Articles in the Wellness category

LGBT Students Need to Feel Safe at School

BoardBuzz believes that children of all backgrounds, including children of varying sexual orientations, should be and feel safe at school.  But, according to a new report released by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLESN),  the majority of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered students in the U.S. feel unsafe at school. According to GLSEN, nearly nine-tenths of students reported being verbally harassed at school because of their sexual orientation, and about two-thirds verbally harassed due to their gender expression.  And, almost half of students reported being physically harassed at school because of their sexual orientation, with an astonishing 22.1% reporting being physically assaulted.

BoardBuzz knows bullying of this sort is all too real.  The good news is that school districts are in the right place to do something about this kind of negative behavior.  For instance, GLSEN suggests schools can help address this issue by: establishing Gay-Straight Alliances (GSAs) or similar student clubs that can promote respect for all members of the school community and provide critical support to LGBT students and their allies; having supportive educators who intervene when they hear and see anti-LGBT harassment; and developing and implementing school policies that directly address anti-LGBT bullying and harassment.

And NSBA has developed a few excellent publications to help schools navigate the waters of student safety: 

Already, some school districts are rising to the occasion to address harassment and bullying head on.  In Palm Beach, Florida, for instance, the school board is considering expanding protections for transgendered and gender disphoric students, exceeding the requirements of a new anti-bullying policy, mandated by Florida law. 

Other state legislatures appear to be concerned about keeping school halls safe for their students.  A bill has been introduced in the New York Senate that would ban bullying in public schools, including harassment based on sexual orientation.  According to advocates supporting the legislation, 11 other states had passed similar bullying legislation. 

BoardBuzz won’t mince words.  Students have a right to be safe in schools.  Period.  But BoardBuzz knows that for many youngsters, feeling unsafe is their reality.  Bullying and  harassment of any kind have no place in schools.  Let us hope the GLSEN study helps us remember that safe schools are for all students. 

To learn more about keeping LGBTQ students safe, check out Sexual Orientation Issues for Schools 101 .

Daniela Espinosa|January 9th, 2009|Categories: Boardbuzz, Governance, Wellness|

Breakfast still most important, neglected meal of the day

By now, we all know how important a healthy breakfast is to learning and overall functioning each morning. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like that lesson has translated to some of the students who may need it the most.

This week, the Boston Globe reported on a recent study from Harvard University that found the free and reduced price breakfast program is underutilized. “While almost 18 million low-income children nationally received free or reduced-price school lunches, only about 8 million of them also participate in the marked-down breakfast program,” according to the article.

This comes at a time when more families are becoming eligible and taking advantage of the free and reduced price lunch program in schools. So why not breakfast, too?

A local hunger-awareness group looked into the situation in Boston and found three possibilities: parents don’t know about the program, they have a hard time getting to school on time, or students, particularly the older ones, don’t want to take part, either because they see a stigma in accepting free food or they just don’t like the offerings. The story profiled a woman with two teenage daughters who, despite her nagging, often left late and grabbed soda and chips at a convenience store rather than the school breakfast.

“In terms of producing good outcomes for kids, it’s hard to find a better investment than the school breakfast program,” says J. Larry Brown, visiting scholar at the Harvard School of Public Health and senior author of the report, “Impact of School Breakfast on Children’s Health and Learning.”
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Naomi Dillon|January 7th, 2009|Categories: Leading Source, Student Achievement, Wellness|Tags: , , |

The couch potato effect

BoardBuzz knows that we can all agree that it is not good for kids to spend too much time in front of the TV.  But do we know the full extent of the health effects of too much “screen time” on children?  Well, BoardBuzz came across a recent New York Times article that provides some answers to that.  The article discusses a new study that shows a strong correlation between greater exposure to media and adverse health outcomes. 

Researchers reviewed 173 studies about the effects of media consumption and found that exposure to media has a variety of negative health impacts on children and teens.  More time with television, films, video games, magazines, music and the Internet was linked to rises in childhood obesity, tobacco use and sexual behavior.  There were also strong correlations between media exposure and drug and alcohol use and low academic achievement.

As one of the researchers put it, “The average parent doesn’t understand that if you plop your kids down in front of the TV or the computer for five hours a day, it can change their brain development, it can make them fat, and it can lead them to get involved in risky sexual activity at a young age.”   

Additionally, researchers were surprised by the absence of research on the impact of new technologies such as Facebook, MySpace, and cellphones.  They are urging lawmakers to underwrite media education efforts and public service advertising campaigns and the entertainment industry to be more “responsible and responsive.”  And, according to the NYT article, president-elect Barack Obama has told parents to “turn off the television set and put the video games away.” BoardBuzz thinks that schools can also play a major role in advocating against the “couch potato syndrome.”  After-school programs, for instance, are an excellent way to help kids reduce their screen time, be active, learn social and work skills, and steer away from trouble.

Don’t get us wrong: BoardBuzz knows that some media use can be beneficial for students, particularly by helping them become more engaged and interested in learning.   But kids ultimately need to be healthy to learn.  And if spending countless hours in front of a screen is going to make them unhealthy, then schools can contribute to the solution not only by reminding students and parents of the dangers of such a habit, but also by developing policy and programs that will discourage it.    

To learn more about after-school programs, please click here.  To learn more about the importance of school health programs for student learning, click here.

Daniela Espinosa|December 17th, 2008|Categories: Boardbuzz, Student Achievement, Wellness|

Impact of poverty

Many researchers and educators agree that the impacts of poverty on children can be devastating, but a recent report cited in USA Today brings up some alarming new information.  According to the article, the difference between wealthy children and low income children can be compared to the damage a stroke would have on the brain.  The researchers found that there are large differences in brain activity between low-income children and their wealthier peers, which leads to questions regarding  socioeconomic status and performance in academics.  USA Today’s writer, Greg Toppo says;

The study adds to a growing body of evidence that shows how poverty afflicts children’s brains. Researchers have long pointed to the ravages of malnutrition, stress, illiteracy and toxic environments in low-income children’s lives. Research has shown that the neural systems of poor children develop differently from those of middle-class children, affecting language development and “executive function,” or the ability to plan, remember details and pay attention in school.

While this news is depressing, at best, there is good news with this report that says with substantial interventions, these definiencies can be reversed.  For those educators out there that work with rural, urban, or even subrurban students that are sticken by poverty, it gives us pause to think that there’s one more hurdle for these students to jump over so they may break the cycle of poverty.

Kevin Scott|December 8th, 2008|Categories: Boardbuzz, Governance, Student Achievement, Teachers, Wellness|

Child health indicators

BoardBuzz already knows that healthy children learn better.  And, that the higher an individual’s education is, the better the health of that person or of that person’s children will be.  A new report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation supports that claim.  The report presents state-by-state data on two child health indicators—infant mortality and child general health status—and compares them with parental educational attainment and family income.  The results are striking, though not surprising:

  • Infant mortality rates in nearly every state were closely linked to the mother’s level of education—the higher the mother’s educational attainment, the lower the rate of infant mortality
  • Children’s general health status in EVERY state was linked to family income—the higher the household income, the better the child’s general health status

Sadly, even children of families with the highest incomes and mothers with college degrees were not as healthy as they could be when compared with national benchmarks established by the government. So what does all of this mean for schools?  By helping increase graduation rates and the number of youth who go to college, not only would schools help young women improve their educational attainment, but family incomes would also likely increase, thus laying the foundation for healthier, more ready-to-learn children and youth in the future.

However, in order to increase graduation rates, children need to be healthy.  A wide variety of health-related issues—asthma, nutrition, physical activity, and stress—contribute to factors like chronic absenteeism and poor behavior that affect a child’s ability to learn and achieve.  But schools can play an important role is contributing to efforts that address these issues through coordinated school health programs and the use of effective school health policies.

To learn more about school health policies and programs that can help kids stay in school, check out NSBA’s School Health Programs website and order our “Coordinated School Health Programs 101” Packet.

Daniela Espinosa|December 5th, 2008|Categories: Boardbuzz, Wellness|

World AIDS Day marks 20th year

Billions of dollars have been spent over the last quarter century for research, treatment and prevention of HIV/AIDS. But the pandemic persists. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in 2007, an estimated 33.2 million people were living with HIV worldwide and there were 2.7 million people newly infected. Since 1988—20 years ago–observances of World AIDS Day on December 1 try to capture the attention of the media, policy makers, and the general public to make more of a difference in the battle.

To mark World AIDS Day 2008, HHS has built a special website that offers visitors a chance to download posters, locate local events, listen to podcasts, get the facts, and more.

Recent data indicates that 56,300 people were newly infected in the U.S. in 2006 alone and that there are disparities in the incidence of the disease. HIV/AIDS has significantly affected gay and bisexual men of all races, African Americans, and Hispanic/Latinos. And, in 2006, more new infections occurred among adolescents and young adults 13-29 years old than in any other age group – a strong reminder that HIV prevention education must remain a high priority for schools. For school leaders, this could be a good day to resolve to provide renewed leadership for addressing AIDS/HIV in your local community. Review your school district policy, for example, to make sure it is appropriate to how AIDS and HIV infection are manifested today and that it is working effectively to support all students affected by HIV, and ensure that the best and culturally-appropriate HIV prevention education program is being implemented to help protect youth.

NSBA has addressed HIV/AIDS issues since the mid-1980s. For examples of the most current work, BoardBuzz suggests you check out the School Health Programs website to download or order the free “HIV/AIDS Policy Development 101″ packet, and to download NSBA’s 2006 publication, “Living with HIV/AIDS: Students Tell Their Stories of Stigma, Courage and Resilience.”

admin|December 1st, 2008|Categories: Boardbuzz, Wellness|

What are you thankful for?

If you believe the hype, no one is reading this blog today — you’re all too busy finding deals on the Internet. It is Cyber Monday, after all.

If you are reading us today, thank you. At my Thanksgiving celebration with my family, I considered that gratitude could be an antidote to our current national dread, as the nights grow longer and the headlines gloomier. Focusing on what you do have is better for your health and well-being than worrying about what you lack or fear losing.

This year, what are you thankful for? Good teachers? Great administrators? Caring colleagues? A superintendent that goes above and beyond the call of duty? Raised test scores? Involved parents? Leave a comment and let us know — we’ll list them in a future post. If you’re especially pithy, poignant, or thoughtful, you might make it into the magazine.

Kathleen Vail, Managing Editor

Kathleen Vail|December 1st, 2008|Categories: Governance, Leading Source, Wellness|

Protecting students online

As usual, I amassed a mountain of information for my latest ASBJ cover story, “Protecting Students Online” now available at ASBJ.com.

As the title suggests, ensuring students are productive, learning, and most importantly safe when they go online is more complicated than even I had originally thought. Of course, news reports have made cyberbullying and sexual predators well-known threats (though recent studies have refuted the prevalence of online stranger, saying it is overblown by the media.)

Rather it was the other, lesser-known hazards (at least to me) that were surprising. Who knew there was an entire cyber-subculture that promoting, or at least promulgating, eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia? Or that gang members had taken to the Internet to recruit and brag about their exploits, an activity that even has its own moniker: net banging.

It makes sense when you think about it, though. Just about anything you can find in the real world has its virtual counterpoint. So what’s an educator or a parent to do in this risk-laden world? Some, as you’ll discover, rely on filters, blocking questionable or even unfamiliar material. That’s only a temporary solution, however, says Sophie Reid, a clinical psychologist and research fellow at the Centre for Adolescent Health at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, Australia.

“When a child comes to us and says I want to go rock climbing, you don’t say it’s too dangerous or I’ll do it for you,” says Reid who was one of the panelists at an online safety conference last spring. “Instead you go to a reputable establishment, put them on rope we know won’t break, stand at the bottom, attach the other end of the rope to us and let them go up; if they fall, we’ve taken up the slack.”

Reid says educators and parents need to take the same approach when addressing online youth safety.

“We need to engage young people in their space, we need to be a reliable and helpful presence on the Internet because that’s where they’ve gone,” she says.

Naomi Dillon, Senior Editor

Kathleen Vail|November 23rd, 2008|Categories: Curriculum, Educational Research, Educational Technology, Governance, Leading Source, School Security, Wellness|

Cultivating Wellness

School children across the U.S. are harvesting what they have planted….By that, BoardBuzz means that students are literally planting and picking vegetables in “urban” gardens within schools. An article that came out this week in the Canadian Press shows that this movement is sweeping North America and that, with this activity, schools are not only trying to teach children about nature, but also about the importance of eating healthy foods. Some schools are using whatever students harvest to supplement lunches; New York City schoolchildren, for instance, grew vegetables and herbs that were picked in October and used them in cafeterias. Washington D.C. is going a step further and celebrating School Garden Week.

According to the article, school gardens aren’t entirely new. The word “kindergarten,” which means “children-garden” was created in 1840 by a German educator. But in the past, school gardens were often linked to 4-H programs and agricultural studies. Interest in urban school gardens started about a decade ago as a way to introduce children to more local and organic produce. And with the 2004 reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act, which requires districts to adopt wellness programs, that interest became even greater.

BoardBuzz thinks this is a great concept, but knows too well that there can be many barriers in developing and maintaining these gardens. Gardens, as the Canadian Press article shows, are operationally difficult. In addition, schools must submit menus for federal approval weeks in advance, making any last-minute additions from school gardens challenging. Then there is also the fact that health departments get concerned about food sources and many schools don’t have enough land and resources to feed all students fresh vegetables.

But BoardBuzz sees great value in students cultivating fresh vegetables, even if that food can’t make it to the school cafeteria. For one, harvesting gardens teaches children how to eat healthy. By harvesting their own food, kids can also taste what they grow and make the connection between what is grown and what is eaten. And, although the article doesn’t mention this, BoardBuzz believes working on gardens provides kids with an excellent opportunity to be physically active!

Research shows healthy children learn better. And if school gardens are going to encourage children to eat healthier at school or at home, then gardens are worth it. And as one person eloquently stated in the Canadian Press article: “If we can link it to the kids performing better in school, then I think the extra cost for the food is going to be justified.”

Does your school district have student-grown vegetable gardens? Leave us a comment and tell us about it. And to learn more about the importance of healthy eating in improving academic achievement, access NSBA’s School Health Programs resources at www.nsba.org/schoolhealth, including “Healthy Eating 101.”

admin|November 21st, 2008|Categories: Boardbuzz, Wellness|

California law puts school kids with diabetes in a bind

The Sacramento Bee reports that a state court has ruled that a state law prohibits school personnel other than nurses from administering insulin injections to students with diabetes. Nurses associations successfully sued over a 2007 rule that allowed other trained staff to administer shots. That rule, in turn, had come out of a 2005 lawsuit from the opposite direction: parents who said the nurses-only rule and the shortage of nurses meant they were keeping their diabetic children out of school or having to leave work to come give the shots themselves. Details on that now invalidated agreement, from the Ventura County Star and NSBA’s Legal Clips, are here.

This is the latest development in a what is a big, nationwide issue of nursing services in schools. This article from the Daily Herald in suburban Chicago focuses on the fact that Illinois law does not require nurses in every school. But the Associated Press reports that Iowa’s law requiring them is causing financial hardships for some school districts, 38 of which have applied for waivers. The Arizona Republic reports that budget cuts are affecting the ability of school districts to provide nurses in that state, which is not among the dozen or so with such legal mandates. And Minnesota’s Savage Pacer reports on concerns in the Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools about nurses being spread too thin.

Certainly BoardBuzz doesn’t dispute that nowadays, when public schools are serving children who have severe disabilities and health conditions in the least restrictive educational environment, the needs are greater than ever. After all, how many times have we ourselves pointed out that the federal bean-counters finally needs to stop trying to stick it to school kids by cutting Medicaid funding—that they need to catch up with the reality that the activities and services schools are required to use to serve all children aren’t frills. Nurses aren’t luxuries, either. In an ideal world, who wouldn’t prefer a school nurse in every school?

But the budget news from all over—including California, Illinois, Iowa, Arizona, and Minnesota—sounds the same theme. Just as fiscal realities mean some school boards may need to think about unfamiliar options like having one highly qualified teacher and several highly qualified paraprofessionals teach larger groups of students, it may be that school boards will need more, not less, flexibility in figuring out how to provide for things like insulin injections.

And for federal and state policy-makers—who, after all, are also making the tough budget and tax decisions that in the end affect schools—that means setting less, not more, prescriptive rules for how schools get the job done.

admin|November 18th, 2008|Categories: Boardbuzz, School Law, Wellness|
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