|
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 (DSHS). It is edited and compiled by the School Health Program.
National Farm to School Month
Join the National Farm to School Network this October to celebrate food education, school gardens, and healthy, local lunches. This year’s theme is “Growing for the Future”, which emphasizes the role of farm to school and early care in creating thriving communities now and in the future Their skills and knowledge are vital to the farm-to-school movement. To learn more and view the Farm to Month toolkit, visit the National Farm to School Network resources webpage.
Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Month
October is Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Month in Texas. It was created to help people understand the dangers of fentanyl and the risk of overdosing. According to The Texas Department of State Health Services, from July 2024 to June 2025, 1,231 Texans died from a fentanyl-related poisoning. In the previous 12-month period, DSHS reported 2,151 fentanyl-related deaths. The Texas Education Agency’s Fentanyl Response Awareness Toolkit and the Texas Health and Human Services Fentanyl: One Pill Kills Campaign provide resources that can help Texas school systems and communities support awareness throughout the month of October.
On-Demand School Health Learning Courses
Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK) offers four free online courses on AFHK’s Impact Portal Learning Library, specifically for Texas educators. The course covers important topics, like School Health Advisory Committees (SHACs), Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs (CSPAP), School Wellness Policies, and Unassigned Medications. To access these courses, sign up or login to the AFHK Impact Portal.
2025 Texas Children in Nature Network Summit
The Texas Children in Nature Network (TCiNN) is hosting the Texas Children in Nature Network Summit from December 3-5, in Bryan, TX. This event will bring together leaders from health, education, community planning, and conservation to help improve the future for Texas children. More than 300 community leaders will meet to strengthen the network and create policies and opportunities to serve more children and families. Learn more and register for the in-person event on the conference webpage.
Back to School with Healthy Lungs: Open Airways for Schools and Kickin’ Asthma Collaboration Session
American Lung Association is hosting a back-to-school online webinar on October 20 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Participants will learn about ways to help students manage their asthma confidently and create an environment where every student feels supported, informed, and ready to thrive. For any questions about the webinar, please email LungFriendly@lung.org.
Toolkit: Move Your Way
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion offers the Move Your Way Toolkit for Schools. This toolkit offers information, materials, and strategies to help encourage physical activity in schools. Share with physical education and health education teachers, classroom teachers, coaches, after-school program leaders, and school administrators.
Nibbles for Health: Nutrition Newsletters
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service Team published Nibbles for Health newsletters. These newsletters are for parents of young children and can be shared by Child and Adult Care Food Program providers to help share information about popular nutrition topics. Visit the webpage to access the printable copies and order print copies.
Ways to Be Safe and Healthy This Halloween
Don’t let your health be a victim of a trick this Halloween! The U.S. Food and Drug Administration shares tips to stay safe and healthy. Information and resources include how to incorporate healthier options for spooky treats, how to scare away the flu and colds, and more. This resource is also available in Spanish.
Tools for Youth and Teens
National Academies published Tools for Youth and Teens to help students manage stress, anxiety, and sadness. A variety of tools, such as graphic novel-style videos and PDFs, are available in English and Spanish.
Take Care of Texas Video Contest
Take Care of Texas is hosting a Student Video Contest to teach young people about protecting the environment. Middle school and high school students can create a 30-second video that shows positive ways to “Take Care of Texas”. The contest gives an opportunity to students to use creative ways to share their knowledge of how to protect the environment. The contest sponsor, Waste Management of Texas, Inc., will award prizes to the creators of the best videos. The contest is open through December 5, 2025.
Family Resources Center Videos
The Child Mind Institute’s Family Resource Center provides articles and resources for families with children who suffer from mental health, behavior, or learning difficulties. This information is available on the Child Mind Institute YouTube channel. Expert clinicians will share weekly videos on topics like behavior, anxiety, and parenting challenges.
Texas Virtual School Network Options
The Texas Virtual School Network (TXVSN) offers online courses approved by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to help students. The course catalog includes high school, Advanced Placement, technical education, and dual credit courses for earning initial credits or recovery. These courses meet the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) standards and are taught by Texas-certified teachers who are trained in effective online teaching practices.
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” –Lao Tzu
Become a Friday Beat subscriber by signing up on the Friday Beat webpage!
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.
Public Domain. Permission granted to forward or make copies as needed.
|
