Monthly Update: NC Healthy Schools

North Carolina Public Schools sent this bulletin at 10/01/2021 08:03 AM EDT

October 1, 2021

Healthy Fall Stew Recipe

When you think of your favorite things about fall, what comes to mind...? Cozy fires, hot chocolate, pumpkin patches, your favorite sweater or sweatshirt, football, and on, and on... Another favorite includes soups and stews! This recipe is so simple, healthy, flavorful, and filling.

Spinach & Rice Stew (Mediterranean Meal)

3 servings

Ingredients

9oz / 250gr spinach
1 onion chopped
1 tomato diced
2 carrots cut into cubes
2 garlic cloves chopped
1/2 cup long grain rice
2 tbsp parsley chopped
1 tbsp dill chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
1 lemon
salt & pepper

Instructions

Place a pot over medium heat and add the olive oil in.
Add the chopped onion and sauté for a couple of minutes.
If spinach leaves are too big cut in half. If it's baby spinach leave it as it is.
Add the rest of the ingredients in the pot: chopped garlic, carrots cut into cubes, diced tomato, spinach, chopped parsley, chopped dill, rice and juice of the lemon.
Add salt & pepper and 2 cups of water.
Cover with a lid and let it cook for 30 minutes on low heat or until rice is cooked.

Recipe and Picture Source: https://www.mamazillafood.com/en/recipes/stews/spinach-rice-stew

Stronger with School Meals - Team Nutrition

Team Nutrition invites you to join us in sharing Stronger with School Meals materials with schools, families, and children. School meals, and the school nutrition professionals that provide them, help children be strong physically (through good nutrition) and mentally (through the sharing of mealtimes in person or virtually). Celebrate the school community and promote healthy foods with these fun new school meals materials.

Materials include:

An infographic for teachers, parents, and community members (in English and Spanish)
An activity booklet for students
Five stickers for students
Two buttons for school nutrition professionals
Two thank you cards to give to school nutrition professionals

All materials are available for download at fns.usda.gov/tn/stronger-school-meals-educational-materials. Printed infographics, activity sheets, buttons, and stickers will be made available, for free, to Team Nutrition Schools in a few weeks. Join Team Nutrition Schools or update your school’s information at fns.usda.gov/tn/schools.

Family PE Week (Oct 4 - 8)

Active Schools and OPEN proudly present Family PE Week, October 4-8

Help your students’ parents/caregivers understand that physical education is about teaching, learning, and fun by participating in Family PE Week, October 4-8. It’s a win-win-win for students, parents, and PE teachers.

Parents who participated in 2019’s Family PE Week said it increased their understanding of what content is taught (76%) and how it is taught (79%), and 65% said that it increased the value they place on PE. Also, 81% said they participated because that wanted to show their child that they believe physical education is important!

Resources and Registration: https://openphysed.org/FamiliesLovePE

Weaving Social-Emotional Learning into Health Education & PE

Healthier Generation’s Monthly Webinar Series

District personnel, principals and educators will learn how to tap into PE and Health Education to teach students how to manage emotions, cope with stress, build relationships, and make responsible decisions. Including SEL skills into daily health and physical education lessons supports the Whole Child.

Thursday, October 14 | 2:00 to 2:30 pm Eastern | 11:00 to 11:30 am Pacific

Register Now: bit.ly/webinarsHG

Some additional resources from Healthier Generation include:

Catch Up-Protect- Save lives strategies and resources to help students catch up on routine immunizations.
Thriving Schools Integrated Assessment: District Edition An evidence-based tool helps districts identify opportunities to improve policies and practices that promote student achievement and support the well-being of kids, teachers, and staff.
Watch this video to learn about their Resiliency In School Environments (RISE) Initiative, which shares how Healthier Generation approaches social-emotional health in schools.

UPDATE from DHHS: Extension of School Immunization and Health Assessment Requirements

UPDATE from DHHS: Extension of School Immunization and Health Assessment Requirements

Governor Roy Cooper issued a new Executive Order and State Health Director Dr. Elizabeth Tilson issued a State Health Director Memo that suspends but does not waive documentation deadlines for proof-of-immunization and health assessment requirements for school and child-care facilities.

The Executive Order is needed because increased case rates and viral transmission caused by the Delta variant have limited providers’ ability to schedule immunization and health assessment visits.

In typical years, proof of required immunizations and health assessments are required within 30 days of the first date of attendance of school. This year, the 30-day "grace period" for all students will begin on November 1, 2021. The Order also extends the deadline for each child entering a North Carolina public school for the first time to submit proof of a health assessment with that proof of an upcoming appointment.

Families are required to provide the school or child care facility proof of an upcoming appointment (which could include a written statement from a parent or guardian) by October 8, 2021, and are strongly encouraged to obtain the required immunizations for their children on a timely basis.

More information on North Carolina’s requirements for vaccines can be found on the NCDHHS website.

After a Suicide: A Toolkit for Schools

We all hope that we never have to deal with a student or staff suicide, but unfortunately, sometimes this tragedy does occur. Responding becomes a big challenge. After a Suicide: A Toolkit for Schools has a wealth of information that may be helpful for your schools and district at such a challenging time. It was written by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) Education Development Center (EDC) and endorsed by the American School Counselor Association, National Association of School Psychologists and National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).

Suicide Prevention Resources:

The Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC)

CDC on Suicide Prevention
CDC Suicide Risk and Protective Factors
American Society for Suicide Prevention
NC Center for Safer Schools Suicide Prevention Toolkit

Hope4NC Materials are Available For Districts/SHACs at No Cost

NC DHHS has Hope4NC outreach/education materials available if districts, schools, or SHACs are interested.

Available items include banners, yard signs, coloring books in Spanish/English, as well as some 2021 calendars. More items to be developed in 2022, so stay tuned!

If you are interested in receiving any of the Hope4NC materials, please contact either Susan Robinson (susan.robinson@dhhs.nc.gov) or Susanne Schmal (susanne.schmal@dpi.nc.gov) and we will coordinate with you to receive materials.

October is National Dental Hygiene Month

The Virtual School Health Training Center has modules on oral health - be sure to visit and share these free and on-demand trainings.

And some of the K -12 Health Education Standards re: oral health include:

K.PCH.1.2: Illustrate proper tooth brushing techniques.
K.NPA.1.2: Recall foods and beverages beneficial to teeth and bones.
3.PCH.2.1: Recognize plaque and lack of dental hygiene result in gum disease and cavities.
3.PCH.2.2: Implement proper flossing to prevent tooth decay and gum disease.
5.PCH.3.1: Implement a personal dental health plan to include brushing, flossing, nutrition, and
injury prevention.
6.PCH.2.1: Analyze claims for health products and services.
7.NPA.2.2: Recall the health benefits of consuming more water.
9.PCH.1.3: Explain the procedures for health screenings, checkups, and other early detection measures in terms of their health-related benefits.

October Health Observances Include:

Family PE Week (Oct 4 - 8)
World Mental Health Day (Oct 10)
National Health Education Week (Oct 18 - 22)
National Bullying Prevention Month
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
National Dental Hygiene Month
National Domestic Violence Awareness Month

**COVID-19 CASES ARE RISING DUE TO THE DELTA VARIANT Safe, effective vaccines are available for ages 12 and up. Protect yourself now against severe disease, hospitalization and death.

Find a vaccine near you at MySpot.nc.gov. **