What are the 7 Resolutions for a Healthy School in '07?
The Core Issue in the January '07 thrive report is "7 Resolutions for a Healthy School in '07."
Who says resolutions have to be hard? Here are some you can keep all year long.
7 Resolutions for a healthy School in '07
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Take a break. For two minutes at least twice a day we’ll get out of our seat and shuffle our feet to get our hearts pumping.
- Bye bye brownies! Our fundraisers will feature healthy, inventive snacks, not the usual bake-sale suspects.
- Bullies back off! We’ll step in when bullies act out.
- Cold is cool. Warm yogurt is so 2006. The thermometers in our refrigerators will read between 33 – 40° F.
- Quitters do win – when what they’ve quit is smoking. We’ll help students and staff stop once and for all.
- Love and learn. Healthy relationships can be taught, and we’ll teach the best we can.
- Everybody thrive! Our students and staff will benefit from a school improvement plan that promotes health in 2007 and beyond.
Below are resources and more details on how you can help keep your 2007 resolutions for your school.
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Where do I find resources and more details?
1. Take a break.
Taking a short stretch or physical activity break is a small but worthwhile way to get a little more activity in your day. It helps re-energize you and makes you feel better. It gets the blood flowing to your brain, as well as the rest of your body. For teachers, it's a useful way to regain students' attention and improve their concentration.
National Resource:
Rhode Island Resource:
thrive Resource:
2. Bye bye brownies!
Getting rid of unhealthier snacks and beverages and replacing them with healthier ones isn't just the right thing to do... in elementary and middle schools in Rhode Island, it's the law. Experience from across the country and here locally shows that students will buy and consume healthier options when they are offered them - and schools can make money from selling healthier options. Helping students make healthier choices reinforces what they learn in the classroom, and helps them develop better lifelong eating habits.
National Resource:
Rhode Island Resource:
thrive Resource:
3. Bullies back off!
Building positive school climate is vital for the success of schools. Creating a shared culture of respect and order provides everyone in the school community with a feeling of comfort and safety. It creates an atmosphere that is conducive to building respectful relationships, and can greatly enhance learning and teaching.
National Resource:
- Stop Bullying Now - resources for students, families and educators from the US Department of Health & Human Services
Rhode Island Resource:
thrive Resource:
4. Cold is cool.
Microorganisms that cause foodborne illness grow very slowly at low temperatures (below 40°F), multiply rapidly in mid-range temperatures (between 40 and 140°F), and are destroyed at high temperatures (above 140°F). For safety, foods must be held at proper cold temperatures in refrigerators or freezers and they must be cooked thoroughly.
Refrigerator thermometers are specially designed to provide accurate readings at cold temperatures.
For a free refrigerator thermometer:
- Elizabeth Bugden
RI School Food Safety Specialist at Kids First
401-751-4503
ElizabethB@gis.net
National Resource:
Rhode Island Resource:
thrive Resource:
5. Quitters do win.
If you smoke, quitting may be the single most important change you can make in your life. You'll feel better. Your energy will improve. You'll reduce the risk of illness. You'll live longer. Food will taste better. You'll save money. You'll look better. You'll be a great role model. And you'll protect the ones you love from second-hand smoke... It's never too late.
National Resource:
- Smokefree.gov from the National Cancer Institute, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Cancer Society.
Rhode Island Resource:
- TrytoStop.org
from the Rhode Island Department of Health and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
- 1-800-TRY-TO-STOP (800-879-8678) (English)
- 1-800-8-DEJALO (800-833-5256) (Spanish)
- 1-800-TDD-1477 (800-833-1477) (TTY)
thrive Resource:
6. Love and learn.
Students need to learn to have respectful, caring, supportive relationships. They need to learn to communicate well. They need to learn about teend dating violence and how to stop abuse. And they need to learn to make healthy decisions, particularly when it comes to sex.
National Resource:
Rhode Island Resource:
thrive Resource:
7. Everybody thrive!
School success and academic achievement are built on a strong foundation of healthy students learning in safe and caring school environments. For schools to continue to improve, they must address the physical, mental and behavioral health needs of students.
National Resource:
- School Health Index -
a health and safety self-assessment tool for schools from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Rhode Island Resource:
- Information Works! - includes school- and district-level information on health, school climate, family involvement
thrive Resource:
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Whom do I contact for more information?
Annie Silvia
Editor, thrive report
HIV/Sexuality Specialist
Rhode Island Department of Education
401-222-8951
annemarie.silvia@ride.ri.gov
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