Healthy Schools Campaign Activities

Support Healthy School Environments

On December 8th, the Healthy Schools Campaign board approved its 2005 legislative policy agenda and goals. Our top legislative priorities for 2005 are 1.) Promoting nutritional standards for all foods sold in schools and 2.) Requiring school boards to adopt Indoor Air Quality policies that support healthy environments.

In additional to our two legislative priorities, our agenda highlights the need for coordinated school health, professional development, adequate funding and a supportive environment in order to provide a healthy school environment.

HSC is asking organizations to support our efforts to promote healthy school environments by supporting our agenda. For a copy of our 2005 agenda, visit http://www.healthyschoolscampaign.org/endorse.html.

For more information, contact mark@healthyschoolscampaign.org.

HSC Announces the Partnership to Reduce
Disparities in Asthma and Obesity in Latino Schools

On November 12, HSC, along with the organizations that make up the Partnership to Reduce Disparities in Asthma and Obesity in Latino Schools, held a press conference at the Little Village Community Academy. The purpose of the press conference was to officially launch the partnership, announce that it is being funded by a million dollar Environmental Justice grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and share research detailing the skyrocketing rates of asthma and obesity in Chicago's Latino communities. The press conference was a tremendous success, as evidenced by the attention we received afterwards; stories were run by 5 TV stations, 5 newspapers and 2 radio stations.

The Partnership is an exciting opportunity for the HSC to work with West Town Leadership United; the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization; the Midwest Latino Health Research, Training & Policy Center (at UIC); the Cook County Bureau of Health Services; the American Lung Association of Metropolitan Chicago; and the UIC School of Public Health.

To view media coverage of our press conference, click here.

For more information about this project, contact Guillermo Gomez at ggomez@healthyschoolscampaign.org.

Eat Smart

The Eat Smart Initiative has been designed to support Chicago Public Schools' (CPS) new competitive food policy in high schools through school-based pilot projects and public education. This initiative is a product of the CPS Taskforce to Promote Healthy Eating & Smart Choices, a joint project of the CPS Department of Food Services & Warehousing and the Healthy Schools Campaign. For more information, please contact Camille Reid at camille@healthyschoolscampaign.org.

Greening Chicago Public Schools' Cleaning - Changes are coming

CPS has recently announced a Strategic Source Purchasing Initiative for cleaning products.

The Healthy Schools Campaign is pleased that the current bid includes cleaning products that meet the Green Seal standard. Conventional cleaning products contain toxic chemicals that present an unnecessary exposure to staff and students. Products that have been awarded the Green Seal standard meet high safety, environmental and performance standards. In addition, we are happy that the current bid requires the purchase of toilet paper that meets the EPA Comprehensive Procurement Standards. For more information on Green Cleaning and the CPS initiative, contact Guillermo Gomez at ggomez@healthyschoolscampaign.org.

Healthy and High Performance School Taskforce

The Healthy and High Performance Schools Taskforce has been working towards the development of the Resource Guide for Healthy and High Performing Schools. Working group members have met throughout November to begin establishing recommendations for healthy school facilities. Healthy and High Performance Schools are schools that are designed to have healthy environments and to be energy efficient.

For more information on the Healthy and High Performance School Taskforce, contact Mark Bishop at mark@healthyschoolscampaign.org.

HSC Hires School Nurse Consultant

Congratulations to Linda Pietens, who has been hired as our School Nurse Consultant (part-time) to staff the School Nurse Leadership Training Project. Linda is a recently retired nurse with over 15 years experience in the school setting. She is active in the Illinois School Nurses Association and currently serves on their board. In 2001, she was recognized as the Illinois School Nurse of the Year, and she has attended EPA's Tools for Schools Conference and has been certified by the American School Nurse Association as a trainer on IAQ Management Plans.

HSC would like to thank the Chest Foundation, whose generous support has allowed us to hire Linda. http://www.chestfoundation.org

For more information regarding HSC's school nurse advisory committee, contact Rochelle Davis by email.

Community Presentations

October 28th - Rochelle Davis participated in CPS's Principal for a Day program at Avondale School.

November 3rd - Rochelle Davis participated in the Committee on School Health of the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

November 11th - Rochelle Davis presented to the West Suburban Dietetic Association on Obesity Prevention and the School Enviroment.

November 19th - Camille Reid participated in the 2004 Illinois Food Summit. HSC supports efforts to establish a Sustainable Food Policy Council in Illinois.

November 20th - Camille Reid and Mark Bishop participated in the Management Alliance state conference with Action for Healthy Kids. At the conference we promoted healthy school food and physical activity programs.

December 2nd - Mark Bishop presented on IAQ in schools to engineers and school administrators at the College of Dupage workshop.

December 3rd - Rochelle Davis made a presentation to the Illinois Automatic Merchandising Association. Her talk focused on CPS' new competitive food policy, and the Eat Smart initiatives efforts to support successful implementation of the policy.

December 3rd and 4th - Mark Bishop presented at the Illinois Education Association's collective bargaining conference. Mark reported on IAQ in schools and how important the indoor environment is for the learning environment.

December 6th - Rochelle Davis presented to Food and Community Funders Group on Farm to School programs and how to integrate fresh produce into school lunches.

If you are interested in having a Healthy School Campaign staff member make a presentation to your organization, contact Mike Reeb at mike@healthyschoolscampaign.org.

Healthy Schools Campaign Will be Closed for the Holidays

The week of December 27th the Healthy Schools Campaign will be closed for the holidays. The office will re-open on Monday January 3rd, 2005. Happy holidays!

Resources

Safe Chemicals in Education Updates

Learn more about safe chemical use in chemistry classes. For more information contact Annette McCarthy at 217-557-4959 / Annette.McCarthy@epa.state.il.us, visit the www.greeningschools.org calendar or click on any of following links:

January 11
http://www.greeningschools.org/docs/safechemicalsineducationROE45.pdf

February 8
http://www.greeningschools.org/docs/safechemicalsineducationpeoria.pdf

February 15
http://www.greeningschools.org/docs/safechemicalsineducationKIDS.pdf

March 22
http://www.greeningschools.org/docs/safechemicalsineducationROE32.pdf

Facilities Financing

New Models for Districts That Are Creating Schools Now, by Bryan Hassel and Katie Walter Esser, outlines innovative ways school districts are meeting their facilities' needs outside the traditional sources of facilities financing. http://www.lisc.org/resources/assets/asset_upload_file278_6849.pdf

Are You Building a School or a Liability?

A Guide to Using Total Masonry Construction in Public Schools, a 58-page book by Chris Huckabee and published by the National Concrete Masonry Association, explains the value of masonry construction in K-12 schools for the purpose of reduced life-cycle costs, safety and mold resistance. To order: http://www.masonryshowcase.com

Construction Planning for Tomorrow's Schools

A new publication by Chris Dunlap advises that schools plan for future infrastructure demands when deciding to undergo renovations. His publication explains the benefits of fiber optic cabling, conduits large enough to accommodate future cable pulls, wireless transmitters, networked HVAC systems, flexible walls and removable large equipment. http://schoolfacilities.com/resourceDetails_Print.asp?resourceID=733&mode=5

EPA Announces IAQ in Schools Award Winners

More than 500 school representatives and health, technical and environmental experts participated in EPA's 5th Annual Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools National Symposium last week. At a national awards ceremony, EPA recognized schools and individuals from across the country for efforts to protect indoor air quality for kids at school.

For more information and to view the list of winning schools, visit http://www.epa.gov/iaq/schools.

Online Training for Environmental Health

There are a number of online training sessions (audio with Powerpoint Presentations) that you may find relevant. These sessions were developed as part of a grant to University of Illinois, School of Public Health, Great Lakes Centers and are presented by various experts in their fields. You can access them at http://www.uic.edu/sph/glakes/coe/index.htm

Great Web Resource

Teacher Working Conditions Toolkit presents a directory of resources addressing persistent problems that block teacher effectiveness and student achievement. One of the topics highlighted is school facilities. The toolkit includes resources for teachers, principals, district offices, policymakers and the community. http://www.teacherworkingconditions.org/index.html

Learn How to Assess Environmental Risks

Envirorisk is a case-based, problem-solving program on environmental risk assessment and risk communication developed by University of Illinois, School of Public Health. As you work through this case study, you play the role of a public health professional. This course will develop your ability to investigate an environmental health problem and to serve as a resource and risk communicator in your community.

Credit for taking this course is available through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

For more information visit http://www.uic.edu/sph/cade/envirorisk

Live, Learn, Play - Tune into Your Health and Environment

New EPA Children's Environmental Health Resource, geared toward young people, is available online. Check it out at http://yosemite.epa.gov/ochp/ochpweb.nsf/content/youthbook.htm

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

Safer Pest Control Project (SPCP) seeks a part time Program Assistant. The Program Assistant will work as part of a four-member team to educate specific audiences about the environmental risks and public health impacts of pesticides, and to promote safer alternatives. For more information please go to www.spcpweb.org.

In the News

Other News

The Cafeteria Crusader
December 6, 2004
CATHY BOOTH-THOMAS, CNN
When schools opened in Texas this fall, some favorites were missing from the cafeteria menus: sodas and candy bars had been banned for grade schoolers.

Milk Machines Flow Into Schools
December 6, 2004
CNN.com - AP
DELAVAN, Wisconsin (AP) -- In schools across the country, milk is replacing sodas, and nowhere is it more popular than in America's Dairyland.

Schools Give Lunches and Vending Machines a Healthy Makeover
December 1, 2004
Kristen Bradley, Metro West Daily News
With childhood obesity and diabetes a growing concern on the national front, MetroWest schools are taking steps to make sure food served in its cafeterias is healthy and good for the body.

Drinking Soda Pop Bad for Students
November 17, 2004
Naperville Sun
We believe that the Naperville School District 203 board did the right thing by voting to limit drink sales to milk, water and 100 percent fruit juices during the school day at the district's two high schools.

Green Chemistry Takes Root
November 22, 2004
Elizabeth Weise, USA Today
A new kind of chemical revolution is brewing, 150 years after the first one transformed modern life with a host of conveniences.

School Projects in Limbo as State Money Dries Up
November 16, 2004
Diane Rado, Chicago Tribune
Thornton Fractional's high school district recently began renovating its aging schools, which are in such bad shape that some science labs have no running water.