welcome to the health party

Welcome to the Health Party

A Call to Action for the Health of our CCS Kids

May 12, 2009

Catherine L. Ramstetter

Welcome to the Health Party

A Call to Action for the Health of our CCS Kids

Lessons learned about gathering stakeholders to form a school health team

Prior to the Call to Action

Lesson planning with each teacher for KWL.

Two sessions: Each student produced a written activity and a drawing or graphic representation during the lessons.

Pre-K, K, 2, 3 classes did “The Cupid Shuffle”

Students’ work was focal point and attraction for the a “Health Party” to the students.

Prior to the Call to Action

The “Health Party” = “Call to Action” for the parents/guardians.

Parents/guardians were officially invited via the IRB-approved recruitment letter sent home with the students on May 8, 2009.

Teachers unanimously decided that no student could attend the party/meeting without a parent/guardian present.

Who Answered the Call to Action

Dads, Moms, Grannies, Aunts, Uncles

ALSO:

Principal and Assistant Principal

President and Secretary of School Board

Director of Development

Director of Every Child Succeeds

8 of the 14 Teachers

35 students, each with 1 parent/guardian:

Call to Action

Welcome, children sharing

What do the kids know & want to learn about health?

Talk about how to learn about health

What did the kids say?

How can we help?

research study

Q & A, paperwork

What do we do next?

Let’s celebrate our coming together:

PreK & K lead dance and yoga

Health is…

Five senses

Coping with disease

Digestion

Efficient

Proper functioning

Healthy relationships

Caring for your body

Being active

Feel good about yourself

Five healthy habits

Food groups

Good character

Good Hygiene

Good influence

Good people

Feeling great

No illness

Health is…

Health is…

a big part of your life

I know I am healthy when I…


Exercise—60 minutes

Express feelings

Get yearly check ups

Go to school

Go to the dentist

Have friends

Limit electronics use

Play sports

Ride bikes

Run

Sleep

Take a shower

Take a vitamin

Walk

Wash body

Wash hair

Wash hands

Before eating

After restroom

Wear a seatbelt


Follow family guidelines

Get a good education

I want to learn…

I want to learn

What is the cause of mental illness

To do CPR

Do germs cause diseases

Does insulin destroy your liver

What parts of the body does smoking harm

Generally how to stay healthy (heart health)

To achieve goals

To express feelings

I want to learn… self discipline

How do we learn…

How do we learn

Internet Food labels Dentist

YMCA doctorate school Cafeteria

American Cancer Society Hairdresser

Hospital Books Radio playground

Gym Church

Home School

American Heart Association TV/movies

Library Restaurant Class

Auditorium American Lung Association

where

How do we learn

Internet Food labels Dentist

YMCA doctorate school Cafeteria

American Cancer Society Hairdresser

Hospital Books Radio playground

Gym Church

Home School

American Heart Association TV/movies

Library Restaurant Class

Auditorium American Lung Association

at CCS

How do we learn

Doctor

Nuns

Pharmacist

Scientist

Counselors

Dentist

Teachers

Instructor

God

Role models

People affected

Nurse

Lunch lady

Peers

Coach

Hairdresser

who

Good influence

Dietitian

Parents & family

Priest

Friends

Police & fire

Mentor

Good influence

Dietitian

Parents & family

Priest

Friends

Police & fire

Mentor

How do we learn

Doctor

Nuns

Pharmacist

Scientist

Counselors

Dentist

Teachers

Instructor

God

Role models

People affected

Nurse

Lunch lady

Peers

Coach

Hairdresser

at CCS

How do we learn

Do the activityTalk to…

Pay attentionFollow rules

Imitate othersRead

Make choices

Feedback

Learn from mistakes of others

Watch the news

Constructive criticismPractice

WatchHear—Listen

Being a good pupilWriting

CommunicationReinforcement

Ask questions

what

How do we learn at CCS

Do the activityTalk to…

Pay attentionFollow rules

Imitate othersRead

Make choices

Feedback

Learn from mistakes of others

Watch the news

Constructive criticismPractice

WatchHear—Listen

Being a good pupilWriting

CommunicationReinforcement

Ask questions

at CCS

How do we learn at CCS

How can we help

How can we help: who

Students

Nurse

Miss Sara

Sr. Marie

Parents/guardians

Students

Board

Teachers

Staff

How can we help: what

What: researchWork togetherLook at things that affect health at CCS

(assess)Celebrate the goodness (assets)Make things better (enhance; implement)Test and grade things (evaluate)Look at things that affect health at CCS

(re-assess)

So we can share our experience with other schools, other parents, and UC

Consent forms—any adults

Permission slips—parent/guardians

Assent forms—for students, 4th – 8th grade

How can we help: who

Lessons Learned about CCS

The principal is the gatekeeper;Time spent at faculty meetings has been

invaluable: interpersonal relationships between principal and teachers and among the teachers

Time spent individually with teachers established and deepened rapport, respect and trust

Enhanced principals’ and teachers’ support of the study


Time spent in classrooms with the kids was integral to the success of the launch of this study:

Built trust with teachersEstablished rapport and relationship with kids They were excited about sharing their personal

knowledge about health and are genuinely inquisitive and curious about many aspects of health

Showcasing what kids know and how they learn about health was exciting for teachers and parents


Two key people were missing: the “lunch lady” and the gym teacher. The kids recognized both women’s roles in school health.

At the meeting, follow the protocol for the distribution of forms and Q&A. Be prepared to pass out the forms—have helpers ready.

Recommendations for Others

Establish & build relationships

Meet with the Principal first◦Get his/her support/permission

◦Meet/work with him/her regularly

Know the teachers’ first and last names◦Be able to call them by their first names, and

be comfortable using their proper names with them and use it in front of the students


Establish & build relationships

Know the board members. ◦Go to a board meeting—personally invite the

president

Know PE teacher(s) & food service director/personnel◦Personally invite them to the meeting◦They could be great advocates


Establish & build relationshipsKnow the kids

◦They are the common connection between all the adults

◦Know their names, know who is related to whom; USE their names

◦Hug them, let them hug you, in front of teachers, parents and other adults

◦Bend down, sit on the ground with them

◦Be imaginative and enthusiastic—let yourself be like a child


Know the environment

Know the school rules◦Especially about hallway behavior, classroom

interactions◦Schedules of specials, lunch and recess

Know when school begins and ends, and how dismissal is handled

Recommendations for others

Prepare for the meeting:

Rehearse ALL of it! Not just the kids’ voices

Especially rehearse the transition from the kids’ voices to the research study and the required paperwork

Put info in the ppt presentation OR make a large flip chart page of each section

Next meeting: Agenda

Participatory Action Research to Assess and Enhance a Coordinated School Health Program

Planning MeetingWednesday, June 3, 2009

5:30 – 7:00 PM

5:30-5:40 Introduce each other ; Snacks and name tags5:40-5:50 Discuss participatory action research and what it

means

5:50-5:55 Complete the research paperwork5:55-6:15 Establish ground rules for meetings, communicating

with each other

6:15-6:20 Decide on schedule and duration of meetings

Next meeting: Agenda

6:20-6:45 Do a team-building activity together about school health Team members do a KWL

6:45-6:55 Topics for next meeting:Continue team building; build on the KWL activitySchool Health ProgramWays to evaluate what CCS has and needs

6:55-7:00 Post-meeting reflection

6:55-7:00 TIME PERMITTING: (May be “homework”)Name the team: Healthy School Team? Wellness Council?

7:00 Adjourn

Reflections

Pre-meeting reflection:

What do you expect from being a part of this team? Why did you decide to join the team?

What are your skills or talents that could help our team?

Reflections

Post-meeting reflection:

What was the best/most meaningful thing we did tonight?

What could we do next time to make the meeting better?

welcome to the health party

Documents