ORGANIZATIONS
Mississippi Department of Education
The University of Southern Mississippi
University of Mississippi Medical Center
YEARS
2004 – 2009
INVESTING IN A HEALTHIER FUTURE
The Coordinated School Health Program
The Coordinated School Health Program
Children are Mississippi’s investment in the future. Unfortunately, obesity puts our children at risk for living shorter, less healthy lives. Mississippi has one of the highest percentages of overweight or at risk of becoming overweight children in the United States.
In response to the increasing frequency of childhood obesity in Mississippi, the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) restructured its organization in early 2004 to consolidate the school health resources under one office, the Office of Healthy Schools (OHS). The new office, funded by The Bower Foundation, began working toward the implementation of the Coordinated School Health Program in Mississippi‘s schools. The Foundation believes a strong, coordinated effort can be a powerful tool toward improving both student health and academic achievement.
One of the first steps taken by this new office was the creation of the Health is Academic Initiative to promote health and wellness in Mississippi’s public schools. Since 2004 the OHS has made great strides in promoting healthy school environments. They have provided funding for intervention and initiatives in schools, conducted a case study of nutrition integrity in school cafeterias, and developed a wellness policy guide. They have also approved vending machine regulations, updated standards and regulations for physical and health education in public schools, and passed legislation to require public schools to provide increased amounts of physical and health education for K-12 students.
In addition to funding the OHS infrastructure, The Bower Foundation provides funding for the following strategies and initiatives to support the implementation of coordinated school health programs:
The 2007 Mississippi Legislative Session may be considered one of the most significant legislative sessions in recent history to address the childhood obesity epidemic in Mississippi. The Legislature recognized the need to take immediate steps to prevent obesity in our children by passing the Mississippi Healthy Students Act. The Act requires public schools to provide increased amounts of physical activity and education instruction for K-12 students.
Investing in our children’s health will impact the future health and educational success of Mississippi’s youth. “We are so pleased to partner with the Mississippi Department of Education, The University of Southern Mississippi and the University of Mississippi Medical Center to make school health a priority in Mississippi’s schools throughout the state”, said Anne Travis, CEO of The Bower Foundation. “Our opportunity to work with these organizations to invest in the health of Mississippi’s children will produce results that will benefit our state for decades.”
In response to the increasing frequency of childhood obesity in Mississippi, the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) restructured its organization in early 2004 to consolidate the school health resources under one office, the Office of Healthy Schools (OHS). The new office, funded by The Bower Foundation, began working toward the implementation of the Coordinated School Health Program in Mississippi‘s schools. The Foundation believes a strong, coordinated effort can be a powerful tool toward improving both student health and academic achievement.
One of the first steps taken by this new office was the creation of the Health is Academic Initiative to promote health and wellness in Mississippi’s public schools. Since 2004 the OHS has made great strides in promoting healthy school environments. They have provided funding for intervention and initiatives in schools, conducted a case study of nutrition integrity in school cafeterias, and developed a wellness policy guide. They have also approved vending machine regulations, updated standards and regulations for physical and health education in public schools, and passed legislation to require public schools to provide increased amounts of physical and health education for K-12 students.
In addition to funding the OHS infrastructure, The Bower Foundation provides funding for the following strategies and initiatives to support the implementation of coordinated school health programs:
- John D. Bower School Health Network (Phases 1 and 2): 20 grants to provide in-depth preparation to 20 schools in 20 local school districts to implement the Coordinated School Health Program Model
- Start-Up Grants: 98 grants to establish a School Health Council, to conduct a pre and post assessment to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the school’s physical activity and nutrition environments, and to implement at least one sustainable intervention
- Early and Periodic Screening and Diagnosis Treatment (EPSDT) School Nurse Program (Phases I-IV): 53 EPSDT nurses to provide health screening for Medicaid eligible students Health in Action: web based lesson plans for physical education and health education
- Committed to Move Grants: 25 grants to provide curriculum, training and resources based on the Mississippi Standards for Physical Education to assist schools to implement a quality physical education program
- Five Star Foods Grants: 80 grants to purchase a sectionizer and slicer to increase consumption of fruits and vegetables by preparing attractive service lines focusing on healthful choices and improving child nutrition images, to implement one sustainable intervention and to receive hands on training from a nationally recognized school cafeteria chef
- Nutrition Integrity Grants: 20 grants to replace fat fryers in 20 school kitchens with a Combination Oven Steamer thereby making a substantial difference in the number of calories and fat eaten by children at school
- School Based Administrative Claiming: Software, training and technical assistance to over 100 participating school districts to claim Medicaid reimbursements
- School Nurse Data Collection: software to capture monthly data on school nurse performance and activities related to prevention of illness and disabilities
- Vending Machine Financial Study: Assessment to determine the financial impact of vending machine changes in Mississippi middle/junior high and high schools (2005 and 2006)
- Child and Youth Prevalence Overweight Survey: Survey to estimate the prevalence of overweight and at risk for becoming overweight among children in grades 1-8 in Mississippi (2003, 2005 and 2007)
The 2007 Mississippi Legislative Session may be considered one of the most significant legislative sessions in recent history to address the childhood obesity epidemic in Mississippi. The Legislature recognized the need to take immediate steps to prevent obesity in our children by passing the Mississippi Healthy Students Act. The Act requires public schools to provide increased amounts of physical activity and education instruction for K-12 students.
Investing in our children’s health will impact the future health and educational success of Mississippi’s youth. “We are so pleased to partner with the Mississippi Department of Education, The University of Southern Mississippi and the University of Mississippi Medical Center to make school health a priority in Mississippi’s schools throughout the state”, said Anne Travis, CEO of The Bower Foundation. “Our opportunity to work with these organizations to invest in the health of Mississippi’s children will produce results that will benefit our state for decades.”