 |
|
|||||
{FitSmart Expo} {Fitsmart} {fitsmart}
FitSmart Expo
Growing strong, healthy youth into successful, fit adults serves as the foundation of the Lake Travis ISD’s Healthy Lifestyles Program. Whether focusing on the 40 Building Blocks that target developing the life tools that kids need to be socially, emotionally and academically successful, or the Comprehensive Health Plan that targets fitness, personal wellness and drug/alcohol prevention, the Healthy Lifestyles Program encompasses each child’s successful development into adulthood.
Health Education is taught through Physical Education classes at the elementary Level and in 6th grade P.E., as well. At the high school level, 1 semester of Health is required for graduation. Health topics range from nutritional information, to human development, to drug and alcohol prevention topics. For a full listing of the Texas Education Agency’s Health TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) go to www.tea.state.tx.us The physical fitness side of development creates another large focus under the Healthy Lifestyles umbrella. Marathon Kids will be implemented at all the elementary campuses this year, as well as focusing on isolated skills such as stretching, abdominal muscles, shoulder-strength and cardio fitness. At Lake Travis Elementary, students will be involved in physical activity three times a week as the campus pilots a new idea: collaboration of all the specials (music, theater and P.E.) to create an integrated approach to health education. FitnessGram, a TEA required physical assessment through Senate Bill 530, administered yearly to students in grades 3-12, demonstrates how fit our students are currently. Our elementary students performed to the highest potential on last year’s FitnessGram with between 98-100% of all elementary students (a total of 1360 students) tested achieving the “healthy fitness zone” (HFZ) when demonstrating certain fitness tests (i.e., back-saver sit and reach, trunk lift, push up, etc.) Our middle schools, with 1340 students tested, also demonstrated exemplary fitness levels with 99-100% of students reaching the HFZ on individual fitness tests. With the 216 high school students assessed, 98-100% attained the HFZ in all categories of testing. For more information regarding the FitnessGram assessment tool, go to www.fitnessgram.net.
For a look at FitnessGram state-wide results, by region, go to: www.texasyouthfitnessstudy.org
The Lake Travis ISD’s School Health Advisory Council focuses on meeting quarterly to make decisions regarding the appropriateness and effectiveness of all health-related curricula. HEALTH BEAT:
Counseling and Mental Health Services: Teens and distracted drivingFindings from this report, published by the Pew Research Center's Internet and American Life Project show how prevalent text messaging while driving has become among teenagers. Findings from telephone interviews and focus groups with 800 teenagers ages 12-17 and their parents include: 1 out of every 3 teens ages 16-17 have texted while driving (TWD); 48 percent of teens ages 12-17 have been a passenger in a car whose driver was texting; and 78 percent of teens ages 16-17 have been a passenger in a car whose driver was texting. Motivations for TWD include: the need to report whereabouts to friends and parents; getting directions; and flirting with significant others.
Read more at www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2009/Teens-and-Distracted-Driving.aspx?r=1. Yoga is used in Minnesota schools to help students become better learners More Minnesota schools are offering yoga for students; but kids are learning more than poses such as downward dog. Educators say yoga can give students an academic boost. Read about it at www.startribune.com/lifestyle/76320887.html. Survey Found Teens Cite Cigarettes and Marijuana as the Easiest Substances to Buy The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University’s National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse XIV: Teens and Parents, 2009, found that slightly more than one-fourth (26%) of teens said that cigarettes were the easiest for someone their age to buy and the same percentage cited marijuana. The third most prevalent response was prescription drugs (16%), followed by beer (14%). When the parents of these teens were asked which substance they thought was easier for teens their child’s age to buy, more than one-third reported cigarettes (37%), 22% reported marijuana, 12% reported beer, and only 9% reported prescription drugs (data not shown). For more National Survey information visit Students with Parents who Set and Enforce clear Rules Less Likely to Report Illicit Drug Use Youths whose parents set clear rules for them are less likely to report using illicit drugs, according to data from the 2008-09 PRIDE Survey. Middle and high school students (grades 6-12) whose parents set clear rules for them “a lot” or “often” were less likely to report using illicit drugs in the past year (12 percent and 21 percent, respectively) than students whose parents never set clear rules (49 percent). Similar results were found for having parents who punish them for breaking these rules (data not shown). Read the report at www.cesar.umd.edu.
The September/October 2009 edition of The Youth Connection is now available for a free download at www.youthdevelopment.org/yconnections.htm. This issue focuses on parent/child connectedness, and also includes upcoming events, federal and private grant opportunities, free resources and resources for sale by the Institute for Youth Development. Get Fit, Get Right The Starlight Children’s Foundation has produced an online, interactive resource focused on helping overweight adolescents adopt healthy behaviors such as physical activity and good nutrition choices and find creative solutions for the difficult challenges. Access the program at www.getfitgetright.org. Article Examines Forms of bullying Behaviors among Results of an article published in the October 2009 issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health suggest that positive parental behaviors protect adolescents from not only bullying others but also being bullied [and] that friendship protects adolescents from being selected as targets of bullies. The article presents findings from a study to examine four forms of in-school bullying, with two main purposes: (1) to explore gender, age, racial, and socioeconomic differences in prevalence of each form of bullying among adolescents in grades 6 through 10 and (2) to examine the roles of parental support and number of friends on each form. Wang J, Iannotti RJ, Nansel TR. 2009. School bullying among adolescents in the
New Book Released Showcasing Moms’ Creative Ways to Fight Childhood Obesity in Communities A new book featuring tips from moms on tough topics like cutting down screen time, getting your kids to eat more vegetables and increasing physical activity is available to any parent in the U.S. The book is a product of the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation and the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a joint initiative between the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation. Be Well: Messages from Moms on Living Healthier Lives features the stories of 15 moms who are creatively finding ways to fight childhood obesity in their homes and communities. Be Well is available free or at low cost online at www.BeWellBook.org in English and Spanish versions. To learn more about the Healthy Lifestyles Program, contact
Last Modified on 5/26/2010 11:13:05 AM |