Friday Beat
July 12, 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
CDC’s HeatRisk Dashboard
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched the CDC HeatRisk Dashboard as a portal into new heat resources for the nation. It includes the HeatRisk Forecast Tool, details on local air quality, and actions to stay safe on hot days or days with poor air quality.

Summer Safety Tips
It’s Time Texas published Sun Safety Tips for being outdoors. These tips include ways to stay active while preventing heat exhaustion throughout the summer months. It’s Time Texas also links many resources to help assist when planning activities.

Professional Development
Healthier Texas Summit
It’s Time Texas and The University of Texas System are hosting The Healthier Texas Summit on October 10-11, 2024, in Austin, Texas. This year’s theme is "Uniting to Transform Health in Texas."  It will bring together public health professionals and thought leaders from various fields to share best practices, discuss current trends and innovations, and build connections to enhance collective efforts. To get a discounted rate, register before August 4 on the event webpage or contact HTS@itstimetexas.org with any questions.

2024 National Summit on K-12 School Safety and Security
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency will host the National Summit on K-12 School Safety and Security on September 25 and 26, 2024. K-12 school leaders and practitioners will participate in this free virtual event to share and discuss actionable recommendations that enhance safe, supportive learning environments. The Summit will feature panels, sessions, and keynote speakers on preventing youth violence, protecting K-12 networks, protecting youth online safety, supporting student mental health, emergency planning, physical security, and restorative and intervention methods. Registration for the summit will open in late July, but for more information visit the summit webpage.

Funding Opportunities
Summer Healthy Choices Grants
The Oliver Foundation offers several Healthy Choices Grants available for schools ranging from $750 to $5,000 to encourage children, families, and communities in Texas to improve both eating and physical activity patterns. The grants have rolling deadlines up to July 15^th.

Health Education
One Pill Kills Campaign
Texas Health and Human Services Commission shares ample information on Fentanyl and the One Pill Kills Campaign. Schools and programs for kids are teaching about how to stay away from Fentanyl and drugs. Teachers, staff, and parents can find more information on the campaign webpage.

77 Books About Mental Health
To help children understand emotional and learning challenges and find words to describe difficult feelings or experiences in an age-appropriate way, Child Mind Institute created a list of 77 children’s books about mental health discussing various mental health topics. Some example topics include anxiety, self-esteem, feelings, and trauma.

Physical Education and Physical Activity
Ways to Be Active for 60 Minutes Each Day
Alliance for a Healthier Generation encourages families to be physically active for 60 minutes every day. Family members of all ages can spread out their physical activity throughout the day and still experience its benefits, meaning those shorter movement breaks add up. Examples of outdoor, indoor, and all-weather family activities are listed in the online activities handout.

Nutrition Environment and Services
Plant a Snack Garden This Summer
Kids Gardening has a full lesson plan for planting a snack garden, highlighting veggies that are easy to eat as snacks. Fill a home garden with edible crops that can be harvested, washed, and enjoyed straight from the garden. Resources can be used at any grade level and include a materials list and description of activities.

Health Services
Caring for Students with Type 1 Diabetes
The National Association of School Nurses (NASN) offers resources to assist school nurses in providing evidence-based quality care to students with Type 1 diabetes (T1D). Among the resources available are the School Nursing Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline: Students with Type 1 Diabetes, which offers practice recommendations and strategies for improving the safety and health of school-aged children with T1D, the School Nursing Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline: Students with Type 1 Diabetes Toolkit for nurses, and other NASN resources. The webpage also houses additional resources from outside entities.

Counseling, Psychological and Social Services
Vaping and Its Impact on Teen Mental Health
The Texas School Safety Center released a podcast episode where two Say What! Teen Ambassadors sit down with Leanne Foell, LCSW a mental health therapist and teen advocate. Leanne sheds light on the different effects addiction has on teens, common misconceptions of THC being “safer”, signs and symptoms of what addiction to vaping may look like, and recommendations for creating an action plan for youth who want to quit vaping. Discussions also highlight the importance of teen mental health, guidance on how to reflect on your mental health, coping skills to ease life's struggles, and the significant value of emotional support.

Employee Wellness
Implementing School Employee Wellness in Districts/ Schools Toolkit
The Society of Public Health Education (SOPHE) has resources to help school staff address employee wellness. The goal is to improve the health of school employees and enhance student health and academic outcomes. You can download fact sheets on supporting school employees, engaging with partners, improving employee wellness, and creating a culture of wellness. Feel free to share this resource with school districts and staff members.

Family Engagement
Online Safety Tools
The internet can be used for many positive things, like doing school research, talking to other kids, and playing games. Unfortunately, online access also comes with risks of inappropriate content, cyberbullying, and online predators. Nemours KidsHealth provides online safety tools for parents, guardians, and families. This resource is also available in Spanish.

Quote to Note
“Happiness isn’t something you experience; it’s something you remember.” –Oscar Levant

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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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