July School Wellness Newsletter

Filling the Gap with Summer Meals

The USDA Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) was established to fill the gap when children lose access to meals when schools are closed. Most often this occurs during summer vacation. However, during school closures related to the pandemic, meals are also being made available. In an effort to maintain social distancing, USDA has made temporary changes that allow parents or guardians to pick up meals and take them home for their children. Organizations have come up with creative ways to make these nutritious meals available in your community through grab and go curbside pickup, providing meals for multiple days at one time, and some including “take and bake” options, and weekend meals.

You can find a meal site in your area via three easy options:

Text “Food” or “Comida” to 877-877
Call 2-1-1, 1-866-3-HUNGRY (1-866-348-6479)
1-877-8-HAMBRE (1-877-842-6273) (for Spanish)
Visit https://www.fns.usda.gov/meals4kids

Take the stress out of providing nutritious meals and snacks to your children by participating at a site near you! Spread the word to family, friends, and neighbors!

Iowa Department of Education - SFSP Helps Meet Student Nutritional Needs During Pandemic

ISU Extension and Outreach - Filling the Gap Blog

Return to Learn Modules

The Iowa Department of Education has developed a series of modules for leadership teams located on the Iowa Return-to-Learn Support page. The use of these modules is optional.

The health and safety of Iowa’s teachers, staff, students, and families are first and foremost in planning for the 2020-2021 school year. The Health and Safety Module provides considerations, prioritization, and action steps for districts to futher develop and implement their Return to Learn Plan:

Moving More at Home

Physical activity breaks throughout the day help reduce stress and anxiety, boost the immune system, improve sleep, and support our physical and mental health.

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation and Kohl's recently released Moving More at Home: a collection of free, home-based activities, tools, and videos you can share with students and parents to make moving more at home easy and fun for the whole family.

From customizable family adventures to indoor scavenger hunts, Moving More at Home will help you integrate quick and easy physical activity breaks into your daily routine so you can move more and feel better!

8 Dimensions of Wellness Challenge

Hy-Vee KidsFit wants you to find your smile! Health and wellness is about so much more than just moving your body and eating right, so they have created 8 Dimensions of Wellness Challenges so you can shine in all areas of health and wellness!

Physical Wellness - DIY Obstacle Course
Social Wellness - At Home Restaurant
Spiritual Wellness - Nature Walk
Environmental Wellness - Plant a Vegetable
Intellectual Wellness - Build Your Own Tower
Emotional Wellness - 7 Days of Gratitude
Financial Wellness - Save, Spend, & Donate
Career Wellness - When I Grow Up...

SWITCH Things Up at Your School

SWITCH is an innovative school wellness initiative designed to support and enhance school wellness programming. Through SWITCH, schools can help student to "Switch what they Do, View, and Chew!" SWITCH is managed by an interdisciplinary research team in partnership with the 4-H Youth Development Program through Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. Schools are provided with resources, training and support, but have autonomy to run programming in ways that best fit their unique needs and goals. If your school is new to SWITCH and interested in participating for the 2020-21 school year, please complete this short interest form.
Questions? Contact Rachel Sweeney at rsweeney@iastate.edu.

Health and Physical Education Resources

Continue to check national and state organizations for updated resources and learning opportunities.

National Society for Health and Physical Education (SHAPE) America

Iowa Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (IAHPERD)

Institute of Child Nutrition Food Safety Trainings

Join the Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN) for a series of free, live, virtual instructor-led food safety trainings to provide Child Nutrition Professionals!

Training dates and registration are available: https://theicn.org/vilt/

Topics include:

Food Allergies for School Nutrition Managers & Staff (4 hours)
Food Safety Basics (4 hours)
Norovirus for Schools (2 hours)
Norovirus for Child Care (2 hours)
Food Safety in Child Care (4 hours)

These training sessions are offered on a first-come, first-serve basis with limited slots available. Please note that these food safety trainings are also available as online courses and are available via the ICN’s eLearning portal.

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/.