Healthy Schools Campaign

Stop Germs! Handwashing Is a Winner in the Fight Against Colds & Flu

The flu has been making headlines all winter, and recent reports show that it's still an epidemic. As coughs, colds and the flu make their rounds through our schools, we're promoting a time-honored way to stay healthy: handwashing. Here's a roundup of healthy handwashing tips.

Six steps to wash and dry hands: 

1. Wet hands with clean warm water.
2. Apply soap.
3. Rub hands together vigorously and scrub all surfaces for 20 seconds, about as long as it takes to sing "Happy Birthday" twice. 
4. Make sure to wash under nails, watches and jewelry since millions of germs gather there.
5. Rinse with clean water.
6. Dry with a clean, single-use paper towel.

A fun way to help kids remember to wash their hands? Make it a club! 

The Scrub Club, an initiative of National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) International, is a hand washing club that inspires and teaches kids to wash their hands to stop the spread of germs, while giving them the tools to teach their fellow students the techniques.

In the 2008-2009 school year, school nurse Luisa Ramirez, RN, from Lily Lake Grade School in Maple Park, IL created her own incentive program at her school using the ideas and steps from the Scrub Club... About 70 percent of the student population participated and the proper hand-washing techniques were taught in health class.

Students took home a Scrub Club Handout and on the back Ramirez created a form for students to share with the idea that each student would teach the handwashing steps to five other people. 

“They could be family or friends.  The family or friend signed the form, attesting they had received the training. They had a two week window to return their signed forms,” said Ramirez. “Kids had fun being the teacher at home. Parents were happy to see and learn from their children.”

When students returned their completed forms, they received a Scrub Club Sticker [pdf] to solidify their membership in the Scrub Club and were allowed to sign their names on the Scrub Club poster outside of the principal’s office. The class that returned the highest percentage of completed forms received a celebration.

Plus, now's the time of year to celebrate all the hard work and dedication of school nurses. All year long, school nurses advocate for healthier school environments, remind kids about healthy habits such as handwashing, and care for those affected by cold and flu season.

Check out some past blog posts about the amazing work of school nurses to promote handwashing and much more!

Making Student Health and Wellness a Priority in Chicago Public Schools: An Interview with Dr. Stephanie A. Whyte

by Kadesha Thomas, HSC Writer and Researcher

Chicago Public Schools has recently achieved several milestones that support the district’s efforts to prioritize student health. Those milestones include collaborating with the Chicago Department of Public Health to create a new Chief Health Officer position, filled earlier in 2012; reinstating recess at elementary schools throughout the district; officially passing an updated school wellness policy in October 2012 and a healthy snacks and beverages (competitive foods) policy in November 2012; and winning a $4.4 million federal grant to fund school health initiatives.

The leader of the new Office of Student Health and Wellness, Stephanie A. Whyte, MD, MBA, recently sat down with Health Schools Campaign to talk about these milestones and how organizations like HSC helped the district get there.

 

HSC: Why has school health and wellness become such a big priority for Chicago Public Schools?

Dr. Whyte: CPS has realized that student health has implications for academic performance. For example, asthma is one of those illnesses that can have a great impact on student achievement if it’s not controlled. So CPS created the Chief Health Officer role, which was vacant for four years. I joined 9 months ago to lead the new Office of Student Health and Wellness (OSHW). The staff were housed in Nutrition Support Services, Special Education and other departments prior to settling under OSHW. The new Community Transformation Grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will allow us to build the office’s capacity with six additional staff. The department will have grown from eight to 23 since February.

 

HSC: What is the Community Transformation Grant?

Dr. Whyte: In collaboration with the Chicago Department of Public Health, the school district had already launched an initiative called Healthy Chicago Public Schools that focused on nine of the 12 key priorities of Healthy Chicago, the city’s first public health agenda. Of these nine areas focused on student health, three are targeted by the grant: obesity prevention, decreasing tobacco use and violence prevention. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services awarded the district nearly $4.4 million to support outcome measures of: changes in weight, changes in proper nutrition, changes in physical activity, changes in tobacco use, and social/emotional well-being, which, for us, includes bullying and violence prevention.

 

HSC: How did community partners like Healthy Schools Campaign help CPS reach its recent milestones in school health?

Dr. Whyte: The district by itself can’t do it all. We just don’t have the capacity. We can say ‘this is the law of the land,’ but in order to successfully change a culture you must have support from people who are well-versed and informed about the changes. Healthy Schools Campaign has been a subject matter expert on parent engagement, student wellness and health school environments. Before anyone was watching, they were calling attention to these issues. That energy has helped us build school wellness teams and to support the mission of the Office of Student Health and Wellness.

 

HSC: What was HSC’s role in positioning CPS to win the CTG grant?

Dr. Whyte: The partnership with HSC and other organizations, like the Chicago Department of Public Health and the Respiratory Health Association, brought a very specific intelligence to the table and then helped us step back and look at the big picture. That was really critical for the grant. The timing was perfect. We were already updating the district’s wellness policy. Partners like HSC helped us culminate all of our activities for the grant and thus create a well-rounded 24-month strategy.

 

HSC: The specific role HSC plays in implementing the grant’s activities is developing a parent engagement toolkit. Why is parent engagement such an important factor?

Dr. Whyte: I’m from the community and have worked in the community. I’ve seen how a condition like asthma, for example, can have a great impact on a student if it’s not controlled. I’ve seen moms sit and cry because they didn’t know what to do. There were a lot of assumptions that when parents got the inhaler they knew how to use it, when to use it. Then, they were sent home — confused. But having open, honest and engaging dialogue with parents makes a huge difference. That is the environment the district is working hard to create, one in which parents can freely ask questions and we improve on how we react and relate to parents. Parent empowerment is huge!  So if you’re coming to the school to discuss your child’s asthma, you’re an active participant in your child’s care. That’s what I want.

 

HSC: So what do you hope parent engagement looks like after CPS and HSC develop the parent engagement toolkit for schools?

Dr. Whyte: Right now, being a principal is like being in a buffet line with so many options that things are falling off the plate. It’s 100 people saying, ‘All you need to do is this.’ But they can’t do everything. Remember when you would order a computer from Dell? The service guy arrives after it’s delivered, sets it up and you’re ready to go. That’s how I want this toolkit to function. I want any school that uses this toolkit to be full of engaged parents and know what to do when parents want to get involved.

 

HSC: How does the district’s health and wellness strategy compare with the national prevention and health promotion strategy for students?

Dr. Whyte: That’s another conversation to have after we’ve reached our goals. We are the third largest school district in the nation, so I know there are national implications. I know there are people watching. We’ve already heard from other school districts. But right now, it’s important for us to focus on doing a good job for our students. Our focus is on having an impact on improving student health locally.

New Policies Support Wellness in Chicago Public Schools

by Rochelle Davis, HSC President and CEO

This fall, we have seen remarkable milestones for school wellness in Chicago. At the Chicago Board of Education’s meeting in November, the Board passed a Healthy Snack and Beverage Policy. In October, the Board adopted a new school wellness policy. Combined, these two policies represent a significant advance in Chicago Public Schools (CPS) school food and fitness policy.

What do the policies mean for schools? Most fundamentally, they set common-sense standards to support children’s health and thereby set the stage for learning.

The wellness policy requires that schools provide quality P.E., offer more nutrition education, form a wellness team and designate someone to coordinate wellness efforts. In addition, the policy codifies and formalizes at the board level a number of important policies and practices that are already making a difference for kids’ health. For example, the wellness policy formally reinforces the district’s commitment to daily recess at all elementary schools and local procurement as part of the school food program. The policy also provides for strong enforcement in a number of important ways. For example, it includes an indicator on each school’s progress report that tells parents and the public how effectively a school is implementing the wellness policy.

The Healthy Snack and Beverage Policy establishes nutritional standards for food available to students outside the school lunch program, including a la carte items sold in the cafeteria, vending machines and school stores. The policy also requires local schools to plan for promoting healthy school fundraising and healthy classroom celebrations.

Simply put, these changes are very important: they mean healthier learning environments for the district’s 400,000+ students and also send a strong message about the value of wellness to learning.  

How did this come about? This advance builds on years of change at the school level and ongoing work to build support for wellness among parents, teachers, principals and school administrators.

At HSC, we have worked for years with incredible parent advocates, classroom teachers, principals and community members whose efforts to create healthy schools – one school at a time and through policy change at the district level – has truly built a foundation for these advances.

Through our Parents United for Healthy Schools coalition, for example, HSC has engaged hundreds of parents in Chicago’s low-income Latino and African-American communities in training and leadership opportunities focused on school wellness. Those parent advocates, in turn, reached thousands more parents through petitions in support of recess and breakfast in the classroom. Board of Education members supported these policies in the context of strong parent support for health and wellness in schools.

Through Go for the Gold, HSC has worked with CPS to support hundreds of schools in making changes related to healthy eating, physical activity and nutrition education as part of the HealthierUS School Challenge. (Currently, 71 schools have met the challenge, dozens have applications pending and hundreds more have begun the process.) Through this effort, principals have set health-promoting policies at the school level regarding vending, fundraising, healthy classroom celebrations and other issues that are now addressed by district-wide policy.  Just as Board of Education members were able to look to strong support from parents, they were also able to look to principals and teachers for examples of similar policies already succeeding at the school level across the city.

One note for those interested in the specifics of school health and wellness policies is that the Board looked at the issue of healthy classroom celebrations and the question of where decisions about celebrations should be made. At HSC, we believe it is important for schools to send consistent messages and support students’ wellness with healthy celebrations. (For example, celebrating a holiday with a dance party or special crafts instead of unhealthy treats.) We also understand that the issue of healthy celebrations tends to be the most controversial aspect of a school wellness policy, and that it is important to consider where this policy is made. In Chicago, the Board of Education took the approach of having this issue addressed at the school level, by each individual principal or school council. We were happy to see that the board included language HSC suggested to make the default choice a healthy one. With this approach, schools are encouraged to consider the needs of their own community and set a health-promoting school policy regarding celebrations and fundraisers. If the school does not act to set a policy on this, then a default rule will apply: classroom celebrations that include unhealthy food are limited to twice each year and schools may not sell food that does not meet the CPS nutritional guidelines. This is an example of our belief that school policy should make the healthy choice the easy choice.

When HSC began advocating for school wellness in CPS in 2006, the dialogue about healthy eating and physical activity in schools was at a totally different level, both locally and nationally. Here in Chicago, we worked with hundreds of parents to create a rally for healthy schools with the goal of encouraging the district to adopt its first wellness. In the years since then, we have worked with many more amazing parents, teachers, principals and community members who to support health-promoting changes at their neighborhood schools. Now, it is remarkable to see this type of change formalized at the board level so it can help shape healthier futures for the city’s students, now and for years to come.

In pausing to reflect on these advances, I’d like to commend the Board of Education members for their vision in recognizing that healthy students are better prepared to learn and that it is schools’ responsibility to provide environments that support health. I’d also like to commend the parents, teachers, principals and community  members who have worked tirelessly over the years to encourage change and model successful health-promoting policies at the school level, laying the groundwork for this powerful city-wide change.

Parent Spotlight: Lilliana Hernandez

Lilliana joined other parent leaders at this year's four-day Parent Leadership Institute presented by Parents United for Healthy Schools.

Today, we are happy to spotlight parent leader Lilliana Hernandez, whose efforts as part of Parents United for Healthy Schools have resulted in positive changes for school wellness at her children's school and schools across Chicago. Congratulations to Lilliana and all the parent leaders who are making change for kids' health!

by Lanette Garcia

How did you get involved with Parents United for Healthy Schools?
I got involved with Parents United for Healthy Schools when Jovita invited me to a nutrition class. I then realized that it was very important to change our eating habits and above all, support our schools because our children’s schools, specifically their lunches, are not the best, although that has changed a lot. This is also true for us. At home, we should lead by example and make changes for ourselves, so that we can provide our children well-prepared meals that are also nutritionally balanced. Portion sizes are also important. I have enjoyed it a lot because I have learned many things for my home and school.

Why are healthy practices and nutrition education important?
Because our health depends on it -- above all, the health of our children and students. We should include these [healthy practices] as part of our daily routine and nourish ourselves each and every day. At school, the mothers in our community also help out a lot.

What is one thing you have personally changed in your lifestyle?
In my lifestyle and at home, I have changed my use of sugar and flour -- little by little, because it is difficult to stop suddenly. At school, I have helped out the mothers. We have our wellness team and once a week, we have healthy cooking workshops with the mothers, where we change our junk food recipes into something healthier.

Above all, with my children, I have also changed their eating habits. My husband has also changed his eating habits and completely went from negative to positive.

Since putting healthy practice and lessons in place at home, what changes have you seen in your home? In your school community?
There have been many changes at home. My children enjoy, for example, that when we are at home, we eat healthier food. When we go out, it is no longer difficult to give them homemade food or whatever I buy. Before, it was very difficult. “Oh! I don’t want to eat this.” They always wanted junk food. At home, it is much easier to say, “There is this and that.”

I have also changed. Before, I couldn’t live without soda, but I had to realize the damage that I was doing to my body.  Little by little I have taught them. I have to be conscious, first myself, and then I can give that to my children.  

How do parents contribute to healthy school environments?
Parents contribute a lot in healthy schools [by] bringing in wellness teams, leading discussions with other parents, and making healthy food. Parents also bring in help. We got the University of Illinois to being educational workshops on health for parents, children and the community, and to make us aware of the reality of what we experience. . . so that they can motivate us, and above all, promote our health. Health is very important.

Thanks to Lilliana for sharing this insight! Stay posted for more spotlights on parent leaders and updates on Parents United for Healthy Schools.

 

Teen Advocate Spotlight: Lucia Iglesias

This post is the third in a series spotlighting teen advocates, youth leaders who speak up about school wellness and envrironmental issues that affect them most. 

Lucia Iglesias, now a freshman at Brown University, recently graduated from Lick-Wilmerding High School in San Francisco. There she made an outstanding contribution to addressing environmental concerns, especially at her school. Lucia was also a finalist in the Teens Turning Green Project Green Challenge and was nominated by Judi Shils, one of the co-founders of Teens Turning Green.

Thanks to HSC intern Christine Andersen, who is beginning her senior year of high school, for this post! 

How did you become interested in environmental advocacy?

Last October I became involved with Project Green Challenge. I learned a lot while doing this and became very interested in addressing environmental concerns in my community. After that, I continued my work in environmental advocacy by doing research projects for Judi and interning for Teens Turning Green.
 
What methods are you using to raise awareness and rally support for your initiative?

While participating in Project Green Challenge, I held an electronics recycling drive at my school. Some months later I co-founded an environmental club with a classmate. Our club helped organize an initiative to remove paper cups from the cafeteria for Earth Month (April), and we held an Eco Fashion Show in May to raise awareness about sustainable and recycled clothing. 
 
What adults have inspired you along the way? What teens have inspired you along the way?

Judi Shils and Erin Schrode (co-founders of Teens Turning Green) definitely inspire me because they are dedicated to the entire issue of environmentalism and human health. They are so committed every day in the office, whether they are discovering new eco products, connecting with other advocates, or leading a conversation. They have this way of incorporating details of their teammates' contributions into one powerful idea. The other Project Green Challenge finalists were also huge inspirations to me. Many overcame incredible challenges of their own to participate in the project, and they all put amazing amounts of time and effort into their work; I am so honored to be one of them. 

What challenges did you face? How did you overcome these challenges?

I am a very shy person, so it was hard at times to stand behind my ideas when I was questioned. However, I know that this is bigger than me, and whatever I bring to the green initiative will make an impact in a much larger movement.
 
How has being involved with environmental advocacy in your community helped shape your personal outlook on these concerns and your daily life?

Environmental advocacy has helped me become more conscious about the choices I make every day. For example, as I prepare to decorate my first college dorm room, I am looking for eco-friendly dorm supplies. I try to consume less, and buy used whenever possible.
 
What message or piece of advice would you like to send to other aspiring teen advocates?

I have learned that environmental issues are at the core of all human issues. They are sometimes seen as elitist and for people who don’t need to deal with "real issues." But I see an interconnected system, and when environmental issues are addressed, so many other human issues are also being addressed. For example, choosing greener cleaning products doesn’t just reduce the spread of toxic chemicals in the environment, it also protects the health of family members who come in contact with the cleaning products and reduces their exposure to toxins.
 
What do you hope to do in this area in the future, what is your next step?

I hope to continue to advocate for green living at my college, and to learn about more ways that I can make environmentally conscious decisions in my daily life.

Thanks to Lucia for this interview! 

Previous teen advocate spotlight: Mariah Geiger

Teen Advocate Spotlight: Mariah Geiger

This post is the second in a series spotlighting teen advocates, youth leaders who speak up about school wellness and envrironmental issues that affect them most. Thanks to HSC intern Christine Andersen, who is beginning her senior year of high school, for this post!

 
How did you become interested in environmental advocacy?
In 9th grade, I became involved with Catalyst. At first, my priority was the tobacco industry, but my interests transitioned to obesity during my junior year.

What methods are  you using to raise awareness and rally support for your initiative?
I became very involved in my school’s wellness committee. I promoted having healthier food in the school store. My work with Catalyst included research and blogging about the benefits of healthier food in schools.

What role has your school administration played in helping you raise support?
While they were interested in improving health and wellness in our district, the administration was more focused on health and wellness in the elementary school than in the high school. A lot of their time was spent on other important projects, so I took initiative without as much help as I would have liked.

What was the immediate reaction when you began advocating for wellness? Have those reactions changed?
When the new food was implemented in the school store, we carried out taste tests, and we found that the students were definitely receptive to the granola and the dried fruit. However, the students did continue to buy the soda that was in the vending machines.

What adults have inspired you along the way? What teens have inspired you along the way?
My advisor, Andy, is such an inspiration to me because he is so excited about what he does and brings so much passion and enthusiasm every day. There are many people from other schools on the [Catalyst] Youth Board that have done so much and put so much heart into what they do.

How has being involved with wellness advocacy in your school helped shape your personal outlook on these concerns and your daily life?
I am currently vegetarian for political reasons, and I continue to drink sugar-free beverages. In college, my politics class was a lot more meaningful to me because I had such strong background knowledge of health policy. This course helped me to see the big picture of everything I had been working on.

What message or piece of advice would you like to send to other aspiring teen advocates?
I would definitely tell them to be persistent. Don’t be intimidated by the large forces. The more you push for the smaller, more specific goals, the greater the impact you will have. If you aim your efforts toward the local level, you will be much more successful, and have a greater impact on individual lives.

What do you hope to do in this area in the future, what is your next step?
In my day-to-day life, I hope to continue to do more blogging about health and wellness. I also plan to continue biking and buying locally grown foods. There is a school district about 20 minutes away from me that I hope to work with in improving the healthy choices it offers its students.

Really inspirational, Mariah! Stay posted for more teen advocate spotlights in this series.

Previous teen advocate spotlight: Francisco Figuero

What Does School Food Mean for National Security? Retired Military Leaders Speak Up for Healthy Schools

By Ashley Hofmann, HSC public policy intern

Ashley Hofmann is completing the final practicum to earn her Masters of Social Work from the University of Missouri. Her academic research focuses on disparities in access to health care and how policy can act as a catalyst for social justice.

We all know that excess body fat is a concern for our individual health, but did you also know that it’s a concern for national security?  A group of retired military leaders at the nonprofit Mission Readiness has released a report [pdf] urging schools to decrease junk food sold in vending machines, a la carte lines, and stores as a way to stop the rising rates of childhood obesity, which leave 1 in 4 young people ineligible for military service.  

The report, "Still Too Fat to Fight" (a quick read with stories and graphs), begins with a simple statement: “We cannot succeed in teaching our children to eat healthier foods while selling them 400 billion junk food calories in our schools every year.”  The report goes on to explain:

The problem of junk food sold in schools is not just a national health issue. It’s a national security issue.  Over the past 40 years, obesity rates have more than tripled for children and teens. . . .  Meanwhile, too many schools across America still have vending machines and other venues where children can routinely buy candy, potato chips, cakes, cookies and sugar-sweetened fruit juices or sports drinks.  The calories add up.

While limiting the sale of junk food is not a solution by itself for the childhood obesity epidemic, it is part of the solution.  When schools sell candy and sugary drinks in cafeterias and vending machines, it works against national efforts to serve healthier school meals and parents’ efforts to help their children develop healthier lifelong eating habits.

This is not the first time we’ve heard that schools need standards for food sold outside the lunch program.  A report released earlier this summer from the Institute of Medicine, along with the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, focus on these “competitive foods” (snacks in school)  as a culprit in childhood obesity.  But the push from military leaders highlights a different consequence of the epidemic.  The national problem is not only affecting individual health, productivity at work, and medical expenses (though the military report does mention that the government spends over $1 billion each year on weight-related injuries and cardiovascular diseases for members of the military and their families), but also has an impact on our ability as a country to build a strong military.

A focus on this connection between school food and military readiness is not a recent development.  In fact, when the National School Lunch Program was created in 1945, it was in part “as a measure of national security.”  Military leaders, concerned about the number of young men who were too malnourished for military service, called upon the nation to make sure that students received proper nutrition.  This drive shaped many of the program’s details, such as the fact that school lunches were required to provide a minimum number of calories but had no upper limit on calories.  Today’s children, of course, are facing a different set of challenges.  In 2009, Mission Readiness released its original “Too Fat to Fight” report that called on the nation to provide healthier school food, reduce access to junk food in schools, and offer nutrition education lessons.  (For more about the history of school food and how our nation’s vision for this program  has evolved over the years, check out HSC President and CEO Rochelle Davis’ recent blog.)

Schools play an important role in reversing the obesity rates because of the amount of time children spend at school and the calories they consume there.  A 2005 study by the USDA found that approximately 400 billion calories from junk food are consumed at school each year.  Districts that have put regulations in place to limit these low-nutrient, calorie-dense foods, along with providing health education and increasing physical activity, have seen a decrease in obesity rates in their students.  Efforts to remove unhealthy snacks from schools, along with healthier lunch standards and support from the community, will help to ensure a brighter, longer future for our children.

As adults, we hold responsibility for the health of our nation’s children.  And more than responsibility, we have the power of our voice and vote to protect our children’s health and future.  You can write to your members of Congress and tell them you support healthy food in schools; call your school district superintendent to talk about the district’s wellness policies; and meet with your school principal and teachers to ask how you can work together to make sure the school supports kids’ health.  You’ll make a difference not only for individual children but for our nation as a whole.  What could be more patriotic than that?

How Do Snack Policies Shape Student Health?

by Ashley Hofmann, HSC public policy intern

Ashley Hofmann is completing the final practicum to earn her Masters of Social Work from the University of Missouri. Her academic research focuses on disparities in access to health care and how policy can act as a catalyst for social justice.

My food philosophy is “out of sight, out of mind” – if I don’t have cookies in my kitchen, I’m less likely to eat them.  A new study shows that the same principle applies to schools as well.  The study found that students in states with strong nutrition standards for snacks gained less weight than their counterparts residing in states with weak standards or no standards at all. 

States were placed into two categories based on laws regulating snack and a la carte items sold in schools, also known as competitive foods.  (Click here for a recent blog on the USDA’s proposed rules regulating snacks in schools.)  The researchers monitored the BMI of 6,300 students in 40 states between 2004 and 2007, as they progressed from fifth to eighth grade.  The results showed that over the four years, students living in states with strong nutrition laws gained 0.44 fewer BMI units, which is about 2.25 pounds for a 5-foot, 100-lb child.  While this may seem like a small number, it’s actually quite significant -- imagine the effect of gaining or not gaining an extra two pounds every year!

While this is new and important information, the study is not saying that the laws are directly responsible for the decreased weight gain, only that there is a correlation.  Many child health experts believe that these types of school nutrition polices are a key step in the right direction when it comes to creating environments that support health.  These policies also reinforce healthy messages students get through nutrition education and help students develop good eating habits. As Dr. David Ludwig, an obesity specialist at Harvard Medical School and Boston Children's Hospital, pointed out, “What are the downsides of improving the food environment for children today?" 

Something we see consistently at HSC is that policies, such as the state laws in this study, really do make a difference in student health.  Without them, progress is limited to situations where a parent or teacher not only is passionate about healthy food, but also has the motivation, time, and resources to actually make it a priority.  Strong school nutrition laws, along with the assistance and incentives that can come with them, provide schools with a foundation on which to build health-promoting environments.

The good news is that we’re starting to see more strong policies that support student health.  Proposed recommendations in a recent Institute of Medicine report, along with higher nutrition standards in the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, are putting more emphasis on the role of government, both federal and local, in creating environments where health is a priority and making the healthy choice the easy choice.

Dr. Daniel Taber, an author of the study and fellow at the Institute for Health Research and Policy at the University of Illinois at Chicago, said that nutrition standards are most effective when they “are specific, required and consistent.”  Strong language is an important factor for school food laws to be implemented and have a meaningful impact, but so is the support of parents, teachers, and school administrators.  Here is a handy guide from the CDC that discusses ways for parents, teachers, and staff to support healthier school food options. 

Does your state or school district have polices for snack foods sold in schools?  If so, how do they shape the wellness environment? 

Plus: Take a look at this infographic, designed for the First Lady’s Let’s Move! Initiative, which shows snack options in school vending machines across the country.

Heroes for Healthy Schools Spotlight On: Principal Nicole Feinberg

Healthy Schools Campaign is pleased to announce Heroes for Healthy Schools: Coming together for
student wellness and achievement, a series celebrating Minority Health Month and focusing attention on programs and policies in Chicago that support student wellness and achievement. This exciting series is presented as a partnership of Healthy Schools Campaign, Chicago Public Schools Nutrition Support Services and the Office of Minority Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

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Student at Passages School

Today's spotlight is on Nicole Feinberg, principal of Passages Charter School, a public school that focuses on meeting the needs of refugee and immigrant students as well as students from Chicago. Nicole and her colleagues focus on making wellness a priority for students at Passages, with recess every day and a number of health-promoting initiatives. Passages teachers took part in Fit to Learn and now the whole school is getting involved in Go for the Gold. Thanks to Nicole for sharing her perspective!

As a principal, Feinberg has faced some challenges in bringing health and wellness to each of her students.

“One of the biggest challenges is changing the mindset of people that healthy food has to be expensive. There are lots of inexpensive healthy foods. The challenge becomes sharing information on how to cook and use these foods, and secondly, finding a way to introduce new foods to students in a manner that they will like them,” said Feinberg.

As principal at a school serving many immigrant and refugee students, Feinberg sees the impact of health disparities but is still learning about all the issues involved.

“I think as a principal I am still in the process of learning the various issues that face minority students in terms of health. However, as I become better educated, I want to share what I've learned with our school community so that they can benefit from the knowledge,” said Feinberg.

Making wellness a priority is a team effort.

“I think one of the most valuable lessons I've learned as a principal is that you can accomplish anything if you collaborate with those around you and have a genuine passion for the cause,” said Feinberg.

Every Hero for Healthy Schools needs a personal health hero to look up to. Feinberg shares hers.

“My personal health heroes are my parents. They were first generation children of Greek parents who struggled with weight issues during their adolescence and young adulthood. Determined for my brother and I not to share the same fate, they made a conscious effort to promote healthy eating and an active lifestyle from a young age and it worked!” said Feinberg. “Now as a parent I understand the value of their efforts and want to mirror their lessons with my own children.”

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Plus! Read more about Passages' efforts to make health and wellness part of the school culture here. 

Food for Thought: Changing Job Descriptions, Changing How We Prioritize Healthy Eating at School

By Mark Bishop, Vice President of Policy and Communcations

With Jamie Oliver in the news, new school food regulations being considered, and concerns over the increased costs associated with improving school food, it just seems that making change in a school is a loud and brash process. But sometimes change is subtle, and sometimes it’s the subtle changes that can make a real difference.

This article, which talks about obstacles one school district in New Hampshire faces in an attempt to improve nutritional standards, caught my eye. Not because it spoke of the increased challenges associated with providing kids healthy food, but for this point that may get lost in the details:

“The School Board has updated the job description of its school nutrition director... Under the revised job description, the director will coordinate the nutrition program according to requirements and select foods and meals to increase consumption of fruits and vegetables, assess customer preferences, industry trends and current research and plan menus that encourage participation in the lunch program as well as utilize community resources to support the program.”

Making healthy eating a priority is now officially part of this school nutrition director's job, allowing him or her to prioritize this effort.This kind of subtle change helps make wellness a real part of the school culture.

Change may be hard. But creating health-promoting job descriptions so schools can assess staff and provide support related to agreed-upon goals is so obvious that it’s brilliant.

Heroes for Healthy Schools Week: Chef in the Classroom Day!

Today was day two of Heroes for Healthy Schools week, a series that HSC is presenting with Chicago Public Schools and the Office of Minority Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to highlight  the role everyone can play in ensuring that all children are able to succeed in school and live healthy lives. After getting the week of to an active start yesterday, we continued the energy today with Chef in the Classroom!

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At Mark Sheridan Math and Science Academy this morning, eager and excited third grade students in chef hats were “fist pumping for chefs in training” under the direction of their Chef in the Classroom representative, Chef Lovely.  Chef Lovely shared her recipe for chicken lettuce wraps and fruit kabobs with orange yogurt and granola. She dazzled the class with her jewel encrusted knife set while telling them about healthier ways to prepare their food.

“Sometimes you can use different flavors in your chicken instead of salt. We call them aromatics. Can you say aromatics?” said Chef Lovely. The class loudly repeated: “Aromatics!”

After teaching the students how to make her wraps and kabobs, which she explained are healthier for you than other desserts because they contain natural fruit sugars as opposed to refined ones, she sent the students back to their desks so they could taste-test the healthy treats.

Two of the peer health educators with the Office of Minority Health who traveled to Chicago this week to support Heroes for Healthy Schools  were on site to help Chef Lovely prepare the students’ taste portions.

Jackie, a sophomore from UCLA, is a nursing and pre-med major. She is excited to get out and start helping in schools this week.

“I’m learning a lot being in a different place,” said Jackie. “It’s different reading in your books and actually going somewhere and seeing first-hand.”

Callie, a junior from UNC, is majoring in health policy and management and got involved with the peer health educator program through a friend who knew she was interested in health.

“I’m looking forward to experiencing all of the events in a big city. Chapel Hill is small!” said Callie.

As the students tasted their snacks, positive exclamations could be heard from many students’ mouths.

“Mama mia! This is delicious!” said one student. “Can we have seconds?” said another.

One student even asked Chef Lovely a personal request.

“Can you come to my house and make me a fabulous meal?” he asked.

As Chef Lovely started wrapping up her presentation, she asked the students to give her one last thought about what they had learned today.

“On the count of three, tell me how your food tastes,” said Chef Lovely.

After a count of one, two, three, the students answered with a resounding, “Delicious!”

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After a morning in the classroom, chefs and the principals of the schools they visited all gathered for a special luncheon to talk about ways to stay connected and help their schools meet the high standards for nutrition education set by the HealthierUS School Challenge, the program that First Lady Michelle Obama is urging schools to take on.

Stay posted for more updates on Heroes for Healthy Schools!

Photo Credits: John McMullen Photography

Heroes for Healthy Schools Spotlight On: Teacher John Neal

by Lana Buseman

Healthy Schools Campaign is pleased to announce Heroes for Healthy Schools: Coming together for student wellness and achievement, a weeklong series of events to celebrate Minority Health Month and
focus attention on programs and policies in Chicago that support student wellness and achievement.
This exciting series is presented as a partnership of Healthy Schools Campaign, Chicago Public
Schools Nutrition Support Services and the Office of Minority Health, U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services.

We are thrilled to take this opportunity to spotlight a few of the many individuals who are making a difference for kids' health at school and in our community.

The Office of Minority Health has decided to highlight the efforts in Chicago as excellent examples of school-community partnerships supporting low-income minority students, particularly with regard to healthy school food and fitness. Today's "hero for healthy schools," P.E. teacher John Neal, is helping connect his school with community partners and making physical activity a regular part of the school day.

To read more profiles and nominate your own hero for healthy schools, visit www.healthyschoolscampaign.org/healthheroes. 

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Students from Walsh participate in Chicago Run.

John Neal is the physical education teacher at Walsh Elementary School, located in the Pilsen neighborhood in Chicago. During his time at Walsh, he has helped increase the amount of exercise the students get each week.  By forming partnerships with different city organizations, Neal helped create more health and wellness opportunities for the students at Walsh on a daily basis.

Neal knows that teaching about life-long health and wellness is important for every student.

“My experience has been very positive. It’s been challenging because we’re trying to break out of old habits but still very positive. I use a fitness model for teaching PE. I definitely teach sports and the fundamentals but I want students to understand the benefits of life-long exercise. The administrative staff is very supportive with my style of teaching. I have worked with many different groups of students and all want to be healthy.”

Like other educators who are introducing health and wellness programs into their schools, Neal has faced some obstacles.

“There are definitely challenges. One is the lack of resources, specifically having an outside green space that is safe. The current space has tons of rocks, glass and a lack of grass. Certainly another challenge is healthy food choices at home at a reasonable cost to families. As a father of three, I know it can be expensive to eat healthy. We have recently partnered with a couple groups that will be coming into the school to provide a hands-on workshop for parents to teach them about healthy cooking at an affordable cost. We have a principal, Mr. Mohip, who takes the lead in finding groups to support wellness and that encourages all staff to go after non-profit groups to help fill voids in the school,” said Neal.

The partnerships Walsh has formed have been vital to the success of their wellness programs.

“We have numerous partnerships. Most have been developed in the last three to four years.  Non-profit groups are a huge part of our success. We all know that CPS struggles with providing extras. Groups like Community in Schools, Pilsen Junior Tennis Camp, Urban Initiatives, Healthy Schools Campaign, INTRSCT and Chicago Run really contribute to helping a student become the 'whole student.' We are constantly looking for organizations to help make our school stronger," said Neal. "Currently, we just completed a grant to provide fruits and vegetables to students. We are also in the process with working with Common Threads to provide nutritional education. Both are for the 2011-12 school year.”

As an educator, Neal is surrounded by learning experiences every day.

“Last year two students from Walsh started playing tennis with an organization we work with. These were two girls that had never played tennis with any instruction. They both are now getting ready to play in Junior United States Tennis Association (USTA) Tournaments this coming summer. This all started because we pursued a relationship with an organization that we knew kids would like. The point is, like the old adage says… small stones make only a ripple at first, but eventually they become a wave.” 
 
Every Hero for Healthy Schools needs a personal health hero to look up to. Neal shares his.

“My dad,” he said. “He's 83 and doesn't let age interrupt life.”

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Plus! Read more about Walsh in our Go for the Gold newsletter spotlight here!

School Nurse Creates Trailblazers Project to Get All Students Moving

by Lana Buseman

Last week, we shared the story of school nurse Luisa Ramirez, whose creative strategies got students at Lily Lake Grade School excited about washing their hands. Today, we're excited to report on another fun and very successful initiative that Luisa leads: the Trailblazers project.

Lily Lake Trailblazers is a project that encourages students to exercise by rewarding them with themed tokens each month.  School leaders built a 1/6 mile mulch walking trail on school grounds that students use to earn their tokens. For every five miles students walk, they receive a token that is typically themed based on the month; for example, hearts in February and shamrocks in March.

School nurse Luisa Ramirez, who is also the leading figure behind Lily Lake’s Scrub Club, has worked with her colleagues to make the Trailblazers project a success. School secretary Teresa McMahon "has given countless hours and encourages students in this quest," said Ramirez.

Students are allowed to use the walking trail during their free time or recess. The Trailblazers project became so popular that the PTA raised money to widen the trail and repave it with limestone.

“Last year we had five students reach 100 miles during the school year,” said Ramirez.

There are no food based rewards for this club, and students are excited to receive their tokens each month. Ramirez said that some teachers will take their classes out to the trail to walk half a mile before a big test because they find it helps students concentrate.

“This week is ISATs week, and in the past teachers have brought their students out to walk a couple laps before and after a long ISAT test,” said Ramirez.

Ramirez says that the Trailblazers project has been a great activity for kids to get involved in, especially if they aren’t interested in joining sports teams.

“Every school has students who can’t join groups like soccer or football. This gives students an opportunity to compete against other classmates or even compete against themselves.” said Ramirez. “They have really taken this on because it’s a way for them to set goals to reach.”

Congratulations to Luisa Ramirez, Teresa McMahon and the parents at Lily Lake Grade School for encouraging their students to be active and inspired through the Trailblazers project!

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Plus! Click here to read about another school's walking club that takes places indoors!

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Lily Lake Grade School in Maple Park, IL

Rewarding Students Without Candy: Tips for Teachers



by Maya Noronha, HSC graduate student intern

Many teachers are uncomfortable using candy as an incentive for their students, yet they want to be able to reward good behavior and academics -- and candy is a cheap way to do so.  However, this type of reward can have negative consequences: in addition to reinforcing unhealthy habits, candy rewards can contribute to decreased student performance at school after students eat candy.

Fortunately, there are some great ideas out there for fun ways to reward students without using candy or junk food!  Rewards can encourage children to perform well, and using non-food items can help reinforce healthy habits.

We've gathered ideas from teachers in HSC's Fit to Learn program and other school wellness initiatives. Check out these teachers' great ideas for non-food rewards:

• Buy inexpensive pencils in bulk, saying "Mr./Ms. ___’s All Star!" or another personalized message.  Kids will love getting them as a reward, and they can be used in class! (Thanks to Shaina Vincent of Ogden International School for this tip.)
  
• Make leadership a reward.  One teacher made each student a shirt that said "School Leader" with each student's name on the back.  Students who had good behavior all week got to wear their shirts on Friday and read to preschoolers in the afternoon.  A great way to reward your students while giving them a chance to practice their reading skills!
• Make phone calls home for good behavior. You can make calls home to tell parents about their kids' great behavior; or consider creating opportunities for children to make calls home telling their parents about their good work.  (Thanks to KIPP Ascend Charter School for sharing this tip, which they put in practice every Friday to reward students.) 
• Set up a photo recognition board and reward children by displaying their photo on the board.
• Lunch with the teacher! Reward children by inviting them to eat lunch with you.  This is a great chance to also set a good example and communicate messages about  good nutrition.
• Reward the class with healthy parties. Celebrate the healthy way! You can also work with your principal and wellness committee to make a school-wide commitment to healthy classroom celebrations. For healthy celebration ideas, check out HSC's recent blog on healthy class parties.  (Many schools including Fit to Learn schools Gray Elementary, LaSalle II Magnet School, and Skinner North have healthy celebration policies in place.)

Making a transition from candy and food-based rewards to healthy non-food rewards may seem a bit daunting at first, but if students see their teachers getting excited about these rewards, chances are they are going to get excited as well!

What are your ideas for healthy rewards? We'd love to hear what's worked for you!

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Plus! Click here to learn more about the Fit to Learn, a program that helps teachers learn how to incorporate health and wellness into the curriculum at their school!

School Spotlight on Calmeca Academy: Going for the Gold and Overcoming Barriers to Recess

 
Jose Hernandez with (from left to right) Rochelle Davis and Jovita Flores of HSC and Debra Stanford of TARGET Area Development Corp.

Calmeca Academy, previously known as McKinley Park Elementary, is a school that has put a great deal of focus on increasing wellness programs for their students. Calmeca has visits from OrganWise Guys to teach nutrition education to students at every age level. They offer a Healthy Kids Market, which allows families to stock up on fruits and vegetables once a week.  They offer P.E. and were able to bring recess to the school in the 2009-2010 school year.

However, with the merger of two schools this past year and the student population doubling, Calmeca leaders have faced many obstacles in keeping recess intact.

Jose Hernandez, a Calmeca Academy parent and the general coordinator for the Local School Council Member Alliance of Chicago, played a strong role in bringing recess to his school. Hernandez is also a member of the Chicago Public Schools Recess Taskforce.

“We had recess during the 2009-2010 school year," he said. "At that time we were known as McKinley Park Elementary, the school had 305 students. Teachers agreed to extend the day by 45 minutes. Our name and location changed with the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year. The number of students increased to over 700. The budget we received was based on the number of students we had the previous year."

With this  limited budget, Calmeca faced many challenges in keeping the recess program viable.

“We could not afford to pay the teachers to extend the day," said Hernandez. "The new staff would have to agree to extend the day. Most of the new parents and students were used to a regular school day. The space inside the building is limited so recess is a challenge during the winter."

With the combined help of Calmeca’s principal, Frances Garcia, Hernandez and the LSC, Calmeca began to find a way to keep recess for their students.

“We had to wait for the rollover funds to come in. We included the matter in a LSC meeting. Principal Garcia spoke with the school staff and they agreed to extend the day by 45 minutes. We spoke to the parents and explained the benefits of recess,” said Hernandez.

 
Principal Garcia submitting Calmeca's application for the HealthierUS School Challenge to USDA's Audrey Rowe at the 2010 Principals' Breakfast.

All of this hard work is paying off.  Principal Garcia was honored at HSC's Principals’ Breakfast in November 2010 for her achievements in meeting the high standards for physical activity and nutrition education set by the HealthierUS School Challenge. (HSC partners with Chicago Public Schools to support schools in meeting this challenge through our Go for the Gold campaign.)

After making some health-promoting changes to food and fitness, the school has seen a significant increase in students’ scores on the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT) in reading, math and science. And most recently, the school has approved the return of recess to their daily curriculum. The school day will start earlier and end later, giving time for both recess and additional instruction time. 

After helping to bring recess to his school, facing the possibility of losing it due to budget and then finding a solution to keep it, Hernandez can offer some advice to parents, teachers and principals who may be facing similar obstacles:

“I would tell anyone to attend the LSC meetings and bring this concern to the table. Many LSCs have the funds and influence to establish recess at their schools,” he said. 

To learn more about overcoming obstacles to recess at your school, check out Go for the Gold or contact us.

Healthy Classroom Celebrations for Valentine's Day and Beyond

by Leah Buchbinder, HSC Graduate Student Intern

Chocolate. Sweetheart candies. Cupcakes with pink frosting.

It must be Valentine’s Day!

Valentine’s Day is a time to tell people how much you care, which often means giving cards and candy to friends, family and classmates. Like Halloween, it often comes with classroom celebrations – and of course lots of sugar! People often ask, "what’s the harm in an afternoon party and the occasional treat?" Providing unhealthy food in the classroom contributes to poor eating habits by associating food with reward, and compromises classroom learning because unhealthy treats often mean students are less focused. Most schools have wellness policies that encourage healthy classrooms, and parties with unhealthy food send mixed messages to students.

Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be all about the treats; you can enjoy the holiday and reinforce healthy habits for students by focusing on sweet activities and healthy treats instead.

Here are some ideas:

Don’t make food the main event: Schedule the party for after lunch, when kids aren’t as hungry. Refreshments should complement the fun.

Plan activities to keep kids occupied:

o   Have students write a positive comment to each classmate.

o   Make it a dance party with music and encourage everyone up and show off their best moves.

o   Make cards for family and friends, or as a community service project to send to people in the hospital.

Give inexpensive treats: Candy may seem like the only inexpensive gift that you can get for the whole class, but you can instead give out heart erasers, personalized pencils, stickers, magnets, bubbles, or small toys.

Have healthy food alternatives: It can be hard to be the only teacher who doesn’t allow snacks in the classroom. When you’re picking snacks to serve, don’t serve more than one sugary item at the party, and limit the amount to one sweet per student. Select food for fun and flavor and serve food with themed plates and napkins. Provide healthy pink and red foods such as strawberries, watermelon or red peppers. Use cookie cutters to cut fruit into heart shapes.

We shared these ideas and more at a recent training of Fit to Learn, HSC's new professional development program to help teachers make healthy messages a regular part of the classroom experience. Stay posted for more ideas throughout the weeks ahead! We'd also love to hear about your experiences and ideas for healthy classroom celebrations.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Go for the Gold: Exciting Achievements in 2010!

by Rosa Ramirez

photos: Chef in the Classroom day, Oct. 2010

Happy holidays! As students across Chicago prepare for their winter break, we are taking a moment to reflect on an incredibly exciting year for the Go for the Gold campaign. 

With the incredible support of parents, teachers, school leaders and advocates, Go for the Gold has made big strides this year and we are eager to accomplish even more in 2011. Since the launch of the Go for the Gold campaign, parents, principals, teachers, local chefs and many community partners have come together to support schools in meeting the HealthierUS School Challenge.

In 2010, Chicago Public Schools became the first major school district in the US to declare school menu nutrition standards that meet and exceed the gold standard of the HealthierUS School challenge. This means that more than 400,000 students are trying different fresh vegetables, eating whole grains and seeing other positive changes daily. With new food in place, schools are now focusing their efforts on meeting the high standards for nutrition education and physical activity outlined in the HealthierUS School Challenge.

Local chefs are taking their skills and love of food to the classroom to share healthy eating lessons with students. To read more about this initiative, click here. Teachers are learning about healthy classroom management practices, integrating nutrition education and fitness into classroom lessons. Parent groups are participating in school wellness teams, advocating for positive changes and learning new skills for healthy cooking at home.

Most recently, principals from 15 Chicago Public Schools (CPS) presented their applications for the HealthierUS Challenge, the cornerstone program of Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move initiative to reverse childhood obesity.The presentation of HealthierUS School applications by Chicago school principals marks a milestone in the tireless work of community leaders and school administrators to achieve the high standards for school wellness that support such an application.

The national momentum for health and wellness -- and this incredible enthusiasm at the local level -- are invigorating. Thank you to everyone who is part of Go for the Gold!

Fit To Learn Training: Making Healthy Habits Part of How Kids Learn

On November 16, HSC kicked off its new Fit to Learn program with the first of three free teacher
training sessions that introduced new lesson plans to help incorporate fitness, nutrition and exercise
into the everyday school curriculum. Chicago Public Schools (CPS) teachers of grades K-5, physical education teachers, resource coordinators of community schools and school nurses were invited to participate.

The training first gave teachers an overview of CPS wellness efforts and the Go for the Gold campaign, the Chicago-based effort to implement the Let's Move! initiative championed by Michelle Obama. Teachers then split up into groups to learn more about the lesson plans for grades K-2 and 3-5. The lessons focused on integrating health messages into core academic subjects, art and music. In the spirit of Fit to Learn, the teachers also participated in an exercise break of their own.

Teachers who took part in the Fit to Learn training received professional development credits as well as free resources and new lesson plans to help them integrate the Fit to Learn ideas into their own curriculum.

According to teachers, the training gave them new tools and inspiration to take back to the classroom. One attendee said the best features of Fit to Learn were "the resources and information about how to implement more movement activities I can do in my room. Love the lesson plans!”

A special thank-you to all the trainers who helped make the first Fit to Learn training day a success!

The next two training sessions will take place in spring 2011.

Plus: Thanks to the great response to this training, HSC has added another opportunity -- starting in January -- for teachers to be part of Fit to Learn! This session is open to additional teachers who were unable to attend the November training. For more information on how you can get involved, please click here.

For additional questions, contact Donna Fishman, training director at HSC, by email or at 312-419-1810 (office); or 847-275-5758 (cell).

Report Shows Schools Cutting Recess to Focus on Testing, But Kids Learn Best When They Move More

HSC works to save recess because research shows that unstructured physical activity can be crucial to a child's development, helping to prevent obesity, supporting learning and teaching healthy habits for a lifetime.

But a recent story on University of Texas public radio station KUT reports that schools are cutting recess in favor of more prep for mandatory high-stakes testing. As the story points out, this move may actually hurt students' academic performance. This is something we've heard from school leaders across the country, and the story describes the issue well. The story points to a report by Children’s Optimal Health, which says that the students in Austin middle schools who are most likely to need extra help passing the state test live in the same area as kids who are more likely to be overweight or obese. The story says:

“We actually may be shooting ourselves in the foot by not allowing kids to get enough physical activity. There’s actually been several studies that have shown that kids who get more physical activity during the day do not do worse on standardized tests and may actually do better,” said Andrew Springer, a researcher at University of Texas School of Public Health.

The Texas requirement of 30 minutes a day of physical activity is better than a lot of states, but still only meets half the recommended requirements from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Physical education experts say you can’t substitute the organized play of physical education classes with the self-guided, independent exercise kids do at recess.

“Play is the single most effective way to get kids to be physically active, because it’s intrinsically motivated,” said Jill Violet with a non-profit called Playworks. “Play offers these incredible benefits because there’s no end. You win. You lose, but you keep playing. It’s not as goal oriented as other kinds of sports and things, or academics for that matter.”

The pressure that high stakes standardized testing is putting on recess is a national phenomenon.

“Kids should be getting at least 20 minutes per day of recess,” said Dr. Lindsey Turner, a health education researcher at the University of Illinois. “What our data show is that only about two-thirds of kids are getting that amount, which leaves a lot of kids not getting enough recess.”

To learn more, check out the Exercise & School Recess section of HSC's blog. We'd love to hear about efforts underway to save recess in your community!

 

Best Wishes for Back-to-School, from HSC

It's back-to-school time! For fresh ways to make this school year better than ever, check out these free resources from HSC:

• The Quick & Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools: Updated and full of great information, this guide helps schools begin and maintain green cleaning programs that are sustainable, affordable and engaging for the entire school community. (Already have a green cleaning program? The guide includes resources to continue developing it. And don't forget to apply for the 2010 Green Cleaning Award!)

• The Quick & Easy Guide to School Wellness: Our comprehensive, multi-media guide to school wellness can help establish a school wellness program that brings together students, teachers, staff and the school community. It's full of practical tips for issues ranging from school lunch to recess, fundraising, classroom celebrations and more.

From all of us at HSC, have a safe, healthy start to the 2010-2011 school year!