2022 Montana School Health Profiles is Underway
The 2022 Montana School Health (Profiles) is underway in schools with grades 6 through 12. The biennial Profiles is a two-questionnaire system that provides information on school health policies, programs, and health education implementation. The purple-colored, principal questionnaire and orange-colored, health education teacher questionnaire query different and various school health topics; both were sent under separate cover to these school staff. If you did not receive a questionnaire, please send your request to Susan Court at scourt@mt.gov or 406-444-3178. Please complete the Profiles questionnaire by Wednesday, February 16, and return in the enclosed pre-addressed, postage-paid envelope or address to:
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2021 Montana YRBS - Class AA, A, B, and C Report
Findings from the 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey reveal that 66% of students in urban/Class AA schools wear a seat belt when riding in a vehicle compared to 50% of Class A students, 43% of Class B students, and 36% of Class C students. Among drivers, 83% of Class AA students wear a seat belt when driving compared to 70% of Class A students, 62% of Class B and 50% of Class C students. The frequency distributions and graphs comparing all questions asked on the YRBS are available in the 2021 YRBS - Class AA, A, B, and C Report. View this report and many others, including your school-specific results, on the YRBS website at www.opi.mt.gov. For further information please contact Susan Court, YRBS state coordinator, at scourt@mt.gov or (406) 444-3178.
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Mind & Body - Activities for the Elementary Classroom - FREE!
Mind & Body is a 61-page book featuring dozens of energizing activities that blend physical activity with topics such as math and science skills, vocabulary, learning directions, music, personal space, concentration, and more. This book was first produced by the OPI in 2007 and has been a favorite of K-5 classroom teachers for many years. The book is FREE and can be ordered by contacting Susan Court, OPI Health Enhancement specialist, at scourt@mt.gov or (406) 444-3178.
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Bullyproof - A Teacher's Guide on Teasing and Bullying for use with Fourth and Fifth Grade Students- FREE!
Bullyproof contains eleven sequential core lessons comprised of writing activities, reading assignments, class discussions, role plays, case studies, and homework assignments that engage children to think about the distinctions between "teasing" and "bullying." These activities help children focus on the boundaries between appropriate and inappropriate, playful, and hurtful behavior. For your FREE copy of Bullyproof contact Susan Court, OPI Health Enhancement specialist, at scourt@mt.gov or (406) 444-3178.
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Big Sky Fit Kids Opportunity
Big Sky Fit Kids is a FREE activity and nutrition program teaching Montana youth about the importance of being physically active while increasing fruit and vegetable servings. Big Sky Fit Kids consists of a two-month team Tracking Challenge. The program encourages school, classroom, after-school program, and at-home activities. Schools have the chance to win $500!
The 5210 Challenge is a week-long challenge that encourages kids to eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables, engage in two or less hours of screen time, one hour of physical activity and consume zero sugary drinks the week of March 21-25. Students have a chance to win a bike.
For more information visit Big Sky Fit Kids or contact Suzie Eades at suzie@bigskygames.org
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Nutrition and Physical Education Curriculum - FREE!
The University of Utah Center for Community Nutrition is reaching out to neighboring states by offering a FREE fun, interactive nutrition and physical education curriculum. CRUSH Diabetes (middle school) and Team Thrive (high school) are unique programs that incorporate technology and active learning while aligning with state standards for nutrition, making them engaging for students and simple to teach for educators.
Lesson plans, slide decks, videos, worksheets, and more are provided in this action-oriented curriculum that has seen positive results in many schools across Utah. These materials are completely free. If interested in reviewing the program materials please complete the request form or contact Sarah Elizabeth Garza-Levitt.
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Webinar: Youth Suicide Prevention, Intervention, and Postvention in Schools and the Importance of Self-Care
Sponsored by the Montana Office of Public Instruction and the Montana School Counselors Association, Dr. Scott Poland will present for the benefit of Montana school counselors, CSCT therapists, and other youth mental health and suicide prevention specialists.
Join us virtually February 1, 2022, 3:30-5:00 pm. For further information please contact Tammy Lysons, or (406) 431-2309. WEBINAR REGISTRATION HERE
This webinar is a pre-conference session for the MSCA Spring Conference to be held in Billings on March 31-April 1, 2022. The theme this year is “Spark! Connection. Resiliency. Hope". For further information about the MSCA Spring Conference please contact Renee Schoening.
MSCA CONFERENCE REGISTRATION LINK
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School Threat Assessment and Intervention Training: A Tool to Prevent School Violence and Promote Wellness
Schools throughout Montana are taking steps to make schools safer while simultaneously supporting student wellbeing by implementing a threat assessment and intervention procedure. A threat assessment is a violence prevention strategy that aims to:
- Identify students who may be planning to commit an act of violence
- Determine the seriousness of the threat of violence
- Intervene to prevent the act from occurring and address the underlying problem or conflict
Threat assessments were developed to help identify threats to safety before an incident occurs. When included as part of a school’s safety plan, threat assessments are highly effective tools to prevent acts of violence from occurring. Threat assessments are restorative in practice and provide an alternative to “zero tolerance” school discipline policies by helping schools right-size their response to concerning behaviors. Schools' threat assessments aim to identify the root causes of concerning behaviors and applies a team approach to supporting students in addressing problems.
For more information on Threat Assessment and Interventions and other school violence prevention strategies, please visit the OPI’s School Violence Prevention website. If you are interested in implementing a Threat Assessment and Intervention process in your school, funding is available to provide training to your school. Please contact Michele Henson for more details.
National School Counseling Appreciation Week: February 7-11, 2022
The National School Counseling Appreciation Week starts on February 7th. School counselors provide invaluable services to support students and school staff. This has been especially true as schools and communities continue to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. We invite you to take some time to celebrate and thank the school counselors you know and work with. Please join us in celebrating the wonderful school counselors in Montana who have made a positive difference in the lives of students and families across the state.
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The OPI is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to people with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation, require an alternate format, or have questions concerning accessibility, contact the OPI ADA Coordinator, 406-444-3161, opiada@mt.gov, Relay Service: 711.
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