If you've been reading this newsletter the past few months you may recall reading about our Student Wellness Policy survey-and maybe you even participated. Well...the results are in!

Here are some of the data collected from nearly 40 of you over the past several months.
  

*45 percent of respondents were familiar with the Wellness Policy and had read it; 21 percent had never read it.

*28 percent said the Wellness Policy is almost always enforced in their school(s); another 28 percent said the policy is "sometimes" enforced; 3 percent said it is "rarely" enforced.

*58 percent said they agree with the current provisions of the Wellness Policy, while 35 percent agreed with some but not all of those provisions, and 8 percent did not agree with the provisions at all.

*When asked about their preferred form(s) of communication, respondents that were interested in receiving ideas, suggestions, and resources that could be used to promote/support the Wellness Policy preferred: e-mails (24 percent), websites and newsletters (21 percent each), and presentations at PTA meetings (10 percent). No one preferred phone calls alone, but 24 percent indicated an interest in all forms of communication.

*92 percent said they felt that their school's administration was supportive of their PTA; 3 percent felt the administration was not supportive of their PTA.

Write-in comments included:

*I would like to see the wellness policy be more aggressive in overturning our health issues. Every parent should receive a wellness policy.

*I like that PE is protected since many school districts are removing it to save money.

*Please continue to review the breakfast items. Breakfast is not healthy at school.

*I particularly like the idea of not using food or candy as rewards, and this part of the policy is blatantly ignored at our school by teachers who use both as rewards.

*Demand physical activity every day.

*Parents should not be bringing in food for the children on their child's birthdays.

*I hope they have included high school students.

*There should be more required physical activity.

*No recess on PE days. Just another way schools can "twist" policy and say they are adhering to it.

*Seems to be contradictory. Last year they sold fruit roll ups in the lunch room but we can't send in cupcakes for birthday parties.

*We should be aiming higher than the "minimum nutrition standards" for our children! The schools need to be doing more to send a consistent message about food by setting a quality example and providing good information to families.

*We should only have healthy snacks and drinks in the vending machines & concession stands.

*If middle schools have vending machines, they should offer water and REAL fruit juice drinks. There should be more WHOLE wheat/grain breads. ACES snacks should also adhere to these guidelines (offer fruit, etc. instead of chips & cookies).

*We need to work much harder to provide information to parents about easy, healthy, and affordable options for packed lunches.

*Teachers should be offered services to help with wellness. They have hectic schedules and the school/PTA can facilitate healthy lifestyle choices for them.

Special kudos go out to:

*Summerfield Elementary who reported starting a program that they call Healthy Vikings. They teach the children about the value of eating well and including lots of fruits and vegetables into their daily diets, as well as limiting processed foods.

*Peeler Open Performing Arts Elementary for focusing on healthy living with their fresh garden vegetables and after school Fit Fridays.

Many thanks to all of you that provided input on the GCS Student Wellness Policy. Your ideas and suggestions are valued. Please continue to share your stories with me.

If you would like you have your school or program highlighted in a future newsletter please contact me with the details.

(Please note that this survey was drawn from a convenience sample and is not statistically significant.)

Nancy Kondracki

GCC of PTA's Health and Safety Chair

Are you a participant in the State Health Plan? If so, you are eligible to participate in a 15-week weight loss class that costs less than an ice-cream sundae!

The next series begins in late February and goes through the end of the school year. Guilford is one of only 5 counties offering this research-based interactive class that teaches strategies for eating smart and moving more. Several schools have already taken advantage of this exciting opportunity over the last 2 1/2 years.

Imagine a healthier you in 2012 and call or e-mail today. For details visit the Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less  

website or contact Jamie Pittman at (919) 707-5249 to schedule a class series at your school or workplace.

Students at Fairview Dig In 

High Point's Fairview Elementary School has students getting their hands dirty...and loving it!

Kicking off with a community build day in September, 8 raised beds were constructed at the school's entrance. With the help of the partnership between FoodCorps and Guilford County Cooperative Extension, 80 third grade students engage in weekly garden-based science lessons in the garden.

From soils to seedlings, compost to cover crops, these students are becoming expert gardeners--with bragging rights! Fairview's fall garden allowed each class to prepare salads with the lettuce, greens, radishes, and kohlrabi that they had so diligently tended to.

Learning about food systems extends well beyond the classroom walls. Fairview has enlisted the guidance of community members who are experts in the field of food. In November all 450 students at the school participated in the Sweet Potato Festival, an event made possible by chefs at GTCC and local farmers who donated part of their sweet potato harvest. Kids were able to see the farm and farmer that produced the sweet potatoes. And thanks to the chefs, the students were able to taste the vegetable in ways that they had probably never thought possible- sweet potato ice cream, biscuits, chips, and candied sweet potatoes.

In December the GTCC chefs returned to prepare a Winter Feast for kindergartners, using local flour, eggs, cream, collards, and sweet potatoes from Guilford County farms.

The spring promises a wealth of opportunity for Fairview students as additional grade levels become invested in the garden. Kids will be involved in selecting, planting, and caring for seeds, and carefully observing as they transform into delicious fruits and veggies. This spring the garden will also gain a rain barrel and compost bin, helping to make the garden just a little bit "greener."

As students engage in the wonder and excitement of the garden at Fairview, they are also led to academic excellence through learning that is hard to find indoors.

GCC of PTAs is Now Accepting Nominations for the 2012-2013 School Year 

The Guilford County Council of PTAs (GCC of PTAs) is currently seeking nominations for officer positions, 2012-2013.

We are looking for individuals with a passion to reach out and collaborate with Guilford County Schools, local PTAs, and community organizations to benefit all students in Guilford County. We hope you will thoughtfully consider serving as a leader on the Council and take us to the next level of child advocacy.

For more information, please contact the following people on the Nominating Committee and complete the Nomination Form by January 31^st. Thank you!

Neils Chapman (336) 404-8926

Jacqui Hawkins (336) 617-0128

Barbie Kremer(336) 456-0070

Not sure you're ready to serve at the council level yet? Join your local PTA board. Contact your current local board members for more information on open positions, deadlines, and processes. 

The Great American NO BULL Challenge will inspire America's 25 million teens to stand up to eliminate cyberbullying by using video to create public service announcements.

Winners of the NO BULL Challenge will receive prizes worth up to $25k and much more!

The Great American NO BULL Challenge is a youth-led campaign where middle and high school students will write and direct an anti-bullying video to enter them into the NO BULL Challenge. Finalists will be sent to the "Oscars-like" star-studded NO BULL Teen Video Awards show in San Francisco (July 21st) to celebrate their willingness to stand up to bullies and make a difference!

Watch the NO BULL Campaign Reel now.

 The NO BULL Challenge is using the power of social media to inspire America's teens (6th -12th grade) to lift each other up instead of tear each other down. With the campaign's partners (Dr. Mehmet Oz, Facebook, Formspring, HealthCorps, Anti-Defamation League, 4-H, FCCLA, The Boys and Girls Clubs, SADD, Project Change, American School Counselors, and more), we collectively touch nearly every household in America. The campaign's total outreach of 134 million individuals operates from thousands of locations across the country.

You can help promote cyber-safety in your community by getting teens, teachers, and leaders involved with this national youth-led exciting video contest now through March 15^th.

Thanks for your support, Shawn Edgington (925) 249-2842

Facebook: NOBULLChallenge

Twitter: @NOBULLcontest @TeamNOBULL

My name is Olivia Williamson from Frazier Elementary PTA and I would like to cordially invite you to our series of Family & Community Fellowship Fun Nights to be held on the last Friday of each month, January through May from 6-9 PM.

Frazier Family & Community Fellowship Fun Nights are funded through a S.P.I.C.E grant and offer a unique opportunity to network, get some great information, and have a blast all at once!

Come out and enjoy for FREE:

*Educational Tips, Ideas, and Resources

*Games for the Whole Family

*Prizes and Game Incentives

*Guest Speakers & Engaging Topics

*Loads of Fun and Free Information

We would love to have you share with us as we kickoff this wonderful program. Thank you and please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions you may have.

Olivia Williamson, (336) 285-5934 

Frazier Elementary PTA, 4215 Galway Drive, Greensboro, N C 27406 

Healthy Families/Healthy Communities Series: Families Eating Smart and Moving More:

Come join us for food, fun, and fitness for parents and kids! This free series of workshops will focus on healthy eating and physical activity for parents and children together.

Topics to be covered include:

*healthy eating tips

*saving $ on food

*ideas for quick meals

*family fitness activities

*recipe preparation & samples

Feb. 21; March 6, 20; April 13, 17; May 1 6:15 - 8 PM

Location: Hayes Taylor Memorial YMCA (Teen Center): 1101 E. Market St., Greensboro, NC 27401

Presented by: Hayes Taylor YMCA, N.C. Cooperative Extension, Guilford Parent Academy, Healthy Communities, and Guilford County.

For more information and to register visit The Parent Academy or call (336) 375-5876.

Health Promotion Summit:

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) and the Association for Prevention Teaching and Research (APTR) are hosting the 2012 National Health Promotion Summit: Prevention. Promotion. Progress.

April 10-11, 2012 in Washington, DC.

Register Today!

I'm sure your children received lots of neat toys from Santa this year, some of which probably run on batteries like the many other items around your home. Did you know that some batteries are hazardous to children, in particular the small, button-sized ones?

Help Keep Kids Safe on the Road

When it comes to driving safely with children in the car, most parents know to use an appropriately-sized safety seat. But there's more to car safety. Read more... Source: State Farm

Carbon Monoxide Hazards

Both naturally occurring and a by-product of man-made combustion, carbon monoxide (CO), a clear and odorless gas, is poisonous to humans and animals.

Defective furnaces, fireplaces, flues, and oil heaters are most frequently responsible for accidental CO poisonings. When improperly vented, malfunctioning home appliances like furnaces and air-conditioners can slowly fill your home with CO.

In the United States, CO leaks are responsible for an estimated 500 deaths a year and more than 15,000 trips to the emergency room. However, as CO poisoning often goes unreported, the number of instances is most likely much higher. Read more... Source: State Farm

Radon Hazards

Radon, the leading cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers, is a colorless, odorless gas that occurs naturally in the environment. Approximately 1 out of every 15 American homes contains elevated levels of radon. Test your home for radon -- it's easy and inexpensive and could be critical to your health. Read more.... Source: US Environmental Protection Agency

Our free New Year's publications can help you be healthier and more financially organized in 2012. You'll get tips on:

*fighting the flu

*getting the most out of antibiotics and over-the-counter drugs

*shopping smarter, and

*managing money during tough economic times.

Order your FREE packet of publications now.  

Source: USA.gov