  January 9, 2024
January Content:
- 2023 Year in Review
- Local Spotlights: Seven NC Summer Nutrition Program Sponsors Receive Awards
- School Nurse Conference 2023
- Stewards of Children: Virtual Training Available At No Cost to Participants
- AMCHP Replication Project Grants
- February Character Challenge: #KindnessMattersNC
- School Mental Health Action Guide
- ICYMI: Office Hours on Sleep
- January SHAC Learning Collaborative
- January/February Health Observances
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As we all look forward to 2024, we hope you take a moment and reflect on some of your accomplishments, partnerships, and opportunities from 2023. The NC Healthy Schools team accomplished a lot, but here are a few of the major highlights:
-Healthful Living Standards: In process with draft 2 surveys
•Guidance Standards now to be called: North Carolina Student Success Standards
•School Psychologist Hired: Welcome to Megan Cardin!
•School Mental Health Grants: $17 million
•CDC Cooperative Agreement for Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Chronic Conditions
•SIS/SRAE Institute
•YRBS Data Collection
•Whole Child NC Advisory Committee Recommendation
•Monthly SHAC Learning Collaborative
•Professional Development
…and More!
We look forward to continuing to learn and grow with you all in 2024!
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The N.C. Department of Public Instruction recently recognized seven Summer Nutrition Programs for their efforts in going above and beyond to provide nutritious meals and educational enrichment to kids and teens when school is out. The following 2023 N.C. Summer Nutrition Program awardees were announced during SummerPalooza! Summits held across the state.
N.C. Summer Nutrition Champion Awards
Rising Star Award
- Boys & Girls Club of the Coastal Plain
Going the Distance Innovation Award
- Boys & Girls Club of Wake County
- Cumberland County Schools
- TCK Providence, Inc.
Farm to Summer Award
- Franklin County Schools
- Gaston County Schools
Turnip the Beet Award
N.C. Summer Nutrition Champion Awards recognize sponsors who are implementing innovative and creative practices to expand their Summer Nutrition Programs. The Turnip the Beet Award, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), recognizes outstanding Summer Nutrition Program sponsors who work hard to offer high quality meals that are appetizing, appealing and nutritious. For the awards, sponsors may be self-nominated or nominated by a third party such as a community partner. A review panel evaluates all applications and selects the awardees.
“Summer Nutrition Programs provide North Carolina’s students with the fuel they need for continued growth, development and learning even while school is out for the summer,” said State Superintendent Catherine Truitt. “The importance of these programs cannot be overstated, and I am so proud of these awardees for going the extra mile to nourish and support North Carolina’s children. They have played a pivotal role in supporting students’ bodies and minds.”
The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Coastal Plain received the Rising Star Award for their educational enrichment programming, such as “Teen Chef” and creation of edible fruit art snacks, to encourage healthy habits using a hands-on approach to learning. Their networking with other community groups expanded the programs they could offer and provided engaging opportunities for their eleven meal sites throughout the summer.
Three Summer Nutrition Programs received Going the Distance in Innovation Awards. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Wake County provided over twenty-five different programs to children to encourage healthy eating including their Healthy Habits curriculum, culinary lessons, gardening, and physical activity. Cumberland County Schools utilized mobile vans wrapped with colorful graphics to provide meals to multiple meal sites over the summer. The vans also brought books and non-perishable foods through partnerships with community organizations in the county. TCK Providence, Inc. operated a new summer meal site in 2023, New Arrivals Institute (NAI). NAI provided a multitude of programs for families new to the country and, in doing so, saw an increase in the number of meals served at the site between June and August.
Franklin County Schools and Gaston County Schools received Farm to Summer Awards. Franklin County Schools collaborated with multiple community partners to offer a “Dairy Farming Day.” From milking a lifelike-appearing cow to playing games, donning sticker milk moustaches and making smoothies and butter, the event educated students in a fun, unique way. The Gaston County School Nutrition Department’s Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)-certified school garden has quickly grown in size to become a small farm of 0.6 acres. Through Summer Nutrition Programs, children were able to eat farm produce grown specifically for them. The program harvested 750 pounds of cucumbers and 40 pounds of cherry tomatoes.
North Carolina recognizes Turnip the Beet Award nominees prior to the official USDA award-level recognition. Beaufort County Schools was recognized for their efforts to provide student-favorite meals with fresh and North Carolina-grown items and collaborate with community partners like the Literacy Council and volunteers to offer educational enrichment opportunities for kids and teens.
N.C. Summer Nutrition Programs, administered by the NCDPI, Office of School Nutrition, serve nutritious meals at no cost to kids and teens ages 18 and younger living in economically distressed areas where at least 50% of students qualify for no-cost or reduced-price school meals. Programs may operate in schools, public housing centers, playgrounds, camps, parks, libraries, faith-based facilities and other community sites.
Additional information regarding N.C. Summer Nutrition Programs can be found on the NCDPI Office of School Nutrition website. Agencies or organizations interested in sponsoring programs during the summer of 2024 should complete the SFSP Pre-Screening Tool. Upon completion of the pre-screening tool, a Summer Nutrition Program consultant will be in contact. The NCDPI Office of School Nutrition Services administers Summer Nutrition Programs with federal funding assistance from USDA. For questions regarding N.C. Summer Nutrition Programs, contact the NCDPI Summer Nutrition Program team.
The 38th Annual North Carolina School Nurse Conference was facilitated by partnerships between the Division of Child and Family Well-Being, the UNC Institute of Public Health, and the Department of Public Instruction Healthy Schools Section, thanks in part to the American Rescue Public Health Workforce grant from the CDC and sponsorship by the School Nurse Association of North Carolina (SNANC).
The DCFW School Health Nurse Consultant Team and the UNC Institute of Public Health Team worked tirelessly to organize a wonderful slate of presenters, exhibitors and facilitators and pulled off superhero event planning and logistics for the 740 participants (a new record!) and 39 vendors who participated in the conference. It was a great two days of networking and professional development for school nurses who strive to provide equitable, comprehensive school nursing services across the state.
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Stewards of Children increases awareness of childhood sexual abuse and commercial sexual exploitation. This evidence-informed training provides guidelines that offer simple and practical actions adults can take to prevent, recognize, and react responsibly child sexual abuse.
NC Healthy Schools has availability for virtual training seats, at no cost to participants. If interested in registration, email ncshtc@ecu.edu for the user guide and further details.
January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month. This is a great (free) opportunity to learn or refresh your knowldege through these modules!
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AMCHP has opened the application window for Replication Project grants. NC Project AWARE/ACTIVATE holds a designation as a Best Practice in AMCHP’s Innovation Hub and thus organizations can apply for a grant up to $25,000 to replicate elements of their school behavioral health model.
Edgecombe County Schools has previously received an AMCHP Replication Project grant and applied the NC AWARE/ACTIVATE model to their HOPE Alternative Learning Program.
Application deadline is March 1, 2024. Detailed information is available via AMCHP’s Replication Projects webpage and the Readiness Checklist.
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See a practice in AMCHP’s MCH Innovations Database that caught your eye? Interested in building partnerships with other maternal and child health (MCH) organizations while enhancing your organizational capacity? Consider participating in AMCHP’s Replication Projects for the 2024-2025 project year!
Each year, AMCHP offers awards between $15,000-$25,000 for organizations to replicate an Emerging, Promising, or Best Practice from the MCH Innovations Database. You’ll receive peer coaching from a representative of the practice as well as tailored assistance from AMCHP to help you adapt the practice to your unique context and situation.
The Replication Project offers two levels of support (capacity building or implementation) depending on your organization’s level of readiness to begin replication.
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Capacity building focuses on growing your organization’s capacity and partnerships to help you prepare to replicate a practice.
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Implementation focuses on helping you plan for and begin adapting a practice to your setting.
Want to learn more about this opportunity?
Visit our Innovation Hub: Replication Projects webpage and review our Readiness Checklist to get started.
Questions? Email us at evidence@amchp.org.
Apply at: Innovation Hub Replication Projects - AMCHP
"🌟 Embrace the spirit of kindness throughout February with our #KindnessMattersNC Challenge! Inspired by the heartwarming stories shared by Steve Hartman, this month-long initiative encourages teachers, leaders, students, and families to engage in daily acts of kindness. Whether integrated into morning meetings and content area classes, each day presents an opportunity for reflection, writing, and fostering a culture of compassion.
📝 Access daily videos and journal prompts to guide your reflections.
🗓️ Mark your calendars! Random Act of Kindness Day is celebrated on February 17 every year. We're extending the celebration throughout the month, making February dedicated to spreading kindness.
📸 Share your experiences on social media using the hashtag #KindnessMattersNC! Teachers and leaders are encouraged to spread positivity by showing how kindness has impacted the school or encouraging students to create their own kindness videos—just like Steve Hartman! Educators can submit evidence of school initiatives or student work to NCDPI using the link provided.
Your submissions may be featured on our NCDPI social media, newsletters, and website. Also, be sure to share your experiences on your social media using the hashtag #KindnessMattersNC!
Let's celebrate February with kindness, compassion, and uplifting stories. Together, we can create a ripple effect of positivity that extends far beyond our classrooms. #KindnessMattersNC
Schools are prioritizing students’ mental health, and there are many tools and resources to choose from. CDC created this action guide as a place to start. It can help school and district leaders build on what they are already doing to promote students’ mental health and find new strategies to fill in gaps.
The action guide describes six in-school strategies that are proven to promote and support mental health and well-being. For each strategy, the guide also describes approaches, or specific ways to put the strategy into action, and examples of evidence-based policies, programs, and practices.
Access the full guide at: Promoting Mental Health and Well-Being in Schools | CDC
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- Lack of Sleep and Impact on Health
- Behavioral issues
- Difficulty focusing
- Growth and Development
- Mental Health
- Immune system
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Resources:
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Screen Sanity has a tool called the Social Media Playbook, which is a guide for caregivers and their children to navigate and discuss social media together.
- Screen Sanity has companion workbooks for parents of preschoolers, elementary schoolers, and middle schoolers that go along with the Social Media Playbook. Here’s the link to the workbook for middle school parents.
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Screen Sanity also has a tool called the Screen Sanity Group Study, which is a set of six video-guided sessions and workbook designed for group study settings. This tool would be ideal for parents who want to meet and discuss digital media use in a study group together.
January 29th: SHAC Monthly Learning Collaborative at 3:30 pm
Join us as Jen Zerda, with the Poe Center for Health Education, walks us through many of their programs and resources that are available for you and your students, staff, and families.
Join on your computer, mobile app or room device
Click here to join the meeting
Email Susanne.Schmal@dpi.nc.gov to be added to the monthly calendar invitation.
- January is Cervical Health Awareness Month
- January is Blood Donor Month
- January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month
- January 21st - 27th is Healthy Weight Week
- January is Thyroid Health Awareness Month
- January is Stalking Awareness Month
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- February is Black History Month
- February is American Heart Month
- February 2nd is National Wear Red Day (Heart Health)
- February 4th is World Cancer Day
- February 6th is Safer Internet Day
- February is National Children's Dental Health Month
Thank you,
NC Healthy Schools
Kisha Bryant, School Counseling Consultant
Megan Cardin, School Psychology Consultant
Ellen Essick, Section Chief
Burt Jenkins, Healthful Living / Athletics Consultant
Pachovia Lovett, School Social Work Consultant
Lillian Pinto, Reproductive Health Consultant
Susanne Schmal, School Health Partnerships & Policy Consultant
Les Spell, Data and Policy Consultant
NC DHHS, NC Division of Child and Family Well-Being
Jenifer Simone, State School Health Nurse Consultant
Have questions? Want to share something with other school leaders?
Contact Susanne Schmal in NC Healthy Schools for more information: Susanne.Schmal@dpi.nc.gov.
Visit nchealthyschools.org
Follow us on "X" (formerly Twitter): @DPIWellness!
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