A new report by LFA and Grunwald Associates, with support from AT&T, examines how parents perceive the value of mobile devices, how they see their children using mobiles, and what they think of the possibilities for mobile learning.
Blog Posts By NEA Health Information Network
Studies show that the physical and mental health of students is inextricably linked to their academic success. Fourteen percent of students in school have asthma that impacts their daily living. One third of teen girls will become pregnant before age nineteen, and many of them will not complete high school successfully. Eleven percent of families are food insecure—their children do not get enough to eat and they may come to school hungry.
That is precisely why schools can and should create the conditions for optimal learning, including the basics of health services, from healthy meals to physical activity to health education that teaches life-long skills.
“Our members work with students every day whose health and school conditions impede their ability to learn. That’s why NEA members are taking the lead to advocate for school and learning conditions that result in a higher level of student engagement and fewer absences” said National Education Association (NEA) President Dennis Van Roekel at Health in Mind, hosted by ...
When we think of health the first thing that often comes to mind is our physical health. Whether it is obesity or asthma, diabetes or dental problems, or injuries of any kind, physical health seems more visible or more pressing. But mental health is just as important. Like physical health, mental health challenges can range from minor to major, but regardless they are important to address and take care of.
Research gathered by the American School Counselor Association indicates that 20% of students are in need of mental health services, though only 20% of those students receive them. Disadvantaged students are at greater risk for mental health needs, yet ...
We’ve never needed safe play spaces in our communities more than we do now. Nearly a third of kids and adolescents in America – and two-thirds of adults – are overweight or obese. Many are urged to get more exercise but can’t follow this advice very easily where they live.
Schools, of course, have all kinds of exercise facilities – gyms, soccer fields, tracks, basketball courts, playgrounds, even swimming pools. But when school lets out, these spaces are often locked to students and the rest of the neighborhood.
Administrators have reasons for keeping these spaces closed after hours. They’re concerned about security. They’re afraid of getting sued if someone gets hurt. They ...
Question: What is found throughout the school meal program that can be deadly dangerous?
If you answered food allergens, you would be right. Six percent of students have a food allergy and the big eight of food allergies (soy, eggs, milk, fish, wheat, shellfish, tree nuts, and peanuts) are found throughout school meal programs and family meals alike. It is very likely that a school will have one or more students whose life could be threatened by eating the wrong thing. Data from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) 2006 School Health Policies and Programs Study indicate that approximately 88% of schools had one or more students with a food allergy. School employees need to know what to do to prevent life threatening reactions and families need to know that their children are being protected.
On Wednesday, February 22 NEA HIN participated in a School Nutrition Foundation webinar, entitled Teamwork is Key to Successful Food Allergy Management in Schools. Over ...
On January 14 and 15, "CNN Presents" aired coverage of Dr. Sanjay Gupta's visit to Southern Middle School in Reading, Pennsylvania. The episode looked at districts in several states, but Reading stood out as a district in dire straits. The video footage from Reading showed mold and mildew, leaking buildings, and rain pouring into a classroom.
The poor indoor environmental quality of this school and many more around the country has a devastating impact on the health and performance of the student and staff who study and work in these buildings every day. Poor indoor environmental quality is linked to asthma, respiratory illness, headaches, and other short and long term health problems. Asthma alone is one of the leading causes of absenteeism in the United States, causing many children to miss school or be tardy each day.
While schools in all communities are in need of some repair, as with many concerns in public education, it is students who live in low-income and minority communities who often suffer the most from ...
With the beginning of a new year, many of us think about exchanging our old bad habits for new good ones. Often, New Year’s resolutions focus on changing how we eat, how much sleep we get, or how active we want to be. In preparation for getting a great start in 2012, the NEA Health Information Network offers its list of the ten top good habits (in no particular order) that schools can adopt to help students and staff be healthier.
- Offer healthier food in school meal programs and from other sources that sell food in the schools. With the twin challenges of hunger and obesity, the types of food served in schools becomes more important than ever. Students need access to healthy food choices so they can make them.
- Expand school breakfast participation. Nationally, only a fraction of the students who participate in free and reduced lunch programs also participate in breakfast. Research shows that kids who eat breakfast function better throughout the day.
- Provide more physical activity before, during, and after school. Kids should get 60 minutes of vigorous physical activity each day, but very few do. Schools can help children be healthier by adding activity to instructional programs, creating exercise breaks, offering active recess programs, and ...
Editor’s Note: This post is from our partners at the NEA Health Information Network (NEA HIN). Each month, we feature a new column on a topic related to school health. Through this effort, we hope to inform the public of important health issues that impact schools and offer educators and parents resources to address them.
Today's post was authored by Édeanna M. Chebbi, Hygiene and Disease Prevention Program Coordinator for the NEA Health Information Network.
Fever. Stuffy head. Sneezing. Runny nose. Sore throat. Does any of this sound familiar? Oh yes, it’s that time of year again! Flu season is just around the corner, and that means the best time to prepare and prevent illness is now!
The flu (influenza) is one of the most commonly spread infectious diseases in the United States. It is responsible for an average of 5 missed work days a year. Flu can impact children and adults alike. And because the severity of illness from the flu depends on each person’s level of immunity, you may be one of the 200,000 Americans who are hospitalized each year from flu related complications.
But there’s good news! The flu is preventable. The number one means of preventing a flu infection is through vaccination. Each year the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and ...
Editor’s Note: Today's post is from our partners at the NEA Health Information Network (NEA HIN). Each month, we feature a new column on a topic related to school health. Through this effort, we hope to inform the public of important health issues that impact schools and offer educators and parents resources to address them.
This post was authored by Jamila Boddie, bNetS@vvy Program Coordinator at the NEA HIN.
Facebook, Twitter, Vimeo, YouTube, Skype and Wordpress. These are terms that have become synonymous around schools, workplaces, homes and even your local supermarket. In a digital world, technology has created new ways for students to learn, teachers to teach, and information to be shared, all at the click of a mouse. However, with these new innovations comes a new challenge for educators and guardians to learn how to keep kids safe online.
Since its inception, bNetS@vvy has been helping tweens better understand the risks and benefits associated with the Internet and educating guardians and educators regarding the power of Internet use. Now bNetS@vvy’s is proud to announce their new and ...
Editor’s Note: Today's post is from our partners at the NEA Health Information Network (NEA HIN). Each month, we feature a new column on a topic related to school health. Through this effort, we hope to inform the public of important health issues that impact schools and offer educators and parents resources to address them.
This post was authored by Lisa L. Sharma, Senior Program Coordinator at the NEA HIN. For additional information about this or other school health issues, contact her at lsharma@nea.org.
Did you know that the simple act of eating school breakfast can play a significant role in shaping students’ academic success?
The research is clear: eating breakfast at school helps children perform better. Studies of school breakfast programs have found that students who eat breakfast at school show improved academic achievement – especially in vocabulary, math and standardized tests – have better attendance records, are less likely to be tardy and have fewer behavioral and psychological problems. What is more, children who regularly eat breakfast are better nourished and are less likely to be overweight or obese.
However, even with the numerous benefits of school breakfast, less than half of children eligible for free or reduced price meals are participating in the School Breakfast Program. Why is this? The most common reasons schools cite for ...
Editor’s Note: August marks the start of a new partnership between the Learning First Alliance and the NEA Health Information Network. Each month, we will feature a new column on a topic related to school health. Through this effort, we hope to inform the public of important health issues that impact schools and offer educators and parents resources to address them.
Today's post was authored by Édeanna M. Chebbi, Hygiene and Disease Prevention Program Coordinator for the NEA Health Information Network.
For many students the back to school bustle includes a review of vaccine requirements. Immunizations are an important and necessary item on the school preparation check list and school entry requirements ensure that students remain up-to-date. But what about the grown-ups?
Students and staff who receive the recommended vaccinations for their age not only protect themselves from deadly diseases, they also protect the unimmunized students and adults around them. The larger the number of those vaccinated, the greater the protection for the entire community.
Adults working in schools may not be required to maintain recommended adult vaccines and those who are in need of booster vaccines leave the remainder of ...
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