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School Wellness Weekly

02.27.20


This is an image of the Office of School Wellness Programs logo that says, Think, Move, Achieve.
Participate in a Webinar on Student Vaping on March 16
What can school staff and educators do to counter the growing popularity of e-cigarettes among middle and high school students? In a 2017 survey of New York City public schools, 17.3 percent of high school students and 6.7 percent of middle school students reported using e-cigarettes in the past 30 days. To ensure that schools have the information and strategies that they need to educate and talk to our students about the health risks of e-cigarettes and vaping products, the NYC DOE’s Office of School Wellness Programs and the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene will host a one-hour webinar for health education teachers, school staff, and school administrators on March 16 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. that will cover:

  • The most up-to-date data and policies on student e-cigarette and vaping use in New York City
  • Best practices around teaching and talking about e-cigarette and vaping with students, school staff, and families 
  • Three DOE-recommended lessons to use in schools that will be included in revised editions of the New York City K-12 Health Education Scope and Sequence (participants will be provided access to the three lesson plans after the webinar) 

You can also take action right now by sharing with your school community the following links to materials for students and parents, including a new graphic novel for youth, and a brand-new user-friendly parent guide on how to talk to children about tobacco and e-cigarettes: 

For students: 

For parents: 

*These resources are in all DOE-supported languages on the   DOE Infohub Health Forms and Notices page   (scroll to Substance Abuse).

Image: From #DontGetHooked, a new youth-facing resource about the dangers of vaping from the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
Physical Education
Students at the Audubon School in Manhattan demonstrate Move-to-Improve. Photo credit: Krisanne Johnson

K-12 PE Teachers: Apply for $2,500 PE Equipment Grants
Are you interested in offering a wider variety of PE activities–like educational gymnastics or tchoukball–but lacking the basic equipment to make that happen? The Office of School Wellness Programs is offering $2,500 PE equipment grants for the first time this year to schools looking to improve and diversify the quality of their PE instruction while supporting the implementation of the New York City K-12 Physical Education Scope and Sequences. Review the grant expectations and scoring rubric and then apply by filling out the grant application by March 13 . Questions? Email PEWorks@schools.nyc.gov .

Register for the PE Professional Learning Community Meeting
Join PE colleagues in your borough to discuss instructional problems of practice at the   PE Professional Learning Communities meeting on March 9 .
 
Upcoming Professional Learning

  • March 4: PE Basics 3: Planning for Community Building: Grades 6-12 physical education teachers, sign up for this session in Manhattan.
  • March 5: PE Basics 3: Planning for Community Building: Grades 6-12 physical education teachers, sign up for this session in Brooklyn.
  • March 10: PE Basics 2: Planning for Skill Acquisition: Grades K-5/6 physical education teachers, sign up for this session in Brooklyn.
  • March 11: Make It Work: Mastering PE in Creative Spaces: Grades K-5/6 physical education teachers, sign up for this session in Manhattan.
  • March 11: Make It Work: Creative Solutions for Secondary Physical Education: Grades 6-12 physical education teachers, sign up for this session in the Bronx.
  • March 17: IEP Writing and Co-Teaching Strategies for Physical Education Teachers: Grades K-12 physical education teachers, sign up for this session in Manhattan.
  • March 17: PE Basics 2: Planning for Skill Acquisition: Grades K-5/6 physical education teachers, sign up for this session in the Bronx.
Health Education
Students hold their pride flags at the 2019 GSA Summit. Photo: Krisanne Johnson

Join the Inaugural Grades 6-12 Health Education Professional Learning Community (PLC) Session
Share successes and challenges with fellow secondary health education teachers at the first PLC meeting in Queens on March 23 . Participants will come away with resources to improve their practice and student learning.  

Make Your School More Inclusive: Register for the OUT for Safe Schools ® Webinar
Learn how to create an affirming and safe environment for the entire school community and support LGBTQ students by participating in the OUT for Safe Schools webinar on March 30 . OUT for Safe Schools ® is a national initiative that helps educators, administrators, and other school district employees come out as visible allies for LGBTQ students. Participants will understand why it’s important to be an upstander for LGBTQ students, identify strategies for being an effect upstander, and develop next steps for launching or improving the OUT for Safe Schools ® badge campaign at their school.

Upcoming Professional Learning

  • March 3: Health Education Basics 1: Comprehensive Skills-Based Health Education: Grades 6-8 health education teachers, sign up for this session in Manhattan.
  • March 5: Health Education Basics 2: Comprehensive Sexual Health Education: Grades 6-8 health education teachers, sign up for this session in Manhattan.
  • March 10: Health Education Basics 4: LGBTQ Affirming Schools: Grades 6-12 educators and staff, sign up for this session in the Bronx.
  • March 11: Condom Availability Program (CAP) Training: Grades 9-12 staff, sign up for this session in Brooklyn.
  • March 12: Health Education Basics 2B: Teen Health Project: Grades 9-12 staff transfer, alternative, and international high schools, sign up for this session in Queens.
Building the Wellness Community
School staff members learn strategies for recess at a training at Asphalt Green's Upper East Side campus. Photo credit: Courtesy of Asphalt Green

Sign Up for Free Asphalt Green Recess Training
How do you keep students engaged when bad weather keeps them indoors for recess? What’s the best way to handle conflicts on the playground, or improve transitions to and from recess? The Office of School Wellness Programs is partnering with Asphalt Green to address these questions and more at three free interactive professional learning sessions open to school staff Citywide. Register up to five members of your school staff by April 1:

  • April 3: Upper East Side (9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.)
  • April 7: Battery Park City (9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.)
  • April 21: Bronx (8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.)

Register for School Wellness Council Leadership and Communications Training   
School Wellness Council members will learn about leadership and communication strategies as well as how to identify community-based resources and write grant proposals in the School Wellness Council Basics 2: Strengthening Leadership and Building Capacity training on March 17 in  Brooklyn . 

Student Opportunity: Bust a Rhyme in the Brooklyn Healthy Rap Battle
Students between the ages 12-18 who can make lit raps about health and wellness are encouraged to compete for the Brooklyn Healthy Rap Battle crown. The contest, created by Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams and Hip Hop Is Green, begins March 16 . Top contestants will battle for the championship at Brooklyn Borough Hall on May 7. 
Wellness Tip: How Much Sugar Is in that Juice Box?
Before buying a package of juice boxes at the store, check the labels carefully for added sugar. Many of the highest-selling fruit drink brands contain more than 50% of the recommended amount of daily added sugars for children. Find out more by visiting Sugary Drink FACTS.