USD 234 to receive support for health programs

School officials recently learned that the district has been selected as the recipient of a grant from Kansas Coordinated School Health, a collaborative effort between the Kansas State Department of Education and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. The group focuses on increasing physical activity, improving nutrition, and decreasing tobacco use in schools and school districts.

USD 234 was awarded a $6,930 renewable grant that will be used for district health and wellness programs this school year, according to grant coordinator and USD 234 school nurse Pam Brown.

"We're excited," Brown said. "We're thrilled to work with Kansas Coordinated School Health ... This grant will allow us to purchase some things we normally wouldn't have been able to."

KCSH works to bring school personnel, parents, community members and community resources together to address policies and programs that focus on nutrition, physical activity, tobacco prevention and other topics that impact the health and wellness of all children.

The grant program is designed to assist schools and school districts in making progress toward exemplary wellness policies.

USD 234 will use grant funds for programs that include tobacco prevention education, nutrition education, staff wellness, and promotion of physical activity. Funds will be used for such events and activities as a speaker who will talk to schools about tobacco prevention, and a Family Fit and Fun Night in April. Part of the grant funds will be used to pay for healthy snacks in district schools, Brown said.

Some of the grant money will be used for a health and wellness conference in the spring, curriculum materials, tobacco prevention teaching materials, a guest speaker at a district wellness fair in April, and stress and weight management for district staff, Brown said.

About $3,000 of the grant funds will be budgeted for equipment used in physical education programs in district schools. Each of the four district schools will receive about the same portion of the nearly $7,000 in total grant money the district received, Brown said.

Many of the health and wellness programs in USD 234 have been successful, and students have been "responsive" to the programs and enjoy the healthy snack options available to them, she said.

The mission of the KCSH is "Healthy children make better students, and better students make healthy communities," according to program directors Mark Thompson of the KSDE and Jane Shirley of the KDHE.

"We hope the funding will assist schools to develop a culture that supports students in adopting lifelong healthy behaviors," a KCSH statement said. "Schools can be a valuable link in communities by bringing many resources together for success."

More information about KCSH can be found online at www.kshealthykids.org.