beat
A publication of the Texas Department of State Health Services
School Health Program
June 27, 2014 Edition
For additional resources on these topics and others related to school health
education and services, visit the School Health Program website at
www.dshs.state.tx.us/schoolhealth
The Whole Child Initiative
Each child in each school in each of our communities deserves to be healthy, safe, engaged, supported and
challenged. That’s what a whole child approach to learning, teaching and community engagement really is.
Launched in 2007, ASCD's Whole Child Initiative is an effort to change the conversation about education from a
focus on narrowly defined academic achievement to one that promotes the long term development and success
of children.
Through the initiative, ASCD helps educators, families, community members, and policymakers move from a vision
about educating the whole child to sustainable, collaborative action. In all future issues of the Friday Beat, indicators
for success associated with each Whole Child Tenet will be featured through supporting articles. For information
about this initiative, go to ASCD’s Whole Child Education website at www.wholechildeducation.org.
Whole Child Tenet #1
HEALTHY
Each student enters school healthy and learns about and practices a healthy lifestyle.
Indicator: Our school sets realistic goals for student and staff health that are built on accurate data and
sound science.
Components: Leadership, Assessment
Counseling and Mental Health Services:
Pennsylvania District's Initiative Focuses on Emotional Skills
Students in a Pennsylvania school district are learning to respond, feel and relate to others under the district's Social
and Emotional Learning initiative. "Oh this has made a world of a difference," kindergarten teacher Shelia Harkins
said. "My classroom is a community of learners. They are so eager to help each other and support each other."
Read the news story at http://www.wfmz.com/lifestyle/Life-Lessons/life-lessons-emotional-learning/26440840.
Being ‘Cool’ in Early Adolescence Can Lead to Adult Problems
New research suggests teens who tried to act cool in early adolescence were more likely than their peers who didn’t
act cool to experience a range of problems in early adulthood. The findings, published in the journal Child
Development, are the result of a decade-long study by researchers at the University of Virginia. Teens who were
romantically involved at an early age, engaged in delinquent activity and placed a premium on hanging out with
physically attractive peers were thought to be popular by their peers at age 13. But over time, this sentiment faded: By
22, those once-cool teens were rated by their peers as being less competent in managing social relationships. They
were also more likely to have had significant problems with alcohol and drugs, and to have engaged in criminal
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activities, according to the study. Read about it at http://psychcentral.com/news/2014/06/16/being-cool-in-earlyadolescence-can-lead-to-problems-in-adulthood/71271.html.
Teachers Use GoNoodle "Brain Breaks" to Enhance Learning
More than two million students reportedly have used the online classroom activity tool called GoNoodle, which
features "brain break" activities and exercises to enhance the learning environment. Teachers use the tool an average
of four times per day to help calm students or to get them energized and active. Read the story at
http://www.tennessean.com/story/money/2014/06/23/gonoodle-helps-kids-focus-de-stress-exercise-class/11239957/.
Parent and Community Involvement:
How "Shared Use" Space Can Help Schools Support Community Wellness
Although schools and their surrounding jurisdictions are often entwined, they don’t always work together to promote
student and community health. Shared use agreements and policies can fix this by marrying school wellness with
community health to improve outcomes for everyone involved. Educators, who are often overlooked in the process,
can play a major role in making shared use happen. Read more at http://www.edutopia.org/blog/shared-outdoorspaces-ben-winig.
Healthy and Safe School Environment:
CDC Releases Uniform Definition of Bullying
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines bullying as "any unwanted aggressive behavior(s) by
another youth or group of youths who are not siblings or current dating partners that involves an observed or
perceived power imbalance and is repeated multiple times or is highly likely to be repeated."
Learn more at http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/youthviolence/bullyingresearch/index.html.
CDC Releases Preventing Youth Violence: Opportunities for Action
Preventing Youth Violence: Opportunities for Action and its companion guide provide information and action steps to
help all community members be a part of the solution. There are steps that community leaders and members, public
health professionals, families, adults who work with youth, and young people can take today that can stop youth
violence before it starts. To access Opportunities for Action, go to
http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/youthviolence/pdf/Opportunities-for-Action.pdf. To access the companion
guide, go to http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/youthviolence/pdf/Opportunities-for-Action-Companion-Guide.pdf.
Healthy Learning Environments
The school environment should encourage all students to make healthy eating choices and be physically active
throughout the school day. Schools can and should ensure that students learn the knowledge and skills needed to
make healthy decisions. School leaders can help encourage this by helping students make healthy choices using
policies and practices that create a school environment that supports clear expectations for healthy behavior by
faculty and staff, as well as students. Read more at http://www.ascd.org/publications/newsletters/policypriorities/aug04/num38/toc.aspx.
Students Share Lessons On Kindness
Fifth-graders at an Ohio school created and shared "kindness kits" with younger students. Kits included a book about
kindness and other tools and resources, such as a "talking stick" to help students take turns when speaking during
class. Read the news story at
http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/upperarlington/news/2014/06/24/barrington-elementary-schoolkindness-kits-meant-to-inspire-younger-students.html.
How Gender Stereotypes May Affect Empathy
Meg Bear, Group Vice President of Oracle’s Social Cloud, calls empathy “the critical 21st century skill.” She believes
it’s the “difference between good and great” when it comes to personal and professional success. Researchers at
Greater Good Science Center out of the University of California, Berkeley, echo Bear’s assertion. They define
empathy as “the ability to sense other people’s emotions, coupled with the ability to imagine what someone else might
be thinking or feeling. Read more at http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/06/why-its-imperative-to-teach-empathy-toboys/.
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Health Services:
Sports Physicals: Convenient Versus Comprehensive?
High school athletic associations, school districts, and competitive travel leagues often require a recent physical exam
for children who participate in sports. Requirements vary related to the content and providers of sports physicals and
little is known about parental preferences. In March 2014, the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on
Children’s Health asked a national sample of parents about sports physicals. Read the full report at
http://www.mottnpch.org/reports-surveys/sports-physicals-convenient-versus-comprehensive.
Physical Education and Activity:
California Lawmakers Aim to Restrict Football Practices to Cut Concussions
Concerns that concussions could lead to brain damage among high-school athletes led California lawmakers to aim
to limit Thursday the number of football practices wherein students can tackle one another. "We have a multitude of
evidence that this does not just affect professional athletes, but that younger kids who are still developing are just as
susceptible," said Democratic Assemblyman Ken Cooley, author of the bill. Read about it at
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/06/19/us-usa-california-football-idUSKBN0EU2T520140619.
School Districts Reinvest in Music, Art, and P.E.
Several school districts nationwide are reinvesting in subjects such as art, music and physical education to retain
students and boost achievement. One district in Wisconsin used extra funds to hire more teachers and expand
access to such classes. School systems in Los Angeles, San Diego and Nashville, Tenn., also have taken steps to
revive gym, art and music. Read the news story at http://www.npr.org/blogs/ed/2014/06/23/323033486/to-boostattendance-milwuakee-schools-revive-art-music-and-gym.
Nutrition Services and Education:
Michelle Obama Renews Fight against Delays on School-Lunch Standards
First lady Michelle Obama has reiterated her stance opposing delays in the implementation of school-lunch nutrition
standards despite appeals of some districts for waivers. Obama also touted government plans to re-institute cooking
classes in schools to encourage students to make meals at home rather than eating out. Read the article at
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2014/06/18/michelle-obama-vows-again-to-fight-delays-inenforcing-school-lunch-standards/.
More Groups Join Effort to Ease Federal School Meal Standards
The National School Board Association is joining the School Nutrition Association and other groups in seeking more
flexibility in federal meal standards. First lady Michelle Obama says that "now is not the time" to back away from the
nutritional standards. Read more at http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/06/23/324802957/first-lady-not-alone-incrying-foul-on-school-nutrition-politics.
School Buses Bring Free Summer Meals to Some Florida Students
A Florida school district is using school buses to deliver free summer meals to neighborhoods of migrant families. The
school district already serves more than 200,000 breakfasts and 300,000 lunches at school program sites and camps,
but launched Movin' Meals three years ago for families who may be unable to make it to those sites. Read the story
at http://tbo.com/news/education/free-summer-meals-roll-into-hillsborough-20140622/.
Reducing Junk Food without Hurting the Bottom Line
To illustrate how schools and districts can implement strong nutrition standards for competitive foods without
significant financial losses, the CDC supported a study by the Illinois Public Health Institute (IPHI) and the University
of Illinois, Chicago to examine eight school districts across the country. IPHI published findings and case studies in
the report Controlling Junk Food and the Bottom Line: Case Studies of Schools Successfully Implementing Strong
Nutrition Standards for Competitive Foods and Beverages. Schools can use this resource to find examples of
implementation strategies used to overcome challenges and support strong nutrition standards in schools. Read the
article and the press release at http://iphionline.org/2013/03/controlling-junk-food/.
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Increasing Water Access
The CDC's new tool kit, Increasing Access to Drinking Water in Schools, helps schools make the healthy choice the
easy choice for all students by ensuring access to free drinking water as an alternative to sugar-sweetened
beverages before, during, and after school. The easy-to-use tool kit includes needs assessment tools, implementation
strategies, and evaluation guidance to improve access to drinking water as part of a healthier nutrition environment in
schools. Access the toolkit at http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/npao/pdf/Water_Access_in_Schools.pdf.
Smart Snacks in Schools Rolls out on July 1
Competitive foods, or those that are sold outside of the school meal program, are widely available in schools through
a variety of venues and are the primary source of low–nutrient, energy-dense (junk) foods in schools. Under the new
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) "Smart Snacks in Schools” nutrition standards, America's students will be
offered healthier food options during the school day. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 requires USDA to
establish nutrition standards for all foods sold in schools—beyond the federally-supported meals programs. Learn all
about it at http://www.fns.usda.gov/school-meals/smart-snacks-school.
Food for Thought: What the SNAP Cuts Mean for Students and Schools
Congress approved and President Obama signed a farm bill reauthorization that cuts funding to the Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps. A recent issue of ASCD's Policy Points
explores how the $8.6 billion cut to SNAP over 10 years could affect the nation's students and make them even more
reliant on school meal programs. Read about it at
http://www.ascd.org/ASCD/pdf/siteASCD/publications/policypoints/Food-Stamp-Cuts-Apr-14.pdf.
5 Ways to Help Students Motivate Themselves
"We work hard to motivate our students, but how do we help them motivate themselves?" asks ASCD EDge
community member Ryan Thomas. In his recent blog post, Thomas presents five strategies to help students develop
their intrinsic motivation. Read how at http://edge.ascd.org/_5-Ways-to-Help-Students-MotivateThemselves/blog/6566701/127586.html.
Comprehensive Policies, Reports, Research and Resources:
Living in Poorer Areas May Raise Childhood Obesity Risk
Neighborhood poverty was associated with increased odds of obesity in children, especially blacks, researchers wrote
in the Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology. Data on nearly 1,000 children with low birth weight revealed that
those in poorer communities had an unusually high body mass index at age two, compared with those residing in
more affluent areas. Read about it at http://www.scienceworldreport.com/articles/15584/20140620/children-in-poorneighborhoods-at-greater-risk-of-obesity.htm.
Remarkable Ten Percent Decline in Teen Birth Rates in 2013
According to new data from the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics, both the rate and number of teen births in
the United States are at historic lows. The preliminary 2013 birth data show a rate of 26.6 births per 1,000 females 15
to 19, an amazing ten percent drop in just one year. Birth rates for younger teens (age 15 - 17) declined 13 percent,
and the birth rate for older teen declined by eight percent in 2013. The 2013 state rankings are not yet available, but
in 2012, Texas was #5 among the states for teen birth rates, and #1 for repeat teen birth. Read the report at
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr63/nvsr63_02.pdf?utm_source=Youth+Risk+Behavior%3A+New+Data&utm_c
ampaign=HFA+Newsletters&utm_medium=email.
Overcoming the Challenges of Poverty
"My hope is that no school ever becomes a place where sleepy children are yelled at or where teachers lose our
human compassion. Let's create vibrant classrooms that tap into the brilliance of each child," writes education
consultant Julie Landsman. In the summer issue of Educational Leadership, Landsman shares 15 things educators
can do to make schools and classrooms places where students thrive. Read how at
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/jun14/vol71/num09/Overcoming-the-Challenges-ofPoverty.aspx.
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Supporting Wellness Policies through Evidence-Based Strategies
Bridging the Gap (BTG) collaborated with the CDC to develop a series of briefs highlighting opportunities to support
wellness policies through evidence-based strategies. These briefs provide an assessment of policies across school
districts nationwide, related to seven wellness policy components. They also highlight areas of opportunity for state
agencies, school districts, and schools to strengthen wellness policy components. To see Bridging the Gap's research
on local school wellness policies, including the 2013 report School District Wellness Policies: Evaluating Progress and
Potential for Improving Children's Health Five Years After the Federal Mandate, go to the BTG District Wellness
Policies page at http://www2.actionforhealthykids.org/e/21152/ch-district-wellness-policies-/9ffxv/101390357. Contact
Dr. Jamie Chriqui, Director of Policy Surveillance and Evaluation for Bridging the Gap, at jchriqui@uic.edu with any
questions about the contents of these briefs. For more information on Bridging the Gap, visit
www.bridgingthegapresearch.org.
Quote to Note:
“The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles, but to irrigate deserts.”
C. S. Lewis, Irish novelist, poet, academic, medievalist, literary critic, essayist, lay theologian,
and Christian apologist.
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Friday Beat, contact Ellen Smith at (512) 776- 2140 or by email at ellen.smith@dshs.state.tx.us. Copyright free. Permission granted to forward or
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