Friday Beat

February 23, 2024, 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
February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month
Teen dating violence is an issue that impacts everyone. Parents, teachers, friends, and communities can help prevent violence and promote safe, healthy relationships. Visit youth.gov for toolkits, programs, and planning guides for young people, educators, and families.

Texas Education Agency (TEA) Seizure Management Treatment Form is Now Available
Senate Bill 1506 amended Texas Education Code 38.032 requiring the Texas Education Agency to post a form to be used by schools to submit a seizure management and treatment plan. The form includes specific information and requires the signatures of the student’s parent or guardian, and the physician responsible for the student’s seizure treatment. This change in law only applies to a seizure management and treatment plan submitted to a school district or open-enrollment charter school on or after January 1, 2024. The required form is posted under the Announcements section of the TEA Healthy and Safe School Environment of the Coordinated School Health Model webpage. For questions, please contact healthandsafety@tea.texas.gov.

Professional Development
Texas School Safety Conference
Texas School Safety Center is hosting their in-person conference on June 23-27, 2024, in San Antonio. Conference sessions will dive into current trends, best practices, and innovative, evidence-based approaches in school safety and security. Nationally recognized keynote speakers and relevant breakout sessions, based on best practices in the field of school safety, will equip participants to improve the school safety posture of districts and communities. Register by May 24, 2023, to receive a discount.

Health Education
Vanquishing Vaping Toolkit
National Association of School Nurses (NASN) has assembled a toolkit to support school nurses in implementing evidence-based programs in their schools. Resources include planning for sustainability and building collaborations with key stakeholders to successfully engage their school communities in tackling the topic of vaping head-on. Topics include accessing the evidence regarding the risks of e-cigarette use; creating a plan for schools; developing, implementing, and enforcing tobacco-free school policies that include e-cigarettes; prevention and cessation support programs; and communicating with parents and students. There is no cost for this toolkit, but you will need to sign in to access.

Nutrition Environment and Services
It’s Breakfast Time! Breakfast Menu Planner
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service team developed It’s Breakfast Time!, a child and adult care food program breakfast menu for children ages 3-18 years old. The resource includes sample menus, checklists, menu planning activities, and 20 USDA-standardized breakfast recipes. Download these materials on the resource webpage.

Basics of Composting
Take Care of Texas published information on how to properly compost in efforts to recycle organic waste generated at home and reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills. Compost can be used to fertilize plants, prevent soil erosion, conserve water, and build healthier soil. Learn more about what composting is, the requirements for composting, what can and can’t be composted, and the different types of composting systems. Teachers can share this information in the classroom setting when discussing environmental health or nutrition in their lesson plans.

Health Services
Navigating the Health Care System
Nemours Children’s Health developed Navigating the Health Care System, a no cost, four-unit health literacy curriculum for use with young adults. The curriculum is designed to prepare high school and college-age teens to be responsible for managing their own health care as they transition into adulthood. Lesson plan materials are suitable for in-class, in-home, after-school, and community settings, and can be taught virtually.

Social and Emotional School Climate
School Connectedness
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has resources to promote school connectedness. Schools play a critical role in encouraging student health and development by creating environments where all students feel that they are cared for, supported, and belong. When schools put in place strategies that create safe and supportive environments, including approaches focused on building school connectedness, youth are less likely to engage in risky sexual, violence, and substance use behaviors. Share this information with school staff today.

Physical Environment
Rabies Awareness & Prevention Poster Contest
The Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Zoonosis Control Branch is hosting its annual statewide Rabies Awareness & Prevention Poster Contest for K-12. Participating students will learn about rabies, the importance of pet vaccinations, and respecting wildlife from a distance. Participants will also learn the importance of telling adults if they think they may have been in contact with an animal with rabies. There are prizes for winners in each age group (Kindergarten and grades 1-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12). The poster contest can be used as a how-to-guide assignment, or as an extra credit project. The deadline for poster submission is April 1, 2024.

Employee Wellness
Prioritizing Well-Being Among School & District Staff, Educators, & Administrators
Alliance for a Healthier Generation and Kaiser Permanente Thriving Schools are hosting a monthly professional learning series dedicated to prioritizing staff well-being. Participants will share their experiences, practice strategies, and use implementation resources that can be used in their work settings. Topics covered will include relationship building, gratitude systems, operationalizing staff breaks, as well as a bonus session determined by participants. All school and district staff, regardless of position or title—including cafeteria workers, bus drivers, paraprofessionals, teachers, and administrators—are encouraged to join this no-cost webinar series.

Quote to Note
“The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible.” –Arthur C. Clarke

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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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