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School Wellness Weekly

April 19, 2023
Stop the Stigma! Teaching Students About HIV/AIDS Prevention  
National Youth HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NYHAAD) (opens in new window) in April raises awareness about the impact of HIV on young people and acknowledges the critical role schools play in promoting the health and safety of students. Honor the message of both HIV/AIDS Awareness Day and STI Awareness Week (opens in new window) year-round by educating students about:

  • how Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) impact young lives
  • reducing STI-related stigma, fear, and discrimination
  • ensuring people have the tools and knowledge to prevent, test for, and treat STIs

New HIV Curriculum coming soon! Every year, NYC students must receive HIV and AIDS education (opens in new window) that is age-appropriate, medically accurate, inclusive, affirming, and representative of the students that make up our diverse school system. Following a multiyear effort by the Office of School Wellness Programs and collaborating partners, the NYCDOE will release a new HIV education curriculum in Fall 2023. Updates to the existing curriculum reflect: 

  • increased understanding of HIV transmission
  • new ways to effectively test, treat, and prevent HIV that are more accessible to all
  • HIV as a chronic, manageable condition; and that people living with HIV can have long and healthy lives with treatment

For the remainder of this school year: Teachers should access the K-12 HIV/AIDS Resource Folder (opens in new window), available in TeachHub (opens in new window) (DOE login required), for guidance on teaching the required HIV/AIDS lessons. 

Together, we can help young people stay healthy by encouraging HIV testing, prevention, and treatment. Explore the following resources: 








(Image credits: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Graphic by Office of School Wellness Programs.)
Wellness Highlight
images of students playing bocce ball
On March 27, New York City Public Schools announced a new partnership (opens in new window) with Special Olympics NY to expand access to sports for students with disabilities (opens in new window). Special Olympics unified sports bring together students with and without disabilities as teammates. Students enjoy the physical, mental, and social benefits of being on a school sports team while also being empowered as youth leaders to create an inclusive school environment for all. 
The Office of School Wellness Programs is also excited to launch a new CHAMPS (opens in new window) unified sports bocce ball program that will serve approximately 200 middle school students with and without disabilities beginning in Spring 2023. On April 4, the Opening Ceremony at Alley Pond Bubble in Queens celebrated the ten CHAMPS teams participating in the new bocce ball league.

(Image credits: Above: Photos by New York Public Schools; below: Photos by Krisanne Johnson. Graphics by Office of School Wellness Programs.)
Physical Education
U.S. Soccer Foundation P.E. Soccer Online Curriculum and Training 
The U.S. Soccer Foundation (opens in new window) has provided the NYCDOE with a limited number of free slots to access Soccer for Success School Curriculum and Training, powered by US Youth Soccer. Designed to teach skills and increase students' physical activity level, curriculum lessons form a complete soccer unit and are flexible enough to fit any physical education schedule. Educators will be prepared to teach students soccer fundamentals while integrating activities to empower students to improve their physical and health literacy.  

To reserve your free access or for questions, email Lisa Perry at lperry@ussoccerfoundation.org by July 1, 2023. 
K-5 Educators: Get Moving in the Classroom with Move-to-Improve!  
Access free Move-to-Improve (MTI) resources (opens in new window) and use the power of movement to motivate, energize, and help establish lifelong healthy habits for your K-5/6 students! MTI is a classroom-based physical activity program that helps teachers of elementary grades enhance their lessons by integrating physical activity into academic instruction. Activities can be adapted to get students of different ages, academic levels, and physical abilities moving.

(Image credit: US Soccer Federation.)  
Health Education
Health Education Suggested Pacing Guides for Grades K-12 
Educators, use these teaching tools to ensure students in grades K-12 achieve the New York State standards in Health Education. Pacing guides provide a suggested order of units and lessons from recommended curricula, including the NYCDOE HIV/AIDS Curriculum 2012 edition.  



Building the Wellness Community
Last Chance! NYC School Survey Deadline is Thursday, April 20 
Parents/caretakers and school staff in grades 3-K -12, and students in grades 6-12, take the 2023 NYC School Survey (opens in new window) (nine-digit student number or OSIS number required). Provide your feedback to NYC school leaders about your school community to improve schools and programs. Deadline is April 20. 

Food Ed Awards: Nominate Your Food and Nutrition Education Champions!
The Laurie M. Tisch Center for Food, Education & Policy (opens in new window) Food Ed Award recognizes exemplary leaders who have contributed to quality food and nutrition education and healthy food access during the 2022-2023 school year. Anyone may nominate for group or individual awards. You may also self-nominate. Award recipients will be announced at the 2023 NYC Food Education Conference on Friday, June 9 (time TBD). Check out the award categories and submit your nominations (opens in new window) by April 21. Questions? Contact Andrew Barret at amb2556@tc.columbia.edu. 
 
School Gardens Seed Giveaway from GrowNYC: Request by April 21
Earth Day on April 22 is just around the corner! Receive free seed packets for your school garden from GrowNYC (opens in new window) by submitting the Seed Giveaway Form (opens in new window) by April 21. There is a wide variety of vegetables, herbs or flowers to choose from. Each school can get 15 packets of seeds while supplies last. Note: You must have an up-to-date school registration with GrowNYC to be eligible. Register (opens in new window) or contact schoolgardens@grownyc.org for help.  

Grow NYC Summer Workforce Development Internship (Ages 16-19) 
Do you know teens interested in learning about education, conservation, green space, and food access? Encourage them to apply for GrowNYC’s Summer Workforce Development Internship (opens in new window), an eight-week summer program for teens ages 16-19. Application deadline is May 1. Participants experience a combination of hands-on field work and coursework to learn more about GrowNYC's environmental initiatives, and will receive a certificate of completion. Questions? Contact 212-788-7900.  
Spring Tennis Opportunity for Bronx Middle and High School Students
The Cary Leeds Center (opens in new window) is hosting the Saturday Night Lights Program (opens in new window), an opportunity for middle and high schoolers in the Bronx to discover the sport of tennis. Students meet other participants and build tennis and teamwork skills. This weekly program is held every Saturday from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. until June 24.  

Register by scanning the QR code or visiting the Saturday Night Lights Program page (opens in new window) and scroll down to fill out the Google form (Google login required).