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Association News

Your 2014/2015 Back-to-School Toolkit
NASN has updated its Back-to-School Toolkit, Transforming School Health, for the 2014/2015 school year with new learning links and checklists - one specific for parents/guardians and another specific for school nurses. In addition, look for links to new resources and tools, school nurse forums, continuing education opportunities, advocacy models and guides, and NASN bookstore items. All are intended to assist you, our school nurses, prepare for another successful and healthy school year.  Be sure to check back often as resources will continue to be added to the Toolkit. Access the 2014/2015 Back-to-School Toolkit.

Protect Tweens & Teens Before They Go Back to School
August is National Immunization Awareness Month
A school nurse recommendation is critical to increasing vaccine uptake.  From 2012-2013, there were only modest increases in vaccine coverage among U.S. teens.  Tdap, 1st dose of meningococcal vaccine, and 1st dose of HPV are recommended at age 11-12 with follow up doses for meningococcal and HPV.  
Find more information on this topic from NASN.
Access a template letter from NASN to send home.

Congratulations to the Newly Inducted National Academy of School Nursing Fellows
Tia Campbell of Virginia and Lindsey Minchella of Indiana received NASN's highest recognition when they were inducted into the Academy at the annual business meeting in San Antonio, Texas on June 30, 2014.  We celebrate their contributions to school nursing, which are broad and significant.  Learn more about the Academy and view a list of its members. 

CMCSS (Tennessee) Reminds Parents to get Shots Before School Begins
The Leaf-Chronicle
NASN member and Clarksville-Montgomery County School System (CMCSS) Nurse Manager Sharla Smith said CMCSS administrators have been informing (Clarksville, TN) parents what they need to do to get students ready for the school year.  All pre-K, kindergarten and seventh grade students coming from an out-of-state school must have a Tennessee Department of Health certificate of immunization filled out by a health care provider. Access the article. 

New Regulations for (Nebraska) School Health Screenings Go into Effect
Freemont Tribune
NASN member and school nurse at North Bend Central Public Schools (Nebraska) and past president of the Nebraska School Nurses Association, Tonja Frank, said the new mandatory changes made to health screenings for Nebraska public schools have been in the works for a number of years and districts have had time to prepare for the changes, which went into effect July 1. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services said the goal of the change is to help improve and assure quality practices for school health screenings. Access the article.

Teens Report Higher Use of Performance Enhancing Substances
Dangerous Trends Reinforce Need for Tighter Regulation of "Fitness Products"
The Partnership for Drug-Free Kids released new research from the latest Partnership Attitude Tracking Study (PATS), a nationally projectable survey that tracks teen drug and alcohol use and parent attitudes toward substance abuse among teens. According to the survey, 11 percent of teens in grades 9-12 reported "ever having used" synthetic human growth hormone without a prescription, up dramatically from just 5 percent in 2012.  Access the press release and report.

Communicating with Parents About Vaccine Concerns
An educational webcast being presented on two dates; August 7 and August 12, 2014.
This free non-CE webcast, "Vaccine Confidence - The Key to Communicating with Parents of Pediatric Patients" is for healthcare professionals and is hosted by PRI Healthcare Solutions.  
Learn more or register.

Materials for Schools Participating in the Federal Child Nutrition Programs
Team Nutrition is a program from the United States Department of Agriculture and provides print materials for your school.
Learn more about these free materials. 

NASN's Calendar of Events lists upcoming events for school nursing professionals.  Events happening soon include:

Helping Administer to the Needs of the Student with Diabetes in School

August 13, 2014

Maryland

Healthfinder.gov's National Health Observances site lists special days, weeks, or months dedicated to raising awareness about important health topics.