Happenings & Headlines in School Health

School Lunch Bill Clears Senate

School Health Staff — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 17:53:25 +0000

Senators passed on the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 for a final vote on legislation. It would commit and extra $4.5 billion to child nutrition programs over the next ten years and would set new nutrition standards for schools. Read more here.

High School Students Get Psychiatric Help Via… Skype?

School Health Staff — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 17:52:45 +0000

Students at Ball High School (TX) can speak face-to-face with psychiatrists without the doctor physically being present in the room. Thanks to teleconferencing technologies like Skype, Ball High School can bring mental health services into their health clinic without actually having a doctor there. Read more here.

Study Shows Federal Nutrition Programs are the Answer to Childhood Obesity Epidemic

School Health Staff — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 17:52:32 +0000

A study that was recently published in the national policy journal Health Affairs found that federal nutrition programs are part of the solution to the childhood obesity problem. Read more here.

Health Clerk Saves Choking Boy’s Life

School Health Staff — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:40:46 +0000

Five-year-old Riley Johnson could have died from choking on a chicken nugget at Twin Lakes Elementary School if the school’s health clerk, Mary Oleskow, hadn’t performed the Heimlich maneuver on him. Oleskow received a special honor from the police department for her service. Read more here.

Fitness Fair at Porter Elementary

School Health Staff — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 17:40:14 +0000

At Porter Elementary School’s (TN) second annual fitness fair, students were assigned to groups and rotated through ten stations in 45 minutes, working on strength, flexibility, balance, quickness, hand-eye coordination and teamwork. Later, they worked out with kettleballs, dumbbells and stretch bands, completed agility ladder drills, participated in the Jump Rope for Heart program and listened to a lecture about important health issues. Read more here.

School Wellness Fair

School Health Staff — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 17:40:07 +0000

Auburn High School (NY) held a Health and Wellness Fair last Tuesday in their gym and activity center. The fair featured more than 30 organizations as well as raffles, athletic performances, presentations and healthy snacks that were sold by the high school’s sophomore class. The event was designed for all ages and was held during and after school hours so the entire community could participate. Read more here.

Health Officials in Sarasota Report Increase in Norovirus Illness

School Health Staff — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 05:20:35 +0000

Norovirus, or “winter vomiting disease” is on the rise in Sarasota county, FL. According to Sarasota County Health Department epidemiologist Michael Drennon, the disease is most common “in daycare facilities, long-term care facilities, hospital emergency rooms and school health rooms.” Read more here.

Kits to Aid Menstrual Health May Help Cut Absenteeism in Kenya

School Health Staff — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 02:46:32 +0000

An American-backed charity in Kenya has begun giving away kits containing washable sanitary pads, underwear and soap to combat a little-talked-about problem: many girls from poor families stay home from school up to five days per month when they have their period because they can’t afford disposable sanitary pads. Read more here.

Swine Flu Winds Down

School Health Staff — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 02:46:04 +0000

Official numbers from the Minnesota Department of Health show that in the past week there were zero cases of death or hospitalizations from the H1N1 virus and only one outbreak of flu-like symptoms in schools. Read more here.

In Support of the “Let’s Move” Campaign, Verizon Offers Free Resources

School Health Staff — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 02:45:46 +0000

To show their support of the First Lady’s campaign to defeat childhood obesity, Verizon Thinkfinity launched a new feature highlighting free educational resources to help teachers and parents educate their students on nutrition and encourage an active lifestyle. You can find podcasts, videos, lesson plans and printable worksheets for use in the classroom, at home or by after-school programs here.