National School Breakfast Week

Every March, the nation celebrates National School Breakfast Week, which was launched in 1989 to raise awareness of the availability of the School Breakfast Program to all children. During this week, schools put their breakfast programs on display through exciting contests and promotions. Click here for some ideas on how your school can celebrate!

“Clear the Air” Youth Vaping Awareness Campaign

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) joined Governor Parson, the Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS), and the Department of Public Safety recently to launch the “Clear the Air” youth vaping awareness campaign. “We are grateful to our educators across our state who face this issue head on each day,” says Commissioner of Education Margie Vandeven. “Providing both parents and educators resources to be better informed on the risks of vaping – and on how to identify vaping devices and the signs of their use – will give them greater support to address this issue with their students and children.”

Clear the Air Awareness Campaign Resources:

Clear the Air toolkit – resources for educators, including youth-focused social media graphics and posters to print.
Clear the Air PSA – 15 second youth-focused message
StoptheVapeMissouri.org – website for youth
Vaping and Cessation information from DHSS – see the “Teen Vaping Train-the-Trainer Webinar and Resources for Adults” section at the bottom of the webpage

Governor Parson’s Press Conference Regarding Vaping

On October 15th, Missouri Governor Parsons gave a press conference regarding the issues vaping is causing in our state.

Follow this link to a YouTube video of the press conference.

School Wellness Symposium

The Missouri Association of Secondary School Principals will be hosing an event in Columbia, MO, November 17-18, entitled “School Wellness Symposium – Building Bridges Together.” The target audience is for K-12 educators, counselors, support staff, health professionals, higher education, clergy, and community decision-makers.

SCHOOL WELLNESS TOPICS THAT WILL BE PRESENTED:

Closing Gaps in Achievement and Opportunity: Tyrone Howard
Race and Culture in Schools: Tyrone Howard
Creating A Culture of High Expectations: Anthony Colannino
Making Equity Matter: Maisah Howard
Trauma-Sensitive Classrooms: Maisah Howard
Building Relationships: Linda Jordan
Anxiety and Depression: Polly Patrick
Cultural Competency: Erica Battle
Social-Emotional Learning: Denise White
Hope in Learning: Venola Mason
Self-Care: Adam Drummond
Chemical Dependency: Linda Jordan
School Safety: Missouri School Boards Association
Medicaid 101: Missouri School Boards Association (Kim Ratcliffe) NKC Schools (Perry Hilvitz)

Registration and hotel information can be found here.

Preventing Suicide – Article from Child Mind Institute

Child Mind Institute

Helping children when and where they need it most

Many people are reluctant to talk about suicide, fearing that being open about it will make more people — especially adolescents — see it as a viable way out of whatever distress they’re feeling. But evidence shows the opposite: Asking a child we are worried about if she has thoughts of killing herself can actually help prevent her from going through with it.

Today is National Suicide Prevention Day, and we join many other groups in sharing information about ways we can fight the sharp increase we’re seeing in adolescent suicides. We explore warning signs that a child might be feeling suicidal, ways to lower the risk of a suicide attempt, and how to help kids cope with the suicide of a classmate, as well as their own painful feelings.

Caroline Miller, Editorial Director | ✉