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School Wellness Weekly

11.14.18


Make this message clear to students:
"There's help all around you."
The DOE is collaborating with ThriveNYC and other partners to launch "There’s Help All Around You," a poster campaign that highlights resources available to all students to support their mental health in school, the community, and throughout the City.

At the bottom of each poster, schools will list a school social worker, guidance counselor, school-based mental health clinician, or other on-site mental health agency that students can turn to when seeking mental health support and resources. Schools will receive customizable posters in mid-to-late November. Elementary schools will also receive a poster intended for parents. A separate point of contact specific to parents and caregivers will be listed like a parent coordinator.

Help promote school-based mental health services by sharing the “There’s Help All Around You” flyer (under the Mental Health section of the "Health Forms and Notices" page of the DOE InfoHub), available in nine languages.

Questions about the poster campaign? Contact Rena Wexelberg-Clouser at rwexelbergclouser@health.nyc.gov or 718-310-2882.

(Cover art: Chelsea Li, grade 7, J.H.S. 074 Nathaniel Hawthorne, Queens, 2018 School Wellness Campaign winner.)
School Wellness Tip:
Don’t forget to download and share the Mental Health Awareness Month Toolkit, a passion project developed by the Student Voice Committee, an arm of the DOE District Wellness Advisory Council. Read more about the toolkit highlighted in the 05.17.18 issue of School Wellness Weekly . See how to nominate a high school student for this year’s Student Voice Committee below!
Wellness Highlights
Deadline Extended: Know a High School Student Interested in Health and Wellness? Nominate Them for the Student Voice Committee! 
The Office of School Wellness Programs is currently accepting nominations for the 2018-19 Student Voice Committee, an arm of the DOE District Wellness Advisory Council. DOE high school students on the committee have an opportunity to attend meetings with DOE and other City agency leaders , 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, 11/30 . Questions? Email wellnesspartnerships@schools.nyc.gov .

Congratulations School Wellness Council Grant Winners!
Congratulations to our School Wellness Council implementation and continuation grant awardees for the 2018-19 school year. Wellness councils at these schools will use grant funds for a wide variety of wellness initiatives that support health and physical education as foundational components of academic success. This year's grant winners join the hundreds of NYC schools that are already working hard to organize fitness and nutrition events, set school wellness policies, promote inclusivity, and make sure that physical and health education are prioritized school-wide. If your school did not receive a grant this year, please be sure to apply again next Fall!

Looking to Begin or Deepen Your Schools’ Seed-to-Table Programming? 
Join Edible Schoolyard on 11/30 for a free workshop to learn how to garden with your students, maintain a growing space, implement cafeteria initiatives, and engage families and the community. Grades K-8 School Wellness Council members, teachers, administrators, parent coordinators, families, students, and CBO staff, register for the workshop in Brooklyn.

K-5 Schools: Excellence in School Wellness Awards Application Open
The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's Excellence in School Wellness Award recognizes elementary schools for their efforts to create a healthy school environment that helps promote student health and improve academic achievement. All NYCDOE elementary schools are eligible to apply by  3/1 . Visit the  Healthy Children/Healthy Schools page   for more information; contact healthyschools@health.nyc.gov with questions. 
Physical Education
Still Time to Register for November PE Professional Learning Community (PE PLC) Meetings
Register for the  11/19  sessions and join your fellow physical education teachers at this month’s Citywide professional learning communities. Meetings take place in every borough during Monday professional learning sessions for K-12 physical education teachers. Network with other PE professionals and work together to strengthen the instructional practice and leadership skills needed to champion PE and wellness in your school communities. More than 360 PE teachers Citywide attended October PE PLCs! Check our   2018-19 Professional Learning catalog  for upcoming sessions throughout the year.  
Health Education
Don’t miss our November workshops that will give educators the tools to help families communicate with their young people about puberty and menstruation, effectively teach the DOE’s required HIV/AIDS lessons, and implement or enhance a Condom Availability Program. Check our 2018-19 Professional Learning catalog for upcoming sessions throughout the year.

November 16: Parents and Puberty: Helping Families Communicate about Developmental Milestones with Planned Parenthood NYC . Grades K-12 teachers and school staff, register for this one-hour workshop in Queens.

November 20: Youth Mental Health First Aid Training for CAP-trained Staff . Register for this full-day course provided by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene in collaboration with ThriveNYC . Learn how to help young people who are experiencing a mental health crisis or challenge. The course introduces common mental health and social/emotional issues such as anxiety, depression, and others, and provides action plans on how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illness and substance abuse.

November 27: Elementary Health Education Basics III: HIV/AIDS. Grades K-5 common branch and cluster teachers,   register   for this full-day workshop in Manhattan.

November 30: Middle School and High School Health Education Basics III: HIV/AIDS. Grades 6-12 common branch and cluster teachers,   register   for this full-day workshop in Manhattan.

December 4: Condom Availability Program Training . High school CAP-trained staff and community-based staff, including grades 9-12 health teachers, register for this full-day workshop in Manhattan. 
Building the Wellness Community
Asphalt Green FREE Recess and Physical Activity Training Opportunities 
Asphalt Green, in partnership with the Office of School Wellness Programs, is offering a free 3-hour recess training for K-5 school staff on 11/19 at Red Hook Recreation Center in Brooklyn. Learn recess games that are great for any indoor or outdoor space, including large and small playgrounds, the auditorium, hallway, cafeteria, and more. Participants will learn conflict resolution strategies and techniques to improve transition time. Register today.

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, 12/9 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 .
Bring in the Fall by Thinking Green! Sustainability Grant Application Now Open
Looking to spruce up your school’s gardening program? Does your school have a student-led Green Team and an appointed Sustainability Coordinator? If so, the DOE Office of Sustainability’s 3 rd annual Sustainability Project Grant provides up to $5,000 in funding support to help with your school’s garden projects. Funds can be used for equipment, project supplies, training, educational materials, and promotional items. Apply by Tuesday, 12/11 . (Photo: Sustainability Grant-funded project. Photo courtesy: Nichelle Hudlin)

Manhattan and Bronx Schools Teaching Grades 3-5:   Free Nutrition Education Program from Hospital for Special Surgery
Participate in a free community outreach nutrition program from Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) for grades 3-5 students: Super Nutrition Education for All Kids to Eat Right (SNEAKER©). This 7-week, interactive education program brings HSS nutritionists into schools to educate students about healthy eating and physical activity through fun and engaging activities. Students gain knowledge and tools to promote healthy behavior, while schools gain healthier students who are ready to learn. Students can assess their knowledge and behavior changes through a self-administered, NYCDOE-approved survey before and after the program. Interested and want to learn more? Email Claudia Zurlini at zurlinic@hss.edu .
Grant Opportunities
Grades K-12 Teachers: Sprout Inspiration with a Grow with Us Grant
The Grow with Us Grant from New York Agriculture in the Classroom allows schools to apply for four different types of garden grow systems . Grades K-12 teachers should apply for the grow system that would best meet their educational needs, classroom space needs, and consider their experience level in school gardening and curriculum. Submit applications by 12/23 to engage your students in learning through gardening and eating healthy food year-round. Questions? Email Katie Carpenter at kse45@cornell.edu .

Good Sports Equipment Grant
Good Sports donates sports and athletic equipment to schools that have an organized sports or fitness program that serves disadvantaged youth. Grant recipients will receive equipment, apparel, or footwear and will pay a shipping and handling fee. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis; apply today.