Correction: Due to an editing error, yesterday's issue misspelled the name of teacher Kevin Lau in the New York State AHPERD feature below. Mr. Lau's name is correct in this issue. We apologize for the oversight.
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School Wellness Weekly
November 29, 2023
CORRECTED
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World AIDS Day: Eliminate the Stigma and Commit to Educating School Communities |
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World AIDS Day is Friday, December 1, and there is no better time for our school communities to recommit to teaching the New York City Public Schools’ new HIV curriculum lessons (see below) and reassert the importance of learning about HIV as a means of ending the epidemic.
This year’s theme, World AIDS Day 35: Remember and Commit (opens in new window), encourages us to commemorate individuals we have lost to an HIV or AIDS-related illness. Remembering the lives we lost speaks to the need to increase students’ awareness and knowledge about the virus; promote health skills that offer protection, prevention and care; and encourage actions that will help eliminate stigma around and end the epidemic.
Educators: Honor this day with your students, starting with ensuring every single NYCPS student learns important health skills in the HIV lessons, which are required for every student, every year. See links to the HIV curriculum, along with other activities:
Families and school staff: Learn more about HIV and AIDS:
Photo Credit: Image: Growing up and Staying Safe, Grade 7 Slides. Graphic: Office of School Wellness Programs.
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Leadership is Calling All High School Students: Apply for School Wellness Advocates by December 31
Do you know a high school student passionate about an aspect of school wellness? Are they a young leader in the making? Encourage them to apply for the 2023-2024 Student Wellness Advocates (opens in new window) opportunity, a Citywide youth leadership group for high school students facilitated by New York City Public Schools’ (NYCPS) Office of School Wellness Programs. Students will have the opportunity to explore NYCPS wellness policies and programs, including Physical Education and Health Education, physical activity, health services, school food, nutrition promotion, and how wellness relates to climate sustainability. Students will also have the opportunity to develop a project, council, or campaign for their school community, and may be eligible for a stipend.
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Teenspace: Free Online Mental Health Services Now Available for All Teens in NYC!
On November 15, Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan announced "TeenSpace,” the City's free tele-mental health service (opens in new window). The service will allow all New York City teenagers ages 13-17 to connect free of charge with a licensed therapist through phone, video, and text.
TeenSpace forms part of the City’s investment in improving physical and mental health, and its response to increasing levels of anxiety and depression among youth and teenagers during and since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition to services, mental health education beginning in elementary grades is crucial to equip young people with the knowledge and skills to recognize, communicate about, and respond to challenges. New York State law requires mental health lessons as part of Health Education in grades K-12.
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Educators, Keep up the Professional Learning Momentum! Inspiring Words from the 2023 Election Day Conference
A HUGE thank you to all 2,000+ educators who attended and participated in our Election Day Professional Learning sessions on Tuesday, November 7! More than 380 teachers completed HIV Education live webinars that day. In honor of World AIDS Day, check out what our educators had to say in those sessions about the new NYCPS HIV curriculum, Growing Up and Staying Safe: New York City K-12 HIV Education (opens in new window).
"I have taught about HIV before; however, this gives more up-to-date materials that can be used that has clear objectives & designed for today's students."
"I feel the new lessons provide more information and opportunity for the students to be comfortable."
"I have begun teaching the lessons and the kids love them! They are all interactive and are completed in one period. Thank you... The children benefit and are all excited when I walk in their classroom once a week.”
"…excited and pleased that it is updated and more youth inclusive."
"I'm excited to tear down HIV stigma and misinformation."
"I love the resources included in the new curriculum. It is very well designed and comprehensive. I will definitely take advantage of it."
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New York State AHPERD Award Winners: Congratulations, NYC Educators!
The New York State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AHPERD (opens in new window), hosted its 85th Annual Conference and Council of Administrators Conference November 15-18 at the Turning Stone Convention Center in historic Verona, New York.
Each year, this conference offers attendees the opportunity to engage in meaningful and constructive conversations with individuals who lead Physical Education and Health Education, physical activity, and other health and wellness programs across the State, addressing topics that include current curriculum, instruction, and assessment strategies.
Congratulations to the New York City educators and partners who received awards this year for distinguished service. New York State AHPERD recognized the following professionals with “Section Amazing People” awards for 2023:
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Equity, Diversion & Inclusiveness: Amy Dawson (Office of School Wellness Programs Instructional Coach)
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Elementary Physical Education: Alexander Duque, elementary PE teacher, 02M130
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Technology: Kevin Lau, elementary PE teacher, 30Q329
In addition, our trusted partner New York City Road Runners received an “Exhibitors Years of Service” award for 10 years of service.
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Building the Wellness Community |
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2024 NYC Gender and Sexuality Alliance Summit: Attend In-Person on January 29!
New York City Public Schools in partnership with PFLAG NYC (opens in new window) are sponsoring the 2024 NYC Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA) Summit in person on Monday, January 29, at Midwood High School in Brooklyn. Creating a safe and inclusive environment in schools is a key component of school wellness that benefits the entire school community. The annual GSA Summit provides New York City Public School students and faculty advisors of GSA clubs with an opportunity to celebrate, find and promote community, and learn from one another.
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Mark Your Calendars and Get Energized! NYCPS First Climate Action Day is December 6
Get the word out: The first Climate Action Day (opens in new window) focused on “Energy” is happening on Wednesday, December 6. Bring together your school community, celebrate solutions, and show NYC students that New York City Public Schools are committed to building a better, healthier future Citywide.
What are Climate Action Days? As Chancellor Banks announced (opens in new window) in September, these are four days throughout the school year when every NYC public school is encouraged to showcase the importance of climate education and sustainability practices. Each day will focus on a specific theme that fulfills a goal set in PlaNYC (opens in new window), New York City’s long-term strategic climate plan.
Photo Credits: Image 1 GSA Summit website, Image 2 NYCPS.
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Educators and School Wellness Councils: Win an Indoor/Outdoor Garden Grow System With the Grow With Us Grant
New York Agriculture in the Classroom is awarding garden grow towers and racks valued at up to $2,700 through the 2023-2024 Grow With Us Grant (opens in new window). Growing food in schools shows students the connection between the food they eat, where it comes from, and how to keep themselves and the environment healthy. Supplement health education nutrition lessons and strengthen the connections among learning and skills building described in the NYCPS Citywide Wellness Policy (opens in new window) by giving students a hands-on learning experience with food education!
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Health Corner: Help Prevent Children's Tooth Decay: Free and Low-Cost Dental Services in Schools
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New York City Public Schools, in partnership with New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, offers NO COST dental services to students in schools—with parental consent—regardless of whether they have health insurance.
- This includes services that take place at fixed clinics located in buildings with School Based Health Centers (SBHCs), and services provided by portable/mobile providers who bring services on-site to buildings.
Did you know?
- Last school year, 820 NYC public schools received school-based preventive dental services.
- Of the children examined in schools, nearly 40% have untreated tooth decay.
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Fluoride helps prevent tooth decay. It is in New York City tap water, toothpaste, and rinses. Fluoride varnish (opens in new window) can be applied to a child’s teeth by a medical provider.
Educators and school staff: Communicate with your principal and parent coordinator on the status of no-cost school-based dental care. All schools are encouraged to contact their approved dental vendor to schedule dental services for the 2023-2024 school year. Not sure who to contact, do not know if one is authorized for school-based care, or have general questions?
School-based dental programs rely on participation through signed parental consent forms. Help these programs achieve as many consents as possible to address the critical need for dental care.
Teacher Resources and Tips:
Share with families and caregivers where to find low-cost dental providers:
Photo credit: NYC DOHMH
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