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GO BLUE DAY
The purpose of the GO BLUE campaign is to:
- Increase COMMUNITY awareness of child abuse issues during April, Child Abuse Prevention Month.
- Engage businesses and individuals in the prevention of child abuse by providing them with the knowledge that child abuse exists!
Missouri KidsFirst Organization is a statewide network of individuals, medical providers, programs and organizations committed to ending child abuse in Missouri. The agency provides leadership in prevention, intervention, and prosecution of child abuse through:
- Advocacy and Prevention programs which raise awareness of child abuse issues and develop strategies for prevention.
- Training for medical providers, prosecutors, and other Missouri professionals
- Technical, organizational and financial support for 15 Child Advocacy Centers across the state
- Statewide collaboration with others committed to ending the cycle of violence for Missouri's children
The Effect of School
on Overweight in Childhood:
Gain in Body Mass Index During the School Year and During Summer Vacation
Paul T. von Hippel, PhD, Brian Powell,
PhD, Douglas B. Downey, PhD and Nicholas J. Rowland, MA. Go
to abstract.
PE Classes Turn to Video Game That Works
Legs
Go to 4/30/2007 The
New York Times Article
Encourage Kids to Eat Wisely
A new report says children will choose and
eat healthy food at school if it is offered to them. See
Washington Post article.
Sweet Deals: School Fundraisers can be
Fun and Profitable
The Center for Science in the Public Interest
has a new report on school fundraisers. You can access
the report at http://cspinet.org/new/pdf/schoolfundraising.pdf.
The report is 70 pages, but check out the charts on pages
vii and 8 that summarize some alternatives to high caloric
and high fat fund raisers.
Attention School Nurses!
Poison Prevention Week -
March 18-24
Lesson Plan, Materials and Contest
All across the nation Americans will observe
Poison Prevention Week by seeking to raise awareness among
children of one of the nation's deadliest - but most easily
preventable - safety hazards. The campaign has its roots
in Missouri, having been created by Cape Girardeau pharmacist
Homer A. George in 1958, as a way to make children more
aware of the dangers of poisons. This year Poison Prevention
Week is March 18-24th. Encourage your students to take
part in the 18th annual Poison Prevention Week Poster
Contest. Materials submitted by Ivy Tominack, Public Education
Coordinator, Missouri Regional Poison Center.
Graphics:
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Preventing School
Violence - Satellite Broadcast
February
15,
8 – 9 a.m.: Program
description |
Register for live webstream of event.
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Healthy Eating Research: Building Evidence
to Prevent Childhood Obesity - Round 2
Application deadline: February 13,
2007
Healthy Eating Research is a national program
that supports research on environmental and policy strategies
to promote healthy eating among children to prevent childhood
obesity, especially among low-income and racial/ethnic
populations at highest risk for obesity. This second round
of funding focuses on children's food environments and
policies in selected community settings: preschool, child-care,
school and after-school environments, as well as nearby
food outlets. [Robert Wood Johnson Foundation]
Details
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Teen Dating Violence
Awareness and Prevention Week
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Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention
Week has been designated for Feb. 5-9, 2007. In conjunction
with the week, the American Bar Association has led the
effort to develop a toolkit (http://www.abanet.org/unmet/toolkitmaterials.html)
for teens, teachers, parents, counselors, judges and attorneys,
and law enforcement officials.
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Position Statement on Tobacco Use and Youth
The Missouri Consolidated School Health Coalition believes
that children should live in a tobacco-free society. Tobacco
is a highly addictive substance and a human carcinogen
that causes disease and death. According to the American
Cancer Society, cigarette smoking causes significant health
problems among children and adolescents, including coughing,
shortness of breath, production of phlegm, respiratory
illnesses, reduced physical fitness, poorer lung growth
and function, and worse health overall.
The Missouri School Health Coalition supports measures
to deter or eliminate tobacco use by youth. In addition,
the Missouri Consolidated School Health Coalition supports
measures to require totally smokefree environments to
protect public health, particularly the health of our
young people.
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Progress In Preventing Childhood Obesity: How Do We Measure Up?
Report Brief: Effectively responding to
the obesity epidemic
Over the past few decades, a steady
and dramatic increase in obesity has occurred throughout
the entire U.S. population,
particularly among children and youth. Currently, one
third of American children and youth are either obese
or at risk of becoming obese. Over the past 30 years,
the obesity rate has nearly tripled for children ages
2–5 years (from 5 to 14 percent) and youth ages
12–19 years (from 5 to 17 percent), and quadrupled
for children ages 6–11 years (from 4 to 19 percent).
The country is beginning to recognize childhood obesity
as a major public health epidemic that will incur substantial
costs to the nation. However, the current level of investment
by the public and private sectors still does not match
the extent of the problem. There is a substantial underinvestment
of resources to adequately address the scope of the obesity
crisis when compared to the expressed concern for and
commitment to possible infectious disease outbreaks or
bioterrorism events.
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New NCCSHS Web Resources
The National Coordinating Committee on School
Health and Safety (NCCSHS) has a new website at www.mchb.hrsa.gov/healthystudents.
It has hundreds of resources to national organizations
that work in school health and Federal agencies.
When you review the site, go to "NCCSHS
Recommended Resources."
Grant Opportunity: Blue Cross Blue Shield
of Missouri Foundation commits $800,000 toward tobacco and
obesity prevention
with School Wellness Pilot Program
School children throughout Missouri will participate
in tobacco prevention education and be helped in their battle
against obesity through a public-private partnership. The
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Missouri Foundation, the charitable
giving arm of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Missouri, now known
as Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, is funding a pilot
school wellness program with a $550,000 grant over a three-year
period. Missouri Legislature House Bill 568 mandates that
selected school districts in the state establish a “Model
School Wellness Program” promoting healthy lifestyles
beginning with the 2005-2006 school year. See
press release.
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Coalition Announces New Scholarship Opportunity
 Sandra Nichols Mazzocco
Coordinated School Health Scholarship
Sandy Nichols Mazzocco was a staunch
proponent of Coordinated School Health Programs and the
eight component framework
model. As a memorial to her dedication to children, the coalition
has established a conference scholarship. The scholarship
includes registration and lodging to the annual
Missouri Coordinated School Health Conference. Individuals can apply
for this scholarship award by completing the application.
The scholarship winner will be announced at this year's conference
with the award applicable in 2007.
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New Data About Missouri Schools
See Resources for important new information
about health and physical education program practices including
scheduling, time allotment, electives, and opportunities
for non physical education activities, in Missouri schools.
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Child Nutrition and
WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004
On June 30, 2004,
Congress passed Section 204 of Public Law 108-265, of the
Child Nutrition
and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Healthy/108-265.pdf.
This law requires local education agencies (LEAs or local
school districts) to develop a policy that addresses the
growing problem of childhood overweight. The United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA) has unveiled the law that
requires LEAs participating in the federal school meal programs
to have "school wellness policies" in place by
the first day of the 2006-2007 school year.
As a result of a multi-agency collaborative,
Missouri Wellness Policy and Procedure evolved to address
Section 204 of the
Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004. MSBA
developed this model
policy and the accompanying procedure, forms and supplemental
materials in cooperation with the
Department of Health and Senior Services, the Department
of Elementary and Secondary Education, University of Missouri
Extension, and the Missouri School Nutrition Association.
Other contributors included the Dairy Council and the American
Heart Association. These model wellness materials are research
based and provide school districts with a best practices
approach to a comprehensive wellness program.
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ReCharge!
ReCharge! is a new after-school
program designed to help students in grades 3-6 learn about
and practice good
nutrition and physical activity habits through fun, team-based
strategies. It focuses on four core-concepts: "Energy
In" (nutrition), "Energy Out" (physical activity),
Teamwork and Goal-setting. Recharge! is
brought to after-school programs across the country by Action
for Healthy Kids and the National Football league. See
program details.
Whiz, Zip & Zap It!
During the 2005-2006 school year, students
in grades 3-6, attending after-school programs at 20 sites
across the state of Missouri will participate in a minimum
of six nutrition education lessons from the Whiz,
Zip & Zap It! curriculum. In each 50 minute
lesson, a different food group or nutrient represented in
the Food Guide Pyramid is emphasized and students participate
in preparing a healthy food item that includes that particular
food group. See program details.
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