March 2005 E-Newsletter

Healthy Schools Campaign Activities

Healthy Schools Campaign Releases Resource Guide for Healthy Schools

Last week, the Healthy Schools Campaign released the Action and Resource Guide for Healthy Schools. Specifically geared towards Illinois schools, this comprehensive, 120-page handbook contains complete, up-to-date information on state and federal environmental laws and regulations. It also identifies common school environmental hazards and environmentally preferable alternative products, includes an extensive, indexed directory of state and national resources and provides guidance on how to address school environmental problems at the community level.

We are offering the Action and Resource Guide for Healthy Schools free of charge (a $25 value) to Illinois residents, individuals, and organizations concerned about the impact of school environments on children’s health and education. To order, visit our website at www.healthyschoolscampaign.org, where you can also download an electronic version of the guide or request that a Resource Guide be sent to you.
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Save the Date: June 9, 2005 -
Healthy Schools Campaign Annual Benefit

The Healthy Schools Campaign will hold its third annual benefit: Cooking up Change on Thursday, June 9, 2005. The event will be held at the new state-of-the art facility housing Kendall College on Chicago’s Goose Island. Cooking up Change will feature cooking demonstrations by Kendall’s culinary arts students, tastings of fresh, sensational and seasonal food, and entertainment. Save the date for this great event. For more information, to purchase tickets or for sponsorship information visit our website at www.healthyschoolscampaign.org or contact Claire Marcy at Claire@healthyschoolscampaign.org.

Healthy Schools Campaign is Hiring

Healthy Schools Campaign is looking for an Administrative Director. Responsibilities include financial management, general administration, office management, program work, event planning, managing publications and staffing the Board of Directors. Candidate should have a solid understanding of not-for-profit accounting, at least 5 years of administrative experience, excellent communication and computer skills and a demonstrated interest in public health, the environment, education and/or public policy. Send a cover letter, resume and salary requirements to Laura@LMcAlpine.com A complete job description is available at www.healthyschoolscampaign.org.

Healthy Schools Legislative Update

The Healthy Schools Campaign has been working hard in Springfield to support several pieces of legislation aimed at improving the indoor and nutritional environment in Illinois schools. This year there is an opportunity to support these health-promoting policies due to the increased awareness of the importance of student wellness.. Contact your state legislators and ask them their positions on legislation that affects school health. Currently active bills that HSC supports include:

• Senate Bill 162 / House Bill 733 – School Wellness
Would direct the State to develop school wellness policies for local schools. Click here to view HSC’s fact sheet on this bill.
• Senate Bill 212 / House Bill 695 – Healthy Schools Best Practice Act
Would require schools to adopt indoor environmental policies. Click here to view HSC’s fact sheet on this bill.
• House Bill 261 – PE Waivers
Would allow more time for the State legislature to review P.E. waiver requests.
• House Bill 744 – Safe Routes to School
Would direct funds to develop walkable routes within school communities.
• House Bill 2347 – Diesel Engine Idling Limits
Would limit time allowed for diesel engines to idle.

For more information on HSC’s legislative initiatives, contact Mark Bishop at Mark@healthyschoolscampaign.org.
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School Wellness Policy Draft Available Now

Healthy Schools Campaign has developed a draft School Wellness Policy available for download now.

The Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act signed in June 2004 requires all schools that receive federal money to adopt school wellness policies by June 2006. These policies must include goals for nutrition and physical education, as well as set nutrition standards for all foods sold in schools. HSC has developed a draft school wellness policy to assist school districts in developing their own local policies. Click here to download.

For more information contact Camille@healthyschoolscampaign.org.
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CPS Taskforce to Promote Healthy Eating & Smart Choices

Taskforce participants gathered for the third quarterly meeting on Thursday, January 20th at Chicago Public Schools, where taskforce members presented updates on the Cool Food Project: Promoting Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among Elementary Students and the Eat Smart Initiative: Making Healthier Snack Choices. During the meeting participants also heard from guest speakers on two topics: 1) Exploring the Value of Local Food Systems and 2) Influencing Teen Behavior.

For more information about the taskforce, please contact Camille Reid at Camille@healthyschoolscampaign.org.

Healthy Schools Campaign Board Member Receives Recognition for Efforts to Improve School Food Environment

The effort/push to remove soda and junk food from vending machines has gained momentum over recent years in response to the increase in childhood obesity. Many of these recent efforts can be traced back to the efforts of pioneers in the school health field.

Phyllis Pelt is one such school health pioneer, and she was recently honored for her many accomplishments at a Black History Month celebration. One of Ms. Pelt’s many advocacy efforts, which took place over twenty years ago, led to the removal of vending machines containing chips and sugary drinks from Roosevelt Junior High School in Bellwood, Illinois. In the 1980s, She was also the first African American school nurse in Bellwood School District #88. Ms. Pelt serves on the Healthy Schools Campaign Board, and she is the Director of the School Nurse Certification program at the UIC College of Nursing.
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Illinois EPA Awards Contract for Expanded School Hazardous Waste Collection

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency announced that a contract has been awarded that is expected to assist up to 600 schools across the state in the next few years to safely dispose of hazardous materials.
http://www.illinois.gov/PressReleases/ShowPressRelease.cfm?SubjectID=18&RecNum=3705
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Illinois Capital Development Board Releases School Capital Needs Assessment

The survey, which is taken every two years, shows the billions of dollars of need for Illinois school buildings. For more information visit:
http://www.cdb.state.il.us/forms/download/survey.pdf


Ford, National Geographic Offer Green School Contest

Raise your hand if you're ready to make a difference in your school!
Ford Motor Company is joining forces with National Geographic and is challenging American grade schoolers to get "green". Ford's Radical Renovation: School Edition Initiative, a fresh approach to the ultra-popular home makeover trend, asks students how they would make their school more environmentally friendly. The class that comes up with the best plan will win $100,000 for an environmental renovation. Entry forms, rules, school and student editions, school posters and more are all available on line.

http://plasma.nationalgeographic.com/gogreen/ford/

Entrants must be kindergarten through sixth grade teachers at a public or private school entering the contest on behalf of his/her class.

This contest begins February 1, 2005 and ends April 7, 2005. Entries must be postmarked by April 7, 2005 and received by April 14, 2005.
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May is Asthma Awareness Month and World Asthma Day is May 3, 2005

In support of Asthma Awareness Month, the EPA has developed an Event Planning Kit, an Asthma Awareness Month Web page and Event Listing forms. Visit www.epa.gov/asthma/awm.html for more information.
Let the EPA know what you plan to do during Asthma Awareness Month, and the EPA will publicize your upcoming events on their national Web site. A link from the Asthma Awareness Month Web page will take you to an online event listing form where you can enter information about your planned events. The EPA's Web site includes a map of Asthma Awareness Month activities where you can see what is planned in your state.
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New Publications

Schoolhouse in the Red: An Administrator's Guide to Improving America's School Facilities and Environment.
Published by the American Association of School Administrators, this book reviews and compares the conditions of school facilities and the costs associated with deteriorating and inadequate buildings to those discussed in the original Schoolhouse in the Red of 1992. This new edition also addresses improving school facilities. To order:
http://www.aasa.org/issues_and_insights/healthy/index.htm#schoolhouse

Cleaning Methods: Revitalizing a School Through Cleaning, In Facility Management magazine, Robert Kravitz writes about deep cleaning an old, dirty Chicago school. Several manufacturers of cleaning equipment joined forces to clean chairs, walls, carpets, floors and restrooms that were covered with decades of dirt and grime. The deep cleaning made such a dramatic improvement in the school that, the author claims, morale has improved and the emotional health of students and staff has been enhanced.
http://www.facilitymanagement.com/articles/maintmethods1004.html

Does the Built Environment Influence Physical Activity?
This National Academies' Transportation Research Board report explores the link between the "built" environment -- buildings, roads, parks, and other structures that physically define a community -- and physical activity levels.
http://www.iom.edu/report.asp?id=24476
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Food Systems Seminars – Chicago Teacher’s Center

Producing Appetites: Teaching Media Awareness to Encourage Healthy Choices
MARCH 16th, 4-7pm
Guest Facilitators: Kantha Shelke, Corvus Blue, Diane Toops, News & Trends Ed of Food Processing Magazine, Wells High School 21st Century Program

Trade, Labor, and Economics: Local Food in Global Context
APRIL 20th, 4-6:30pm
Guest Facilitator: Mark Ritchie, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy and a Chicago food entrepreneur TBA

To inquire and register, please contact the Chicago Teacher’s Center at:
www.neiu.edu/~equate.
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EPA's Draft Healthy School Environments Assessment Tool

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is developing a new, completely voluntary and fully customizable tool to help school districts conduct self-assessments of their school facilities for potential environmental health and safety hazards. The heart of the tool is a powerful database file that will let school districts customize the tool to manage all aspects of a facility assessment program.

To learn more about the draft Healthy School Environments Assessment Tool and download the Beta Version for testing, visit: http://www.epa.gov/schools. EPA is accepting input from organizations and individuals on the draft tool until May 5, 2005.
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Guidance for States to Adopt Idling Law

In an effort to create consistent laws across the country EPA will host the first state/industry workshops (workshop or workshops ?) to develop a model state or local idling law for heavy-duty trucks and buses.

About half the country has state or local laws limiting the amount of time a vehicle can idle. Many of these laws differ from state to state, creating an inconsistent patchwork of laws which is confusing to truck drivers and fleets. EPA will convene representatives from state air pollution control agencies, trucking associations, truck drivers, environmental organizations and health associations. The goal is to develop a consensus approach to eliminating these inconsistencies. The workshops will be held in Washington, D.C. over the next few months.
Dates will be announced later. For more information about this effort, or to request participation in the workshops, visit: http://www.epa.gov/smartway.

For more information, contact John Millett, 202-564-7842 / millett.john@epa.gov

American Lung Association of Metropolitan Chicago is Hiring

The American Lung Association of Metropolitan Chicago (ALAMC) is seeking to fill a communications management position in the Marketing Department. The Manager will report to Deputy Executive Director of Marketing and share responsibilities for implementing marketing, advertising and PR strategies. The Manager will be responsible for day-to-day coordination of communication projects and provide departmental support to colleagues throughout the Association. For more information visit www.lungchicago.org or email Kevin Tynan at ktynan@alamc.org
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NEA and EPA Share Ideas for IAQ

The National Education Association and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have launched a listserv to promote communication between teachers who have developed student activities, or who wish to develop student activities, related to indoor air quality and the EPA's Tools for Schools Program.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Tools for Schools Program is a common sense approach to improving your school's indoor environment. The NEA has established this listserv to help teachers exchange ideas on how to improve their indoor environment, while at the same time achieving their academic goals.

To join the "Student/Teacher IAQ Activities" Listserv, please go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/StudentandTeacherIAQActivities.
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In the News

CDC Guidelines Shown to Prevent Childhood Obesity
March 9, 2005
Samia Hamdan, MPH, RD
Schools that implement nutrition guidelines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are effective in preventing childhood obesity, according to research published in the American Journal of Public Health.

Compromise junk-food bill OK'd
March 9, 2005
By Ryan Alessi, HERALD-LEADER FRANKFORT BUREAU
With barely 15 minutes left in its regularly scheduled law-making session, the General Assembly last night squeezed out legislation setting new nutrition and exercise standards for schools aimed at the growing child-obesity crisis.

State Bill Would Lower Air Pollution
February 23, 2005
Devlin Barnett, Peoria Journal Star
Emissions from old diesel engines cause more than 20,000 Americans a year to die sooner than they would have otherwise, an environmental group estimated Tuesday...