Friday Beat

October 13, 2023, Edition

The newsletter that takes a Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child approach. The Friday Beat is a free publication of the Texas Department of State Health Services. It is edited and compiled by the School Health Program.

Announcements
October is Children’s Health Month
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognizes October as Children’s Health Month. Review the EPA’s resource on healthy school environments. Topics include clean school buses, indoor air quality, pest management, and more.

October is Bullying Prevention Month
The Pacer Center’s National Bullying Prevention Center has resources to prevent childhood bullying. Download the student activity kit and plan a bullying prevention awareness campaign at your school. Want to spread the word about Bullying Prevention Month? Visit the Texas School Safety Center’s Bullying Prevention Checklist for Schools and other resources to spread awareness about bullying.

Red Ribbon Week: October 23-31, 2023
Red Ribbon Week is a drug-use prevention initiative that encourages youth to stay away from alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. Visit the Red Ribbon Campaign to learn more about this year’s theme and to download resources. Students, Adults and Youth Working Hard Against Tobacco (SayWhat!) created a Red Ribbon Week Kit to encourage and empower your school community to participate in Red Ribbon Week. SayWhat! is also hosting a virtual summit to honor Red Ribbon Week on October 26, 2023. Register for the summit to hear from youth ambassadors about vaping and its impact on wellness.

Professional Development
Classroom WISE Training
Classroom Well-Being Information and Strategies for Educators (WISE) is a free 3-part mental health literacy training for educators. The Classroom WISE package includes an implementation guide, a self-paced online course, a video library featuring real educators and students, and a constantly evolving collection that includes resources to supplement the Classroom WISE online course content.

2023 Annual Conference on Advancing School Mental Health
The National Center for School Mental Health is hosting their Annual Conference on Advancing School Mental Health December 5-7 in New Orleans, LA. The annual conference includes leaders, practitioners, researchers, family members, advocates, and other partners in the school mental health field to share the latest research and best practices. The conference focuses on a shared school-family-community agenda to promote mental health promotion, prevention, and intervention to students and families as part of a multi-tiered system of support. Registration is now open.

Texas Action for Healthy Kids Virtual Summit
Action for Healthy Kids is hosting the Texas Action for Healthy Kids Fall Summit 2023 online from October 24-25, 2023. This free web conference will focus on school health, student and staff mental health, family connections, youth voices, improving and promoting school meals, physical activity, and the role of a school health advisory council. Register today!

Health Education
Vaping Prevention and Quit Resources
The Truth Initiative published an article discussing how parents and educators play an important role in providing students with the information they need to make informed choices, by providing tools to prevent and quit vaping. Parents, educators, and others working with young people can access free resources on the article webpage.

Nutrition Environment and Services
Food Safety Emergency Response Pocket Guide
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service provides information on preventing foodborne illness during emergency and disasters for school nutrition professionals. The pocket guide, posters, and other resources are also available in Spanish on the Food and Safety Emergency Response webpage.

Health Services
NASN Launches New Naloxone Education Toolkit
National Association of School Nurses (NASN) released the new NASN Naloxone Education for School Nurses Toolkit, which provides resources to assist school nurses and other school leaders in assessing and responding to drug overdose incidents in schools. The free toolkit includes three sections: Creating a Naloxone Program in Your School, Campus Protocols for Emergency Naloxone Administration, and Communication Resources. This comprehensive guide equips schools to address the drug overdose crisis and take action to prevent and manage potential emergency situations.

Counseling, Psychological and Social Services
Tools for Supporting Emotional Wellbeing in Youth and Teens
National Academies published a Tools for Youth and Teens to help students manage stress, anxiety, and sadness. The tools are available in English and Spanish, and include graphic novel-style videos and PDFs that teach students stress management skills, such as deep breathing and mindfulness.

Family Engagement
Connecting Conversations
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published tips for supporting communication between parents/caregivers and their children and teens. Learn how to use conversation starters to build conversations with the whole family, as well as other resources to encourage open communication.

Healthy Day Toolkit
Alliance for a Healthier Generation and Kohl’s Cares created a toolkit to support families to stay healthy during the new school year. The toolkit includes a health checklist, motivation strategies, nutrition tips, and more. This toolkit supports student success at school with a home routine that prioritizes connection and well-being. The resource is available in Spanish.

Family Resource Center Videos
The Child Mind Institute’s Family Resource Center provides hundreds of articles and other resources to assist families with children who are struggling with mental health, behavior, or learning difficulties. This information is now available on the Child Mind Institute YouTube channel. Expert clinicians will share weekly videos on topics like behavior, anxiety, and parenting challenges.

Quote to Note
“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” –Aesop

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The articles and hyperlinks to external websites appearing in Friday Beat are intended to be informational and do not represent an endorsement by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). Other websites may not be accessible to people with disabilities. External email addresses may also be provided as a courtesy. If you choose to correspond, please be advised that DSHS policies may not apply. For information about any of the programs listed, contact the sponsoring organization directly. For comments or questions about Friday Beat, email the School Health Program at schoolhealth@dshs.texas.gov or call (512) 776-7279.

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