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School Wellness Weekly

10.18.18


Just Around the Corner:  
Election Day Professional Learning Conference
Before the votes are tallied during this year’s midterm elections, make sure to consider your vote for advancing the quality of health and physical education for all our students in NYC public schools! Choose to support high-quality instruction by attending our upcoming Think-Move-Achieve Professional Learning Conference on Election Day,  Tuesday, November 6, 2018  at locations in all five boroughs.

More than 90 professional learning workshops led by teacher leaders, NYC DOE partner organizations, and Office of School Wellness Programs staff will help you build collaboration, share ideas, and learn about standards-based curricula and resources.

Registration opens next week; check your email inbox for a dedicated announcement and Eventbrite link, and visit our  2018-19 professional learning catalog  for details.  
Social Tip: Don’t forget to share your experiences on the day of the event and from all our workshops and expos via social media by using #NYCSchoolWellness #ThinkMoveAchieve
Wellness Highlights
Deadline Extended to 10/19: School Wellness Council Grant Application  
Schools that have not previously received the grant can apply for the $2,500 Implementation Grant to start or strengthen a School Wellness Council. Continuing schools that have received a grant in the past can apply for a $1,000 Continuation Grant to fund their ongoing wellness initiatives. Visit the  School Wellness Portal to apply by  tomorrow, 10/19.  Review details here:  


Questions? Email  wellnesscouncil@schools.nyc.gov.    

Know a High School Student Interested in Health and Wellness? Nominate Them For the Student Voice Committee! Deadline 11/9
The Office of School Wellness Programs is currently accepting nominations for the 2018-19 Student Voice Committee (SVC). The SVC, an arm of the DOE District Wellness Advisory Council, is comprised of DOE high school students who work collaboratively on health promotion campaigns and share their perspectives on what health, physical education, and other wellness initiatives should look like in NYC public schools. School and agency staff interested in nominating a high school student must complete the  nomination form  by  Friday, 11/9 . Questions? Email wellnesspartnerships@schools.nyc.gov.
Deadline 11/26
7th Annual Big Apple Awards: #ThankATeacherNYC  

This year, let's take advantage of the New York City Department of Education's  Big Apple Awards program to recognize our exceptional educators in public schools.  Do you know a physical or health education teacher who is going above and beyond to make a difference in their school community? Be sure to nominate your favorite wellness educator by the deadline, Monday, 11/26!  Almost anyone can submit a nomination: Students, families, administrators, other teachers, and community representatives. Recipients participate in the  Big Apple Fellowship  and represent teachers Citywide as members of the 2019-20 Chancellor’s Teacher Advisory Group. Submit your  nominations  and meet  last year’s recipients ; spread the word to encourage as many outstanding nominations as possible. Questions? Email  TeacherExcellence@schools.nyc.gov.
Physical Education
Spreading the Word: #MovetoImproveNYC
Kudos to PE Teacher and Move-to-Improve Champion Kim Draxdorf at PS 160 William T. Sampson in Brooklyn (20K160) for promoting the Move-to-Improve program on the school's Facebook page . Kim facilitated a Move-to-Improve workshop for her teachers and then created promotional visuals that she posted on Facebook with #MovetoImproveNYC. Trained in Move-to-Improve? Check out  WeTeachNYC  for resources and videos ! Continue to share your school’s achievements by using #NYCSchoolWellness #MovetoImproveNYC.
1st Annual DOE Special Olympics New York Secondary School Unified Soccer Games  
Aligning with the DOE’s Equity and Excellence for All core values, we’re excited to announce the first-ever DOE Special Olympics New York Secondary School Unified Soccer Games tomorrow, 10/19 , from 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the  Queens High School of Teaching, Liberal Arts and the Sciences  (26Q566) soccer field. Teams bring together students of all abilities. Students, families, school staff, and community members are welcome to come out and cheer on our student-athletes. Secondary schools can register teams for future games ongoing throughout the school year. Stay tuned for announcements of times and locations in upcoming issues of  School Wellness Weekly . Interested in registering a team? Email Yuki Yamada, HYamada@schools.nyc.gov  and Leanne Fusco,  lfusco@nyso.org .
Health Education
Our upcoming trainings help health education teachers bring an equity lens to their classroom, keep high school students safe with a Condom Availability Program, effectively teach puberty education lessons, and use data to improve student assessments and outcomes (continue to visit our  2018-19 Professional Learning Catalog ):

October 19: Condom Availability Program Training.  High school and community-based   staff, including health teachers and educators,  register  for this full-day workshop in the Bronx.  

October 22: Leadership Pathway Training: Implementing Standards-Based Assessments in Health Education.  Grades 6-12 health education teachers, go beyond our Professional Learning Pathway and register for this full-day workshop in Queens to identify essential standards, common assessments, and how to use them in your classroom.  Prerequisite: Health Education Basics I and Health Education Basics II.

October 30-31 Workshop: Cultivating Awareness of Racial Microaggressions in the Health Education Classroom.  Grades K-12 health educators,  register  for a two-day training in Manhattan led by  Access Matters  to undergo a self-reflective process and learn about ways in which racial bias appears in the health education classroom, as well as practice strategies for recognizing and reducing microaggressions in your classroom.  CTLE hours: 10 hours, 40 minutes for both days.

November 1: Elementary Health Education Basics II: Grades 4-5 Puberty.  Grades 4-5 common branch and cluster teachers,  register  for this full-day workshop in Brooklyn.
Building the Wellness Community
Middle and High School Teachers: Teach Your Students Counter-Marketing Techniques  
Is one of your School Wellness Council goals aimed at promoting healthier eating habits throughout the school community? Want to get your students excited about starting a campaign to curb the influence of junk food ads on their peers? Grades 6-12 DOE staff can learn to teach counter-marketing techniques to students in this free training from Bronx Health Action Center on 10/22.  RSVP  by  tomorrow, 10/19  and check out additional sessions: Media training and Advocacy 101 training. Questions?  Email  Moria Byrne-Zaaloff; call (212) 633-0800, ext. 1287. 

School Wellness Councils: Free Training from Edible Schoolyard NYC  
These free, upcoming trainings will help educators learn how to bring cooking and gardening activities into the classroom, start an indoor planting project, garden with students, and make academic connections in the kitchen: 

  • Monday, 10/22: Garden Activities for an Indoor Teaching Space. Register for the session in Brooklyn.  
  • Thursday, 10/25: Set Yourself Up for Success – Tips for Gardening with Students. Register for the session in Manhattan. 
  • Tuesday, 10/30: Teaching through Cooking: Academic Connections in the Kitchen. Register for the session in Manhattan. 
  • Tuesday, 11/6: Edible Education 101 – Introduction to Gardening and Cooking with Students. Register for the session in Brooklyn.  

Calling All DOE Parents and Caregivers: Join an LGBTQ Focus Group  
Are you a NYC public school parent or caregiver who identifies as LGBTQ, or do you know of an LGBTQ parent with children who are currently attending a NYC public school? The DOE’s Office of Counseling Support Programs is looking for participants for a focus group that will help the DOE understand how to best support LGBTQ parents and caregivers and their families. Meetings will be held in the evening in Manhattan on a monthly basis. Dates and times will be announced later this fall. Interested?  Email   Shoshana Lief . 

Grades 3-12 Students: Join Girls on the Run's 5K Celebration in December  
Looking for a free event that inspires girls to be joyful, healthy, and confident? School staff and grades 3-12 students of all genders are invited to participate in Girls on the Run's end-of-season celebration on Sunday, 12/19 at Icahn Stadium on Randall's Island. Participate in a 5k run/walk and pre-course activities starting at 9 a.m., rain or shine. Register today – space is limited and available first-come, first-served. Questions? Email wellnesspartnerships@schools.nyc.gov .