January Healthy Schools - Healthy Students Newsletter

Team Nutrition Iowa, Action for Healthy Kids Iowa, and Iowa Department of Education logos

January
2018

Healthy Schools
shiny snowflake

 This monthly newsletter is published in partnership with Iowa Team Nutrition and Iowa Partners: Action for Healthy Kids and provides information on nutrition and physical activity programs, upcoming school wellness trainings and funding opportunities, and success stories from Iowa schools working to support healthy habits in their students and staff.

Stay Connected! Iowa Department of Education - Bureau of Nutrition and Health Services

Facebook: @healthyschoolsIA  Twitter: @IAhealthyschool E-mail: schoolmeals@iowa.gov

We are now on Pinterest!

van buren student poster

You will find a collection of school wellness resources, including bulletin boards and signage ideas (many from Iowa schools)! Create an environment that supports healthy eating and physical activity in your school! 
https://www.pinterest.com/IAhealthyschools/

Photo credit: Van Buren CSD

School Wellness Beyond the Cafeteria Webinar

Nutrition Educator

The school environment plays a fundamental role in shaping lifelong healthy behaviors and can have a powerful influence on students' eating and physical activity habits. An integrated school, parent, and community approach can enhance the health and well-being of Iowa students. Learn about strategies and actions that schools can take to create a healthy environment that reaches beyond the cafeteria and engages the community. 

Iowa Department of Education’s Team Nutrition Program will be presenting a webinar on Tuesday, Jan. 16, from 9 – 10 a.m. Register today! The webinar will be recorded and sent out to all individuals who register.

Photo Credit: Sandy Hagen, registered dietitian from Regional Health Services in Cresco, delivers nutrition education lessons to students at Crestwood Elementary.  

2018 Incredible Schools Celebration

Superhero Eggy

The Iowa Egg Council is looking for Incredible Schools in Iowa that promote healthy eating, which includes eggs, and exercise the entire month of March (National Nutrition Month), along with  National School Breakfast Week March 5-9!

Include a new recipe or product that includes eggs or feature eggs in a new way on your menu. Schools are also encouraged to incorporate a physical activity component (i.e. classroom brain breaks) every day for one week for a cumulative total of 60 minutes to make their school incredible! 

The first 100 schools that make a commitment to the above program will receive a $50 grant, and $25 worth of eggs, or egg products from the Iowa Egg Council. 

For more information, visit the Iowa Egg Council! Sign-up by emailing your commitment and School Nutrition Director contact information to Katie@iowaegg.org by February 9th.

Staff Wellness at Central CSD!

central school staff working on recipe

Central Community School District in Elkader launched a new Staff Wellness program this school year! What started off as a monthly physical activity program has grown into a holistic staff wellness program, including physical, environmental, emotional, social, spiritual, financial, intellectual, and occupational aspects of health.

For December's theme of healthy eating, FoodCorps Iowa service member Kate Lower led a session on how to make healthy holiday dips, roasted seasonal veggies, and overnight oatmeal. Find the recipes here!

5210: Physical Activity

5210 healthy choices count

5210 is campaign that focuses on four daily habits:

  • 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables;
  • 2 hours or less of screen time;
  • 1 hour or more of physical activity; and
  • 0 (or reduced) sugar-sweetened beverages.

Cold weather offers great ways to have family fun. Take time to play together – and move more. You will all feel good! Adults need at least 30 minutes of physical activity and children need at least 30 minutes each day. Find fun ideas and safe reminders in this USDA Nibbles for Health resource.

For 5-2-1-0 resources visit the Iowa Healthiest State Initiative webpage.

Fuel Up to Play60 Summit & Student Application

Fuel Up to Play60

The online application for the 2018 Fuel Up to Play 60 Student Ambassador National Summit (July 16-19, 2018 in Atlanta, GA) is now available! Completing this application is required if the student would like to be considered as Iowa’s Fuel Up to Play 60 State Ambassador and/or attend the National Summit. To become eligible to apply the student must:

  • Reach 45,000 points on their Fuel Up to Play 60 student dashboard;
  • Be at least 11 years old by July 31, 2018 and entering 6th grader or higher for the 18-19 school year; and
  • Have a Program Advisor registered at their school.

Applications are due by March 9. To learn more visit www.fueluptoplay60.com or contact Jen Ransom at jransom@midwestdairy.com. 

Build a Healthy Lunch Posters

We have Build a Healthy Lunch and Today's Menu Posters available! They are 11 x 17inches and are laminated. Please e-mail carrie.scheidel@iowa.gov with the quantity you are interested in and shipping address. Electronic versions of the files can be found on our Communication Tools webpage.

today's menu poster

The Flu and You

girl on the couch with the flu

It’s flu season again. Schools should work to be proactive to prevent the spread of the flu. This Iowa Department of Education Headline includes ways to reduce the spread of the flu at school.