Health & Safety News From GCC of PTAs

No one will argue the importance of continually seeking innovative ways to improve academic performance. One method may be the incorporation of brief energizers into the school day. Research clearly indicates that children need both structured and unstructured physical activity to promote optimal brain function. Both Physical Education and recess are important components of a child's school day, but sometimes just taking five minutes out for a fun activity can reenergize both students and teachers alike without significantly impacting adademic time--and quite possibly improving outcomes.

Let's work together to find solutions that will truly benefit our children-physically, emotionally, and academically.

Article submissions are welcome from any non-profit organization. The deadline is the 5th of each month.

In Health,

Nancy Kondracki, MS, RD, LDN

GCC of PTA's Health and Safety Chair

School Wellness Policy Survey

Get Healthy Guilford (GHG) is a community coalition whose mission is to reduce and prevent obesity through policy and environmental changes that increase healthy eating and physical activity among young people.

Why we are concerned:

Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in North Carolina (NC). From 2001 to 2007, the proportion of high school students who became overweight or obese increased from 27% to 30%. That's an increase of nearly 25,000 students, or enough to fill 325 school buses.

In 2008 NC ranked 14th in the nation in overweight and obesity for youth ages 10-17. Almost one-third of youth in this age group were overweight or obese. 10.3% of Guilford County High School students were overweight.

Your participation in a BRIEF survey about the School Wellness Policy will help us begin the process of improving the health of our children. This survey will take about 3 minutes to complete online. Your feedback will be kept private and confidential. We will share the compiled results without identifying any particular school or individual.

*We are asking that school principals distribute this survey link to their staff, and that PTA Health & Safety Chairs or Presidents distribute it to their school's parents and fellow PTA board members. Your support is needed in order for this effort to be successful! Survey data will be collected through December.

*Take the survey today, and encourage your friends and colleagues to do the same! Wellness Policy Survey Help us provide our kids with a healthier environment in which to live and learn!--The Get Healthy Guilford Access to Healthy Foods Subcommittee

Congratulations to Winning Schools

The Guilford Parent Academy would like to extend congratulations to 13 schools for being named 2011/12 recipients of the Guilford County Schools, YMCA, and Cone Foundation Health & Wellbeing Grant.

The schools are as follows:

Allen Jay Elementary Archer Elementary Bluford Elementary Dudley High School

Hampton Elementary Hunter Elementary Irving Park Elementary Oak View Elementary

Peck Elementary Rankin Elementary Sedgefield Elementary Smith High School

Welborn Academy

Jones Elementary Garden Team Participates in National Day of Service and Remembrance

On Sunday, September 11, 2011 the Healthy Lifestyles team at Jones Elementary invited the school to join them in their garden and help top off their 10 raised beds with compost and plant seeds for their fall crops.

Thirty volunteers including students, neighbors, parents, and a teacher showed up to get dirty, work hard, and enjoy each other's company. They hope to harvest buttercrunch lettuce, mixed leaf lettuce, Chinese radish, carrot, kale, Swiss chard, Brussels sprouts, broccoli rapini, and parsnips at the end of the growing season. They also installed two strawberry planters which will hold about 50 plants each. They will plant in late fall and harvest mid-May.

The weather was perfect, just like it was in 2001, and it felt good to do something together, serve the school, and remember the reason why they were volunteering on that specific day. They put together an inspiring video of their service in the Jones Garden. For more information or to view the video contact: Jenn Schell, Jones Elementary

Health and Safety Chairs Needed

PTA Units, please solicit a volunteer to serve as your Health and Safety Chair if you do not already have someone in this position.

A wellness-oriented child advocate is truly needed in each and every school. Remember to Register this person as an official team member.

Thank you!

It's Time for Your Child's Annual Flu Shot (and Yours Too!)

An annual influenza (flu) vaccination is recommended for everyone ages six months and older. Guilford County Department of Public Health (GCDPH) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) are encouraging flu vaccination as soon as it is available in your community.

Call GCDPH at (336) 641-3245 to schedule an appointment at either the High Point or Greensboro office. Please have your health insurance or Medicaid or Medicare card, if you have one, ready when you make your appointment. Call as cost varies depending on your coverage. Children age eight and younger who have not had a flu shot previously will need two doses.

Other flu prevention tips include:

frequent and thorough hand washing and/or the use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers
coughing and sneezing into your bended elbow or sleeve
staying home when you are sick
staying away from others who are sick
eating healthy foods and
getting enough rest to avoid flu and other viruses and colds.

For more information, visit: Prevent Flu

Lynne Beck, BS, RHEd; Media Relations Manager and Community Health Educator

Guilford County Department of Public Health

Tobacco Policy Update

As we start the 2011-2012 school year, the Guilford County Tobacco Reality Unfiltered (TRU) Youth Advisory Board (YAB) would like to remind all students, staff, parents and visitors that all Guilford County Schools are 100% tobacco free.

This policy, which was passed in 2001 includes the use of not only cigarettes and other products that produce smoke, but also all smokeless tobacco products. This policy applies to all areas of campus including athletic fields, bathrooms, and car rider lines.

The Guilford County TRU YAB is a group of middle and high school students from all over Guilford County who work to educate their peers and the community on the dangers of tobacco use, encourage and enforce secondhand smoke policies, and help people who want to quit using tobacco. We do a lot of work in the community and are always looking for new volunteers. If your child is interested, please contact Michelle Gill-Moffat at (336) 641-3571.

Michelle Gill-Moffat, Guilford County Tobacco Use Prevention Coalition Youth Coordinator

Importance of Choosing Healthy Fundraising

Help fight childhood obesity. Consider healthy options when choosing fundraisers for your school! You'll not only earn lots of money for your programs, but you'll feel good about it too.

School Fundraising Toolkit, Healthy Fundraiser

Healthy Sprouts Awards to Support Youth Gardening Programs

Kids Gardening Logo

Children today spend more time in the virtual world than the natural world. How can we expect the next generation to care for the environment if they feel disconnected from it and lack understanding about the impact of their actions on our health and food supply, both locally and globally?

One solution: Get them in the garden!

Garden programs engage children by providing a dynamic environment where they can observe, discover, experiment, nurture, and learn. Through gardening activities, children develop respect for their environment and establish an important connection with nature.

Edible gardens in particular provide opportunities for youth to learn how to nurture and care for other living things while also learning how to care for themselves. They experience first-hand, the process of growing food and the skills needed to increase their access to fruits and vegetables. Edible gardens also provide opportunities to teach kids how to care for others in their community. What better way to create awareness about hunger than to have them actively involved in growing a garden, or part of a garden, to donate to a local food pantry.

The National Gardening Association's Subaru Healthy Sprouts Award recognizes and supports youth gardening programs focused on teaching about our environment, nutrition, and hunger issues in the United States. Through winning programs, youth will learn the skills necessary to maintain a healthy lifestyle compatible with environmental stewardship and gain an understanding of how their actions can positively impact the well being of their community.

Who is eligible to apply: Your school or organization must plan to garden in 2012 with at least 15 children between the ages of 3 and 18. The selection of winners is based on the demonstrated relationship between the garden program and education related to environmental, nutrition and hunger issues in the United States.

Grant Packages: This year we will present awards to 50 schools or organizations. Each program will receive a $500 gift certificate to the Gardening with Kids catalog and online store for basic youth gardening supplies and supporting educational materials; NGA's Eat a Rainbow Kit, chock full of engaging taste education and nutrition lessons; and a literature package from NGA.

Deadline: October 1, 2011

For more information: Kids Gardening

Sandra Blaha, RN Assistant Coordinator

Congregational Nurse Program, Moses Cone Health System

Spring 2012 Safe Routes to School Mini-Grants

The National Center for Safe Routes to School (SRTS) is now accepting applications for 25 mini-grants of $1,000 each. These mini-grants support the goal of SRTS programs, which is to enable and encourage children to safely walk and bicycle to school. SRTS programs are implemented nationwide by parents, students, schools, community leaders, and local, state, and tribal governments.

Mini-grants fund activities that range from the nuts and bolts that help start or sustain a program to new ideas that explore the range of benefits of safe walking and bicycling. Selected mini-grant proposals will fit a school's identified needs and interests around safe walking and bicycling. The mini-grant activities should occur between January 1, 2012 and the end of the Spring 2012 semester.

Due date: October 19, 2011

For more information about the National Center's mini-grant program, visit: Safe Routes

4-H EFNEP, Improving the Lives of Guilford County Youth

The 4-H Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) is designed to help young people ages 5-19 develop good eating habits. 4-H EFNEP is available free of charge to schools, after-school care, summer camps, daycare centers, churches, recreation centers, and others. Classes offer lots of activities and are fun!

How Do I Participate?

Check to see if your school or after-school care facility has 4-H EFNEP. If they do not, contact your local County Center of North Carolina Cooperative Extension to request the program. You can also form your own 4-H EFNEP club with a group of your friends who have an interest in Eating Smart and Moving More.

Be a Part of Worldwide Day of Play

On Worldwide Day of Play, Saturday, September 24^th, Nickelodeon goes completely dark all afternoon--which means there are no shows on Nick. Encourage your kids to turn off the TV, get up, get out, and go play.

Thousands of schools and community organizations will be hosting events and engaging kids in physical fitness around the world. This is also an opportunity to bring your family and friends together to host a Worldwide Day of Play celebration in your community. The event can be big, small, an hour long, or all day. All that matters is that you have fun and play.

Be sure to register your event on our site and it could be mentioned on Nick: Register

To find an event in your neighborhood visit: Find Event

Make Skating Safe

Skating Kids Before your kids lace up their in-line skates, make sure they're prepared. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests how to reduce the risk of injury while in-line skating:

1. Make sure your child is always wearing protective equipment.

2. Skate carefully, and make sure to allow plenty of room for stopping.

3. Stick to the right side of the sidewalk or path, and pass on the left side.

4. Don't skate in areas where the ground is uneven or where there is traffic.

5. Always yield to pedestrians, and follow all traffic rules.

Source: Health Day News

School Meals Proven a Healthy Choice

Are school meals healthy? Myths and stereotypes abound, but the facts are clear when it comes to meals served through the school breakfast and lunch programs: school meals are nutritious and an important part of addressing the childhood obesity epidemic.

What do "school meals" consist of? Know the facts!

Meals are required to meet national nutrition standards by federal law. In return, schools receive reimbursement for each meal served. All other foods are typically served through vending machines, a la carte foods, fundraisers, class parties, etc. These foods, often known as "competitive foods" because they compete with the meal programs, are not required to meet federal law. However, they are subject to our Board of Education policies, NC General Statutes, and NC State Board of Education policies.

Below are several popular misconceptions about school meals and the truth behind the myths.

Myth #1: School meals make children obese.

Fact: Students that eat meals served through the National School Lunch Program are more likely to be at a healthy weight. Research published in the August 2003 issue of Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine concluded that "girls in food insecure households had significantly reduced odds of being at risk of overweight if they participated in the [National School Lunch, School Breakfast and Food Stamp Programs]." The research highlights the importance of food assistance programs to low-income children not only in addressing hunger "but also in potentially protecting them from excess weight gain."

Additionally research from 2007 found that students gain weight during the summer months when they are at home and lose weight during the school year when they are able to eat school meals.

Guilford County Schools' meals are carefully planned by a registered dietitian on the School Nutrition Services staff.

Myth #2: Schools serve junk food for school lunch.

Fact: Meals served in the Guilford County Schools must, by federal law, meet nutrition guidelines based on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. No more than 30% of calories can come from fat and less than 10% from saturated fat. School lunches provide one-third of the Recommended Dietary Allowances of protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, iron, calcium, and calories. These guidelines apply over the course of one week of school lunch menus. No super-sizing here. The meals served are provided in age-appropriate serving sizes - making schools one of the last places in the U.S. where you can purchase a meal with the recommended serving sizes.

Myth #3: Schools don't serve enough fruits or vegetables for lunch.

Fact: Fruits and vegetables are served everyday including tossed salads at all schools every day. Locally grown fruits and vegetables are served when in season.

Myth #4: Schools serve fried, greasy foods.

Fact: French fries are served one day per week in high schools only. All other food choices are baked or cooked in steamers, no more frying. Because the meals are always required to meet the Recommended Dietary Allowances, the foods meet required nutrition standards, including fat and saturated fat. Kid favorites are baked, not fried, made with low-fat or lean ingredients, and served with vegetables, fruit and other options that make each meal balanced and nutritious.

Many food favorites like pizza are made to specifications unique to school foodservice: crusts may use whole wheat flour, and low-fat or non-fat cheeses are used.

Myth #5: Lunches from home are better than school meals.

Fact: Although lunches from home are sometimes healthy, through the National School Lunch Program, according to 2001 research by Dr. Alice Jo Rainville, Eastern Michigan University, "reimbursable school lunches provided three times as many dairy products, twice as much fruit, and seven times the vegetables amounts lunches brought from home, which provided three times as many snack items." The research also concluded that "reimbursable school lunches were lower in fat provided more nutrients overall provided more variety than lunches brought from home."

Myth #6: Soda is served with school lunch.

Fact: Federal law prohibits the sale of soda as a Food of Minimal Nutritional Value (FMNV) in the cafeteria during the school lunch period. State regulations prohibit the sale of soda before and during the lunch period in other locations on the school campus.

Myth #7: Only junk food is available through a la carte lines and vending machines operated by School Nutrition Services.

Fact: Through a federally mandated Local School Wellness Policy, nutrition guidelines exist for all foods and beverages sold on school campuses. The NC Legislature adopted nutrition standards for all foods served in elementary school lunch programs.

School Nutrition Services is committed to providing safe and nutritious meals to all children. Parents are encouraged to visit their student's cafeteria, try a lunch, and talk to their school nutrition services manager about foods being served.

Cynthia Sevier, SNS

Director School Nutrition Services, Guilford County Schools

Finding Daily Balance

girlhiking

Each day we need to find balance in all we do so our bodies will remain strong and healthy. It is our responsibility to find balance each day. Take a few minutes to think about the following areas in which you need to find balance:

Exercise-rest

Work-play

Being alone-being with others

Living by love-living by fear/hate

Caring for self-caring for others

Being positive-being negative

Sleep and rest-being awake and active

Calories consumed-calories burned

How would you rate yourself in each of these areas? If you noted that you are out of balance in some of these areas, what steps could you take this week to bring back the balance?

Sandra Blaha, RN Assistant Coordinator

Congregational Nurse Program, Moses Cone Health System

Creative Kid Lunches

As the school year starts, it's time to start thinking about creative lunch ideas for your kids.

This site offers dozens of nutritious ideas for lunch, prepared bento box style (meaning a box with internal dividers). Try a vegetable soup lunch that includes orange segments, pretzel sticks, and baked potato, or a "sandwich and sides" lunch with olives, stir-fried cauliflower, and fruit. Laptop Lunches

Check out the sections on proper nutrition, how to please picky eaters, and how to cut down on lunchtime waste. You can also sign up for the monthly eNewsletter and weekly lunch menu.

Nancy L. Kondracki, MS, RD, LDN

Health & Safety eNewsletter Editor
GCC of PTAs