School Kids Health and Safety

Schools

Healthy Orange helps to provide structure and direction to your school or child care facility in an effort to improve health promotion, policies, and programs. Your facility may already have some of the components in place. If so, Healthy Orange will help you to coordinate existing programs and to enhance your overall nutrition and physical activity curriculum.

Healthy Orange helps to promote physical activity through Walking Clubs, before and after school programs, and may be able to assist your site with Walking Maps and tracking cards. Contact Healthy Orange at 845-360-6680 for additional information.

 

Farm to School

Healthy Orange is working to connect schools with local farmers by assisting in streamlining the bidding and procurement process, as well as creating a committee to expand and strengthen community partnerships; increase the skills and knowledge of school food service personnel through hands‐on trainings; and create an integrated approach that includes educational and promotional activities, including agriculture and nutrition based education programs.

Drink Water Week

Healthy Orange celebrates Drink Water Week during the first full week in May as a way to promote water intake for the best health. In 2017, Drink Water Week will be May 7 – 13. Schools, worksites, community agencies, and residents are encouraged to “take the pledge” to drink adequate water, especially in place of sugary drinks. The Healthy Orange Team will supply your site with a flyer, a pledge form to track water intake, and a banner to announce your participation (limited supplies of banners). Schools, after school programs, recreation programs, worksites, and community agencies have “signed up” over the past several years and the event has been very popular. Please join us for this year’s program in May 2017. Sugary drinks account for almost half of our sugar intake, so take a step towards good health with Drink Water Week this 2017! For additional information contact the Healthy Orange Team at 360-6691.

Chalk it Out - Public Health Week

To celebrate Public Health Week in April, Orange County Department of Health has partnered with Orange County schools over the past several years with the “Chalk it Out” campaign. The campaign goal is to raise awareness of the importance of prevention in good health and to highlight some of the simple steps that students and families can take to stay healthy, such as eating well, moving move, and not smoking. Students have fun using colorful chalk to write out tips on the school sidewalk where they are seen by students, teachers and visitors. Healthy Orange will provide schools partners with a flyer description, a template of messages for students to use, and a starter supply of chalk. Healthy Orange may be able to share pictures on the Healthy Orange website with permission. Schools can sign up to participate in the April 2017 campaign starting in January by contacting the Healthy Orange Team at Orange County Department of Health at 360-6689.

Please join in this national campaign and help get students on track for a healthier future!

Healthy Fundraising

Healthy fundraisers are a great opportunity for schools to set a good example. Citrus fruit, plant bulbs and flowers, are good alternatives to selling candy. Physical activity fundraisers, such as skate nights, bowling nights, walk-a-thons, dances, carwashes are healthy and fun alternatives. For additional information see www.actionforhealthykids.org, www.cspinet.org/nutritionpolicy/fundraiserfactsheet.pdf, and www.healthiergeneration.org.

USDA, FNS “Best Practices for Healthy School Fundraisers”, see www.fns.usda.gov.

Please call Orange County Department of Health at 845-360-6680 for additional information.

Celebrations can include healthier choices and still be lots of fun. In fact, many times, fresh fruit and vegetables platters are the most popular items at an event. A fun physical activity will always make a celebration special. Healthy school celebrations let children and families know that schools care about student health. For additional ideas, see www.cspinet.org.

Healthy EatingSnacks With the new “Smart Snacks in School” standards published by the USDA for schools to use with all food sold in school, snack foods and beverages are improving. These rules require healthier food options such as whole grain items, fruits, vegetables, and foods that contribute important nutrients. Items which are high in calories, sodium, fat and sugar are also restricted.

Schools may also set up snack policies (or suggestions) for items brought in from home, to encourage healthy choices such as fruits, vegetables, whole grain items, low fat dairy foods, and to restrict excessive junk food. For ideas on healthy snacks, and sample policies, visit www.actionforhealthykids.org.

American Dietetic Association’s snack tips sheet at www.eatright.org.

Physical Activity Opportunities in School

Many schools are developing creative ways to add more activity into the school day. Brain Breaks (www.emc.cmich.edu/BrainBreaks) is an online resource where elementary classroom teachers can find short physical activities to incorporate into class lessons. Energizers is another classroom-based physical activity program (see www.ncpe4me.com/energizers.html).

Walk to School

Around the country, many communities are looking to walking to school as a way to help children get physically active, as well to improve the health of the community. On October 5th, 2016, schools can join others around the country to participate in Walk to School Day. Bike to School Day is held in May. For information, log on to www.walkbiketoschool.org. Many communities are interested in ways to improve safety and walkability for school children. The Safe Routes to School Program can provide further information, see www.saferoutesinfo.org.

Safe Routes

Updated Resources

CDC's Tips for TeachersCDC’s Tips for Teachers - Promoting Healthy Eating and Physical Activity in the Classroom, www.cdc.gov/healthyschools.

CDC’s School Health Guidelines to Promote Healthy Eating and Physical Activity, www.cdc.gov/healthyschools.