November Healthy Schools - Healthy Students Newsletter

Mason City CSD School Nutrition Staff participating in Halloween Fun!

Healthiest State Annual Awards

Deadline: November 5th at 5pm (tomorrow)

Submissions are for K-12 school buildings (not district level). Applicants must demonstrate how the school has made policy, systems and environment changes that make the healthy choice the easy choice for their students and staff. Additionally, all applicants must also be a 5-2-1-0 Healthy Choices Count! Registered Site.

Finalists will be announced in early 2020 and the winners will be recognized at the Healthiest State Annual Awards on Feb. 7. Each winner will be awarded a monetary prize to continue their health and wellness efforts. Learn more and apply today!

FFA Growing Together Initiative

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is offering five schools an exciting opportunity! Through this initiative, school food service and the FFA Chapter will work together to integrate three or more FFA-grown products into the school nutrition program. Funds will be paid to the school and will include the opportunity for student(s) and the ag instructor managing the project to be paid for their work through the summer, credit for garden supplies, and supplies for food service. Additional Information and Application. Deadline to apply: December 2nd, 2019. Questions? Contact Tammy Stotts at tammy.stotts@iowaagriculture.gov.

Southeast Polk CSD - Best School Recycling Award!

Each year the Iowa Recycling Association accepts applications for their Recycling Excellence Awards that honor the industry's best who advance sustainable materials management in Iowa. Southeast Polk CSD has demonstrated their commitment to improving and enhancing our natural resources through waste reduction, recycling, energy conservation, sustainable farming, and hands-on environmental learning. For more information, contact Amy A'Hearn at amy.ahearn@southeastpolk.org.

Clearinghouse for Work-Based Learning

The Iowa Clearinghouse for Work-Based Learning connects students and employers through shared projects that give students professional experience. This can include virtual projects, internships, and apprenticeships. Check out the latest newsletter! There is great information to get you started with a hands-on project for your classroom that will make learning more relevant to your students. For more information contact Jake Welchans at jake.welchans@iowa.gov.

Interested in a wellness related project for your students? Check out the Creating a Health Messages listing on the Project Board.

USDA Farm to School Grant Opportunity

USDA seeks to award up to $10 million to schools, nonprofits, state and local agencies, etc. to plan and implement farm to school activities.

Planning Grants: focus on goals and activities that lay a solid foundation for launching farm to school work. 12 months: $20,000 - $50,000.

Implementation Grants: increase the amount of local food in schools by scaling up or further developing existing farm to school initiatives. 12 or 24 months: $50,000 - $100,000.

For more information visit the USDA Farm to School Grant.

Previous Iowa Farm to School Grantees: Central Decatur CSD, Iowa Valley Resource Conservation and Development, Vinton-Shellsburg CSD, Waukee CSD, West Fork CSD, and Atlantic CSD.

Mileage Club at Knoxville CSD

Northstar Elementary School started a Mileage Club last spring as a way to get kids moving a recess and encourage a lifelong love of running and walking. Since the Mileage Club’s implementation, not only are students more active and engaged in many other games and activities at recess, but typical playground altercations are reduced, as an easily supervised, organized activity replaces arguments, hurt feelings, and playground accidents. Learn more in the Iowa Department of Education's Headline Article. For more information contact Principal Keitges at john.keitges@kcsd.k12.ia.us.

Agriculture Every Day Resource

Agriculture Every Day is aimed at teaching youth in grades 4-12 about the importance of agriculture. All lessons follow the 4-H Experiential Learning Model and include hands-on, fun and engaging activities. Each short (20-30 min) stand-alone lesson is on a different agricultural science topic. Six of the lessons focus on animal science and six focus on crop science.
FREE PDF Download at ISU Extension Store

Iowa School Highlights!

Bryant Elementary Kids Learn About Nutrition, One Veggie At a Time (Sioux City CSD)
"Git Up" for National School Lunch Week - School Nutrition Dance (Waukee CSD)
Dubuque Community School District Serves Lunches with Local Produce this Month
Celebrate School Lunch that Rocks with WDMCS (West Des Moines CSD)
An Education for Students, Support for Local Farmers (Union CSD)

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, and at any USDA office, or write a letter ad- dressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the com- plaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:

Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Ave SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410
Fax: (202) 690-7442
Email: program.intake@usda.gov

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Iowa Nondiscrimination Statement

It is the policy of this CNP provider not to discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or religion in its programs, activities, or employment practices as required by the Iowa Code section 216.6, 216.7, and 216.9. If you have questions or grievances related to compliance with this policy by this CNP Provider, please contact the Iowa Civil Rights Commission, Grimes State Office Building, 400 E 14th St, Des Moines, IA 50319-1004; phone numbers 515-281-4121 or 800-457-4416; website: https://icrc.iowa.gov/.