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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.
CDC’s HeatRisk Dashboard
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) hosts the HeatRisk Dashboard to provide heat risk guidance resources for the nation. It includes the HeatRisk Forecast Tool, detailing information on local air quality, and ways to stay safe on hot days and days with poor air quality.
Five Essential Summer Health Tips
Healthier Texas shared Summer Health Tips to help people stay safe and healthy during outdoor activities on their Blog website. The tips are helpful for swimming, hiking, or spending time in the sun with family and friends this summer.
On-Demand School Health Learning Courses
Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK) offers six free online courses for Texas educators. Topics include School Health Advisory Committees (SHACs), Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs (CSPAP), School Wellness Policies, Unassigned Medications, School Health Index Assessment, and Nutrition in Schools. To access these courses, sign up or login to the AFHK webpage. AFHK is now approved as a Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Provider through Texas Education Agency. Educators completing these courses will receive CPE credits.
Texas Opioid Training Initiative
The Texas Opioid Training Initiative (TXOTI) offers free online continuing education for health professionals. The activities cover topics about opioid use disorder and ways to reduce opioid-related harm in Texas communities. School health personnel can explore the TXOTI catalog and share with other school staff.
Summer Healthy Choices Grants
The Oliver Foundation offers several Healthy Choices Grants for schools ranging from $750 to $5,000. These grants encourage children, families, and communities in Texas to improve both eating and physical activity patterns. The grants have rolling deadlines up to July 15th.
Texas Say What! Science of Addiction Online Training
Texas Say What! offers an online training module about how addiction affects the teenage brain, and how nicotine can lead to addiction. The training also covers health risks and social consequences associated with nicotine addiction. While this training is designed for teens in 6th-12th grade, adults are invited to complete the course as well. At the end of the training, each participant will complete a quiz and be able to print a certificate of completion. View other training modules on the Texas Say What! webpage.
Texas Say What! Tobacco 101 Online Training
Texas Say What! launched a new online Tobacco 101 training for students in 6th-12th grade. The training explains tobacco products, how nicotine impacts the brain, and the health risks of tobacco use. It also explores common misconceptions and highlights strategies teens can use to address peer pressure and make informed decisions that prioritize their health.
Ways to Be Active for 60 Minutes Each Day
Alliance for a Healthier Generation recommends families to be active for 60 minutes every day. Family members of all ages can split their activity into shorter times throughout the day and still enjoy the benefits. You can find ideas for family activities for outdoors, indoors, or in any weather in the online activities handout.
Child Nutrition Programs Food Industry Toolkit
U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Administration Team offers a resource toolkit for food industry partners who provide food to school meal programs, the Child and Adult Care Food Program, and the Summer Food Service Program. The toolkit includes resources on child nutrition labels, Product Formulations Statements, crediting, and more. It brings these resources together in one place to make information easier to find and support USDA’s child nutrition programs.
Plant a Snack Garden This Summer
Kids Gardening has a full lesson plan for planting a snack garden available on their website highlighting veggies that are easy to eat as snacks. The lesson plan teaches how to 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.
Clean Air School Challenge: Initiative to Address Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) in Schools
The American Lung Association started the Clean Air School Challenge (CASC) to help K-12 schools improve indoor air quality. Schools can check their IAQ and create Energy Efficient IAQ Management Plans to find and fix air quality issues, improve building performance, save money, and protect the health of students, staff, and visitors. Schools that join the Clean Air School Challenge receive support from peers, technical help, training, and chances to participate in learning groups and apply for mini grants.
Implementing School Employee Wellness in Districts / Schools Toolkit
The Society of Public Health Education (SOPHE) offers resources to help schools support employee wellness and student success. Schools can download fact sheets on supporting school employees, working with partners, improving wellness, and building a culture of wellness. Share this resource with school districts and staff members.
Mitigating Educator Maltreatment: Administrative Strategies for Prevention, Intervention, and Support Training
Texas School Safety Center is hosting virtual training sessions for the Mitigating Educator Maltreatment: Administrative Strategies for Prevention, Intervention, and Support Training this summer. This training will help administrators learn ways to prevent and respond to educator maltreatment and support educators who have experienced it. It also covers how to safely return students to the learning environment. After the training, administrators will have tools to help create safe, supportive, and positive schools for staff and students.
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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.
Public Domain. Permission granted to forward or make copies as needed.
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