Healthy Schools Training Krewe

Schools are key partners in Louisiana’s efforts to achieve health equity. Providing accessible, high-quality health education for each child makes better health outcomes possible for an entire generation. In this interactive workshop, participants will learn the Characteristics of an Effective Health Education Curriculum as defined by the CDC to support curriculum selection and classroom instruction. This training was developed for curriculum and instruction administrators, health education supervisors and health education teachers and it is also available as a self-paced virtual course.

After the training, participants will be able to:

• Define the Characteristics of an Effective Health Education Curriculum.
• Describe how to apply the Characteristics of an Effective Health Education Curriculum.

Could your physical education (PE) program use a reboot? Bring new energy and excitement to PE class with fresh ideas. During this workshop, PE teachers will learn strategies for helping students practice and improve movement patterns, attain high levels of fitness, and recognize the value of self-expression through dance and movement. Teachers will experience dynamic fitness and cooperative activities that can be incorporated into their own PE programs with student assessment.

After the training, participants will be able to:

• Implement dynamic fitness and cooperative activities into PE instruction.
• Implement strategies to increase student creativity, self-expression, and social interaction in PE classes.
• Incorporate student assessment into PE programs.
• Access free PE curriculum resources.

Student assessment provides accountability for standards-based learning and is a key component of the education process in all subject areas, including physical education. PE teachers and supervisors will first learn how student assessment aligns with state physical education standards and gravel level expectations. After a deep dive into proper teaching instruction, teachers will learn about different types of assessments and the three domains of learning at all grade levels. In this interactive workshop, teachers will have the opportunity to practice teaching strategies, lesson planning, assessment planning, and unit planning. The workshop will also address data management and technology for tracking student progress.

After the training, participants will be able to:

• Explain the purpose of student assessment and its relationship to instruction and student learning.
• Describe different types of assessments.
• Plan for assessment in lesson plans and unit plans.
• Use resources for assessment and data management.

In 2017, the Louisiana Department of Education adopted and published new Louisiana K-12 physical education content standards. In this workshop, PE teachers and supervisors will first take a close look at the new standards and practice incorporating them into everyday lesson planning. After strengthening their lesson planning skills, teachers will then shift their focus to best practices for teaching instruction at all grade levels. The workshop will address the Sport Model Approach, Play-Teach-Play methods, transitions, classroom management strategies, and more.

After the training, participants will be able to:

• Describe the state physical education content standards and the goal of physical education.
• Create lesson plans that align with state standards and grade level expectations.
• Apply best practices for effective teaching instruction.

Is your school reaching its recess potential? Recess—a regularly scheduled period in the school day—allows students to be physically active and engage with their peers in activities of their choice. Research shows that providing recess is an effective way for schools to increase student physical activity and improve academic achievement. To get the most benefit, schools need to plan for how recess will be structured, supervised, facilitated, and supported.

During this workshop, school administrators and school wellness committees will first learn about the benefits of recess and review the national guidance for recess in schools. Then, participants will learn strategies for encouraging active play and physical activity for students of all ages and abilities during recess. Using templates and resources, participants will get hands-on practice developing a written recess plan for their school that accounts for safety, inclusion, staff professional development, collaboration, and family and community support.

After the training, participants will be able to:

• Describe the benefits of recess on academic achievement.
• Assess their current practices for providing recess and identify strategies that can be implemented in their school.
• Prepare a written recess plan for providing recess for students of all ages and abilities.

A Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP) can increase physical activity opportunities before, during and after school. This workshop lays the foundation for schools to intentionally plan more physical activity opportunities for students during their entire time on campus. Participants will learn about the essential components of a CSPAP and a step-by-step process for establishing one in their school or school district. This in-person training was developed for school administrators and school wellness committees, or district administrators, district health and wellness coordinators, and district health advisory councils.

After the training, participants will be able to:

• Define the components of a CSPAP.
• Describe the process for developing, implementing and evaluating a CSPAP.
• Identify strategies for engaging school staff to develop, implement and evaluate a CSPAP in your school or school district.

School nutrition professionals will first gain a foundational knowledge of Child Nutrition Program (CNP) requirements for school meals and the significance of school meals as it relates to students’ overall diet quality and health. Then, participants will learn marketing and merchandizing techniques that will help make healthy choices more appealing to students. Finally, participants will develop skills to engage students and increase acceptance of healthier foods. This workshop will cater to a variety of learning styles and include visuals, hands-on demonstrations, and verbal discussion.

After the training, participants will be able to:

• Define the basic Child Nutrition Program (CNP) requirements for school meals and snacks.
• Demonstrate how to conduct a taste test and collect student feedback.
• Use marketing and merchandising techniques to promote healthier food and beverage choices.
• Communicate the nutritional value of different foods.

Through school stores, vending machines, and other venues, most students have the opportunity to purchase snacks at school throughout the day. It is incumbent upon schools to support students in making healthy choices, and ensure the snacks accessible to students while on campus are nutritious. Smart Snacks in School refers to the national nutrition standards for foods and beverages sold during the school day.

In this workshop, school administrators and school wellness committees will first learn about the nutrition standards and the school venues that are affected by the standards. Then, participants will practice using free tools and resources available to check common snack foods for Smart Snacks in School compliance. After creating a return-to-school plan for replacing junk foods with healthy options in their snack venues, participants will learn simple strategies for supporting student and staff health that go beyond the minimum requirements to more effectively foster a culture of health in their school community.

After the training, participants will be able to:

• Identify the school venues that must meet Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards.
• Use available tools and resources to determine whether or not a food or beverage meets Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards.
• Replace less healthy foods and beverages for sale during the school day with options that meet Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards.
• Apply Smart Snacks in School nutrition standards to a variety of school wellness initiatives to support student and staff health.

A local school wellness policy is a written document that guides a school district’s efforts to create school environments supportive of student and staff health and well-being. All educational agencies participating in federal Child Nutrition Programs, including the National School Lunch Program or the School Breakfast Program, are required to develop and implement a wellness policy.

In this workshop, participants will learn how to build or refresh an effective wellness policy that supports a culture of health within the school community. Participants will receive tools and resources to facilitate policy updates with their District Health Advisory Council. This in-person training was developed for district administrators, district health and wellness coordinators, and district health advisory councils.

After the training, participants will be able to:

• Update their local school wellness policy to meet national standards.
• Enhance their local school wellness policy with best practices for a stronger, more comprehensive policy.
• Communicate with school leaders, faculty, staff, students, families, and the community to gain support of the local school wellness policy.

Creating a healthier school environment can be daunting, and sometimes it’s hard to know where to begin. The truth is, this journey looks different for every school, because every school has its own unique needs, challenges, student body, and staff. Using evidence-based assessments, schools can get a clear picture of how they are supporting student and staff health. From this starting point, schools can then work with their wellness committee members to create a school health improvement plan that will support their specific goals.

In this workshop, participants will learn about assessment tools and resources and practice using them. After completing the workshop, participants will be able to return to their school and facilitate the assessment and planning process with their school wellness committee. This in-person training was developed for school administrators and school wellness committee members.

After the training, participants will be able to:

• Assess current school health policies and practices.
• Identify areas of strength and opportunities for improvement.
• Engage members of their school community to create a school health improvement plan.