Help Students and School Employees Stay Healthy

Attend the New Norms for Healthy Schools 2020 Series

NEW CITY, NY - - Rockland County Executive Ed Day and County Health Commissioner Dr. Patricia Schnabel Ruppert announce the New Norms for Healthy Schools training series organized by the Rockland County School Health and Wellness Coalition. In the coming months, the Department will co-sponsor the series which offers several free professional development opportunities for educators and the community-at-large to learn more about school-based physical activity and nutrition, wellness policies, mental health, and school employee wellness programs. Unless otherwise noted, the sessions will take place from 4:30 - 6:30 pm at Rockland BOCES Conference Center, 65 Parrott Road, West Nyack, NY. Detailed descriptions and links for pre-registration are available through the Rockland Teachers' Center website, http://bit.ly/2Fgxaq7.

• Updating Your School District's Wellness Policy: Why, How, and When, Thursday, January 16, from 8:30 - 10:30 am at North Rockland High School. For school district wellness committees, administrators, and food service directors, this presentation will cover all aspects of updating school district wellness policies.
• Boost Learning and Health with Physical Activity in School, Tuesday, February 4. Learn how to engage students in physical activity during the school day or afterschool, with running/walking programs, classroom activity, and March Forward, Rockland's physical activity awareness week March 6-13.
• Diabetes Care Tasks at School: What Key Personnel Need to Know, Tuesday, February 11. Learn about diabetes, related medical equipment, the Diabetes Medical Management Plan, before and after school care/activities, and legal considerations.
• Mental Health First Aid, Wednesday, February 19. You are more likely to encounter someone in an emotional or mental crisis than someone having a heart attack. The Mental Health Association will teach how to help a friend, family member, coworker, or neighbor in need.
• School Employee Wellness: Protecting Our Schools' Most Important Asset, Monday, March 2. Schools often have high rates of workplace absenteeism, and that has high financial and human costs. Learn how to sustain an employee wellness program at no or very low cost using simple strategies and free resources.
• Supporting Students in the Classroom after a Concussion, Tuesday, March 17. Learn strategies to help students manage their schoolwork after suffering a concussion. For school nurses, parents, and teachers.
• Keeping Celebrations, Rewards, and Fundraising Healthy and Fun, April date to be determined. Learn how to ensure that all foods and beverages offered and sold to kids are healthier and meet Smart Snacks Standards. For principals, teachers, parents, and youth-serving professionals.

The Department congratulates the East Ramapo Central School District for receiving the United States Department of Agriculture's HealthierUS School Challenge: Smarter Lunchroom awards for excellence in school-based physical activity and nutrition. Take a look at how wellness policies, practices, and environmental supports helped eight East Ramapo schools receive recognition for creating new norms in their schools. The video is available on the district's homepage, www.ercsd.org. "We applaud the hard work the awards represent and encourage all schools to meet and exceed physical activity and nutrition recommendations," said Dr. Ruppert.

For more information, contact the School Health Coordinator at 845-364-2360, steindoc@co.rockland.ny.us, or go to the Health Department's School Health webpage http://bit.ly/2sAHsPe.