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School Wellness Weekly
October 5, 2023
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HIV Curriculum Launch: Growing Up and Staying Safe in New York City
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This work represents an ongoing commitment to student health and well-being, inclusivity and respect, and access to quality sexual health education.
— Chancellor David C. Banks on NYC Public Schools’ new HIV curriculum
School communities have the power to increase students’ awareness about HIV and AIDS, encourage actions to support our loved ones and fellow community members, and eliminate stigma around the epidemic.
Following a multiyear effort by the Office of School Wellness Programs and collaborating partners, the new HIV curriculum offers skills-based, student-centered, age-appropriate, and culturally responsive content, and reflects the advances in HIV prevention and treatment guidelines. New York City teachers who deliver HIV lessons can access this new curriculum on WeTeachNYC (opens in new window).
School administrators and educators, here's how to learn about the new curriculum and how to teach it:
(Image credit: From Grade 5 slide deck, Growing Up and Staying Safe)
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Read what people are saying about the new HIV curriculum:
“I believe this curriculum is needed because more people need to be educated on proper sexual health, and shouldn’t see it as something ‘silly.’”
— Sam, Staten Island, 17, New York City Teens Connection Youth Leadership Team
"It is more important than ever for students to receive engaging and culturally relevant lessons on all Health topics, including age appropriate HIV education. We hope this new curriculum will provide teachers with the tools they need to meaningfully approach these critical conversations in the classroom, so that all students can develop the skills to make informed and healthy decisions about their wellbeing and those around them.”
— Wasin, Student Wellness Advocate, International High School at Union Square, class of 2023
“As a parent and a physician, I love that the new HIV education curriculum provides inclusive, age-appropriate exposure to the issues involved in HIV prevention, including the social-emotional groundwork necessary for effective self-advocacy. I also love that schools are required to teach these lessons, as even a great curriculum can be useless if it isn't being consistently taught. I look forward to seeing health, safety and social-emotional learning take priority in my child's education.”
— New York City Public Schools parent Sara Jordan, P.S. 41, Queens (26Q041)
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Teachers, School Administrators, and Coaches: Sign Up for the Professional Learning Edition
Did you receive the latest information about October’s professional learning opportunities in our September 29 Professional Learning issue (opens in new window) (formerly known as Teachers and Leaders)? Be sure you are subscribed to receive this short newsletter listing upcoming live and on-demand webinars, workshops, and events specifically designed for educators. Stay tuned, next week we’ll be launching our Professional Learning Catalog!
Follow these steps to receive the Professional Learning edition:
- Scroll to the bottom of this email, click “Update Profile”
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Check your email (note: the email will go to the email address you used to subscribe to School Wellness Weekly) and follow the directions.
- In the "Job Title" box, be sure to include the word(s) Teacher, Educator, Coach, AP, or Principal.
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Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month
Every year from September 15 to October 15, we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and reflect on the contributions and histories of Latinx people in the United States. In New York City Public Schools, 41% of students enrolled (opens in new window) during the 2022-2023 school year were Hispanic, and schools have welcomed thousands of new students from Latin America since the summer. Celebrating our collective diversity is key to creating strong connections within healthy and inclusive school communities. Have you taken time to learn more about how the Latinx community has made their mark on history? Share the following resources with your school communities, including students—our newest generation working for a better future:
(Image credit: HispanicHeritageMonth.gov)
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Get Students Moving While Learning: Move-to-Improve Training for Elementary Teachers in October
Move-to-Improve (opens in new window) ( MTI) is NYC Public Schools' free, classroom-based activity program that helps teachers of elementary grades enhance their lessons by integrating physical activity into academic instruction. By having at least 85% of its eligible staff trained, a school becomes an MTI All Star school, which entitles it to use Move-to-Improve activities to supplement its PE program toward meeting NYSED requirements. Review and share the 2023–2024 Move-to-Improve guidance (opens in new window), which includes information and requirements for implementing the program in your school. Schools have until January 31, 2024 to become an MTI All-Star school for the 2023-2024 school year.
All eligible teachers can register for the following webinars (please encourage other colleagues to join):
(Image credit: Kirsten Luce)
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It’s Never Too Late to Learn: New Self-Guided Health Education Introductory Course for K-5 Teachers and School Administrators
K-12 Educators: Need a Refresher on Affirming Pronouns and Inclusive Practices?
Take our Introduction to LGBTQ+ Concepts and Terminology (opens in new window) course on WeLearnNYC. Help create an inclusive culture in your classroom and at your school by learning or brushing up on LGBTQ+ affirming terms and practices. Explore concepts and terms like sex assigned at birth, gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation, and get tips to use in the classroom and school community.
Creating an inclusive environment benefits all students by promoting diversity. It's also related to fewer hostile experiences, better attendance, increased feelings of connectedness at school, and academic achievement. CTLE credit available.
Note: This WeLearnNYC course replaces the LGBTQ+101 Webinar: Introduction to Concepts and Terms asynchronous webinar.
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October is Health Literacy Month: Check Out Resources From SHAPE
Health literacy refers to a person’s ability to find, understand, and use information and services to make decisions about their own health and the health of others. Helping students build health literacy is key to ensuring they are able to address their own health needs. SHAPE America (opens in new window) offers a variety of free Health Education resources (opens in new window) to celebrate Health Literacy Month. Check out the resources and provide your students with the skills needed to make lifelong healthy choices. Health literacy is a key factor in making sure students have the ability to address their own health needs.
(Image credit: SHAPE America)
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Building the Wellness Community |
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Office of Energy & Sustainability Events and Initiatives: In-Person Trainings for October
Climate change affects health—including mental health—in many ways, from extreme heat to flood damage to inequitable access to green spaces and more. To fulfill commitments in Mayor Adams' PlaNYC (opens in new window) on schoolwide climate action, the Office of Energy & Sustainability Events and Initiatives will provide resources, guidance, and planning time for all schools and will host full-day in-person trainings October 13, 20, and 24. Attendees will meet other school-based staff who care about sustainability and learn about leading schoolwide climate action.
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For Students in Grades 9-12: Apply by October 12 for Siblinghood Academy Leadership Opportunity
Siblinghood Academy (opens in new window) is a leadership development program for young women and gender-expansive youth in grades 9-12. Participants attend biweekly sessions to help them identify themselves as leaders, connect with other young people, and identify ways they can positively impact their communities. Participants are eligible to receive up to $300 at the end of the program. Applications are due by October 12; visit the Sadie Nash website (opens in new window) to learn more about the program and access the application.
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Rising New York Road Runners: Teach Students the Essential Skills of Running
The free Rising New York Road Runners (opens in new window) program makes it fun to learn—and teach—the fundamental movement skills at the heart of running and most other sports. The program enhances Physical Education and Run Clubs in hundreds of NYC Public Schools by providing resources to program members.
(Image credits: Top: Office of Energy and Sustainability; Middle: Siblinghood Academy; Above: New York Road Runners)
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PreK and Grade 7 teachers: Classroom-to-Cafeteria Lead Teacher Opportunity
Calling all PreK and Grade 7 teachers! Are you interested in learning how to implement food education with your students so they learn about food and how it connects us to ourselves, our communities, our world, and an equitable future? Are you a natural leader and willing to share your knowledge and expertise with others in your school? If so, consider applying for the Pilot Light Classroom to Cafeteria Lead Teacher Program (opens in new window) running from November 2023 to May 2024. Pilot Light is a nonprofit organization that has developed a model for using food in the classroom as a tool to teach traditional school subjects like math, reading, history, and science. They provide free food education lessons for teachers as well as for families to use at home.
Applications (opens in new window) are due by October 11. A kick-off event with NYC Public Schools will take place November 7. Among other things, educators selected as Pilot Light Lead Teachers will:
- Facilitate school food lessons in their classrooms and collect student pre-and-post program surveys.
- Support at least 2 teachers from their school with implementation and data collection.
- Participate in ongoing programming to build food education capacity.
- Attend monthly professional development sessions with their cohort peers.
- Earn a $1,500 stipend and continuing education credits.
K-8 NYC Public Schools: Earn $1,000 Awards to Promote Food Justice
Through the Compassionate Communities program, HEART educators (opens in new window) work directly with school partners to develop individualized learning experiences that meet students’ needs. They also connect schools with potential community partners for service actions that are in-depth, student-led, and build equitable, resilient, and thriving neighborhoods. This year’s Compassionate Communities theme is Food Justice for All.
HEART will offer grants of up to $1,000 per selected school in 2023-2024 to support their efforts to inspire a generation of compassionate change-makers and enhance positive school/community engagement. Participating schools receive grade-level lessons, activities, and family engagement ideas on:
- ways to bring more culturally affirming and affordable healthy foods into New York City neighborhoods
- the important role of urban gardens in addressing food equity and promoting habitat restoration and climate resilience
- humane farming practices
- the wider environmental impacts of industrial agriculture.
(Image credit: Kirsten Luce)
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