Studies have shown that children’s physical well-being has a significant effect on their learning and long-term success. When children are well-rested, well-nourished, and physically fit they are more ready to learn. Georgia has a crisis in its child obesity rates, so let’s do our part to understand the issue and effect change.
Every parent wants his or her child to be happy and healthy. Parents share the responsibility of ensuring their child’s well-being along with teachers, community members, and health care professionals. Learning the facts about various health concerns is key to this common effort.
ECCC PTA is committed to building healthy families and healthy communities, and believes we all have an important role to play in making sure families, schools and other stakeholders have the support and resources they need. Here is the List of Resources that was shared at the Priority Committee Fair training in August 2011.
Here is information that can be shared with your school community:
CDC Guidelines for Physical Activity – Children
Making Physical Activity a Part of a Child’s Life
Eating Breakfast = Academic Success
Fruits and Veggies – Oh My!
Healthy Snack Options
Programming Opportunities 
** “Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools” is a comprehensive grassroots public health effort to mobilize and engage stakeholders at the local, state and national level to support salad bars in schools. The vision is to significantly increase salad bars in schools across the country until every child has the choice of healthy fruits and vegetables every day at school. Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools is an initiative of the Food Family Farming Foundation, National Fruit and Vegetable Alliance, United Fresh Produce Association Foundation, and Whole Foods Market to support First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative.
Salad bars cost anywhere from 18-22 cents, (30 cents, at most) per student – it is not cost prohibitive and there are grants available. The goal of the Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools’ program is to fund and award 6000 salad bars over the next three years. Learn more at http://saladbars2schools.org/
** Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta is fighting childhood obesity with their Strong4LifeWellness campaign. In January 2012, they will begin a FREE program for elementary school communities. This will include a FREE presentation along with take home materials, support strategies for the school and so much more! Check out the details at Strong4Life Program Outline as well as the Take Home Flier as an example of what the children will take home.
** Fresh Fruit Friday – Please see instruction sheet for this easy-to-implement program that yields lasting benefits for your students – introducing them to new fruit and connecting healthy choices to snacks.
Missed the Lunch-n-Learns held during February? Don’t miss this important information, though!
Books:
“What’s Eating Your Child” - Kelly Dorfman
“The Unhealthy Truth” – Robyn O’Brien
Websites:
www.AllergyKids.com – Robyn O’Brien
www.feingold.org
www.allergyenvironmental.com
Kelly’s Contact information:
Atlanta Institute for ENT
(Drs. Sinha, Shaw, Kirby and Willingham)
5670 Peachtree Dunwoody Road
Ste 1280
Atlanta, GA 30342
404-257-1589
404-257-7222 (Kelly’s direct line)
kwhrd06@comcast.net
Sarah’s Contact Information:
‘Sarah Kodinsky’ skodinsky@clear.net