by admin | Dec 16, 2014 | Educator
It’s not uncommon to look at the schedule of an elementary school at the beginning of the school year and see Campus Open House. It’s also not uncommon to look at that same schedule further along in the year and see Math Night or Science Night. Frequently, the Math department plans a fun, family-friendly event for the students to engage in a variety of math-oriented activities. However, something that is less common on a school calendar is a PE night, Health night, or Wellness night. But why not? Isn’t PE just as crucial to a child’s success in school as math or science? And some (like myself) would argue a lot more fun! The concept of hosting a campus wellness event or family fitness night is slowly emerging across the country. As the spotlight on academic success shifts to a healthier child, the awareness of celebrating healthy behaviors and engaging in physical activity is catching on and gaining popularity.
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by admin | Nov 12, 2014 | Grown Up
“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”
— Aesop
Tomorrow is World Kindness Day. It’s so simple, yet so very complex. What exactly does kindness mean? Does it mean I have to give gifts? Do I not raise my voice when frustrated with my kids today? Do I have to go out of my way to be really nice to strangers or are small acts okay?
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by admin | Nov 11, 2014 | Educator
After speaking with some new co-workers the other day, it dawned on me that not everyone knows what a “SHAC” is. That’s SHAC not SHAQ. I do believe everyone knows what a SHAQ is – that excessively large athlete who played basketball in size 22 shoes. A SHAC on the other hand is a School Health Advisory Council and something that is required by law in Texas. Every independent school system in Texas must have a district SHAC and the majority of members must be parents who are not employed by the school district.
The law has definitely evolved over time. Changes have been made along the way, but the main focus has remained the same – provide healthy school environments for students, staff and community members and teach and promote wellness through healthy lifestyles.
- So aside from parents, who should be on a district SHAC? Many different people! Consider community organizations, law enforcement, local businesses, and universities, especially those who are health focused. You will also want to have some key district stakeholders including those over the eight areas of coordinated school health. Don’t forget diversity! You want to have parents from different ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds.
- What can a SHAC do? SHACs can survey the needs of the district and make recommendations to the school board around health and wellness. Because there is a parent voice represented at the SHAC, it is easy to gather a list of needs and develop goals around those areas. It is recommended that members join subcommittees for each of areas of coordinated school health and those subcommittees tackle a goal for the school year. These goals can be focused on mental health programs, physical education programs, nutrition programs, and many others.
- Do you have a SHAC in your school district? If you live in Texas, you should! If you are unsure you can contact your district and ask – often times they exist but are poorly advertised. Want to get involved? Great! Usually SHACs are looking for new members, especially parents. So if you are looking for a way to get involved with the health and wellness of your child’s school or your community, consider joining!
Today we feature Guest Blogger Stephanie Kellam, who is the Coordinator of Health and PE at Fort Bend Independent School District (FBISD) in Texas. She promotes fitness and nutrition-related wellness initiatives throughout FBISD by partnering with community organizations and school nurses, teachers, and administration to help educate children and their parents about the importance of developing lifelong healthy habits.
by admin | Oct 24, 2014 | Grown Up
Today is Food Day. This is different from food day (which takes place every single day in my house as we are a family that loves food). Food Day (with a capital F and capital D) is celebrated on Oct. 24th every year, to inspire Americans to change our diets and our food policies. Sounds like a big thing for little kids to be involved in, doesn’t it? The more I researched their webpage, the more I realized this is actually really simple and even our youngest ones can take part in the Food Day celebration.
Here are some simple, yet impactful ideas for you to celebrate Food Day with your family:
- Eat a family dinner together tonight – While you’re eating, talk about food policy in your own house. Should there be guidelines around snacks? How much say should kids have in what’s served for dinner? How can your family work together to come up with a plan to address these topics?
- Work in your garden together – Don’t have a garden? Start a simple herb garden together. While you’re doing this, talk about where food comes from. Discuss farmers, why they might love their jobs and what might be challenging for them. Discuss how food gets from the farm to your table.
- Go on a family grocery shopping trip – While walking the aisles, talk about how food gets to the grocery store and how some communities don’t have grocery stores close to them. Discuss how a family living in a ‘food dessert’ might get their food.
- Visit a farmer’s market – Bring the food home and do a taste test of the grocery store vs. the farmer’s market produce. Do they taste different? If so, why do you think that is? Is there a benefit to buying local?
- Cook together – This is my favorite one because the possibilities for conversation are almost endless. Use cooking for a math lesson, discuss different ways to change the recipe and why you may or may not like the change. Talk about portion control. Talk about what people eat in different parts of the world.
These are just a few ideas to get you started. You can search www.organwiseguys.com for additional ideas or visit some of the Food Day partner websites for further information.
Happy Food Day!
Today we feature OWG guest blogger and childhood obesity consultant, Melodie Griffin. Melodie’s passion lies in the prevention of childhood obesity through the school and early learning settings. All programs Melodie promotes are fully approved by her home based lab rats, five year old son, Howie, and two year old daughter, Hope. You can connect with Melodie on her Facebook page, WellConnect LLC.
by admin | Oct 7, 2014 | Educator
Unless you have been living under a rock you are well aware that MyPlate has replaced the Food Pyramid. On June 2, 2011, First Lady Michelle Obama and USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack introduced this updated and user-friendly graphic in an attempt to help individuals make healthier food selections. With only five categories, MyPlate is colorful, straightforward, and simplistic in its messaging: Eat fruits, grains, veggies, protein, and dairy. Seems easy enough, yet the message has taken quite some time to trickle down to the schools and to the students.
In an effort to make MyPlate an integral part of a student’s life, Fort Bend ISD in Texas, has been doing some very creative marketing. This effort has come from many different avenues in the schools including health services, physical education, health education, and child nutrition. At Glover Elementary School, each grade level was given a different section of MyPlate:
- First grade – Fruits
- Second grade – Vegetables
- Third grade – Protein
- Fourth grade – Grains
- Fifth grade – Dairy
Once assigned, they were asked to decorate their hallway and doors with their section of MyPlate. Then students took tours through the school learning more about the different sections of MyPlate and what different food items fall into the different sections.
At Sugar Mill Elementary, the wellness committee teamed up to actually integrate MyPlates into the school day. Students eating in the cafeteria were given a MyPlate instead of a food tray when purchasing school lunch and got to eat their lunch off of it. Sugar Mill Elementary also had a big MyPlate poster that students got to sign when they were “caught” eating healthy.
Lastly, at Jan Schiff Elementary, the kids were in for a treat when Spiderman showed up in his MyPlate apron! In addition, the PE teacher assembled a superhero-studded MyPlate bulletin board. There are so many creative ways to get the messaging across!
Just remember that even though you and I are well aware of what MyPlate is there are still some folks out there (more than three years later) thinking that the FoodPyramid is current. Head to ChooseMyPlate.org for free resources and ideas!
Today we feature Guest Blogger Stephanie Kellam, who is the Coordinator of Health and PE at Fort Bend Independent School District (FBISD) in Texas. She promotes fitness and nutrition-related wellness initiatives throughout FBISD by partnering with community organizations and school nurses, teachers, and administration to help educate children and their parents about the importance of developing lifelong healthy habits.
