Volume 1 | January 2017
Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child

Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child framework is a systematic approach to improving the health and well-being of students and school staff. The CDC model brings together school administrators, teachers, other staff, students, families and community members to assess the school’s health policies, programs and practices. Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Services Title V Block Grant, administered by the New Jersey Department of Health, Child and Adolescent Health Program small grants are competitively available to schools throughout the northern NJ region that includes the counties of Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Passaic, Sussex, and Warren counties. The grants are designed to create a healthier school environment and improve student and staff wellness by increasing opportunities for healthier lifestyle choices. By improving school health we anticipate enhancing student learning. Administration and technical assistance is provided by the Center for Prevention & Counseling and Sustainable Jersey for Schools. In an attempt to foster collaboration among each of the 10 schools we have decided to launch a quarterly newsletter. It is our hope that through this newsletter you are able to partner with other schools as well as join us in celebrating their successes.

  Much Health,         

Ashley and Pam   


Returning School's Stories
 
We were excited to award three returning schools with this year’s mini grant to expand their programs and further their progress to achieve true sustainability of their initiative. The three schools that were awarded for another consecutive year are: Grover Cleveland Middle School, Louise A. Spencer Newark Public School and Union City High School. Read their success stories to see where they came from and where they are going.
Grover Cleveland Middle School

"Healthy Us…Healthy You" is the initiative Grover Cleveland Middle School completed throughout the 2015-2016 school year. The overall project focused on improving healthy lifestyles and fitness within faculty and staff. “Healthy US…Healthy You” influenced and encouraged students to participate in fitness activities and make healthy life choices. Approximately 640 students and 60 faculty members were impacted by Grover Cleveland’s grant initiative during the initial year!

Louise A. Spencer Newark Public School
 Louise A. Spencer School serves inner city families in Newark, New Jersey. Attendance rates at Louise A. Spencer are the lowest of any school in Newark. Over time, parents and community members have become disenfranchised with the educational system. In an attempt to build the bridge between families and the school community, Louis A. Spencer Public School staff and students joined forces to create a community garden.  “What started as a gardening project evolved into a collaboration of sustaining our community through improved nutrition, positive goals and recycling,” Rosemary Kita, Louise A. Spencer Teacher. 
Union City High School

“Success means different things to different individuals.  For some, success equates to dollars and cents, while others measure success in terms of endurance; the measurable amount of effort displaced on one’s journey to an unknown destination. Even if the person has not yet reached the finish line, his or her ability to look back on the distance traveled in many cases is success,” Marc Fusco, Project Pursuit Advisor. Project Pursuit enables its members to better their lives along with the community around them through promoting the importance of academics, self-awareness and collaboration among its participants. 

   A Parents As Champions Success Story
 This past March ten parents representing seven Sussex and Warren County schools participated in a two day “Statewide Parent Advocacy Network (SPAN) - Parents as Champions for Healthy Schools” workshop hosted by The Center’s School Health Specialists, Pamela Pastorino and Ashley LeBelle. After this training the parent participants were given the opportunity to apply for a $1,000 grant. A second Parents as Champions training will be taking place this coming year. An announcement will be made when the dates are determined.
Hamburg Elementary School

Hamburg Elementary School, under the representation of parents Kathleen Kipp and Maryann Jervis, was one of this years three awarded schools. Hosting a Back to School Staff Wellness Week to promote positivity and a stress free start to the year was Kathleen and MaryAnn’s goal, but what Hamburg Elementary staff received was more than just a week of personal wellness. Through their hard work and dedication Kathleen and Maryann created a week-long morale boosting event, and ultimately, a bonding experience for the 62 staff members of their children’s school.  One teacher even stating, “The school year has started with morale being very high. Fabulous start, so appreciated!” 

Technology Overload?
 Social media is a huge facet of today’s youth culture. From expressing their love of photography via Instagram to producing and promoting their latest singles on YouTube; teenagers usage of social media has far surpassed any generation. In fact, studies reveal that teens spend 300% more time in front of the screen compared to teens in 1995 (Malcore, 2016). This is about 7.5 hours per day equating to an alarming 113.75 days per year. Moreover, a recent study conducted by Pew Research Center found that 92% of teens report going online daily. With such stark increases in media-use and screen time it is no wonder why mental health professionals are concerned about the effects of prolonged screen time on adolescents.
The Center for Prevention and Counseling | 61 Spring Street Newton, NJ | 973-383-4787