GISD Whole Child Update

Communication and opportunities to collectively support and address the social-emotional,

physical, health, and safety needs of students, families, and staff.

According to the CDC

• Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups.
• One person dies every 33 seconds from cardiovascular disease.
• In 2022, 702,880 people died from heart disease. That's the equivalent of 1 in every 5 deaths.
• NATIONAL WEAR RED DAY® IS FRIDAY February 7, 2025 It is a day to raise awareness of heart disease and encourage people to take action to protect their hearts.

What can I do to promote heart health?

1. Eat a heart-healthy diet.
2. Get active.
3. Stay at a healthy weight.
4. Quit smoking and stay away from secondhand smoke.
5. Control your cholesterol, blood glucose (sugar), and blood pressure.
6. Drink alcohol only in moderation.
7. Manage stress.
8. Get enough sleep.

Evidence-Based Guide: Suicide Prevention Strategies for Underserved Youth

This evidence-based guide provides strategies and insights specific to at-risk groups, to support interventions and help prevent suicides. The guide highlights existing research, discusses barriers that hinder youth’s access to prevention and intervention services, and offers guidance on selecting, implementing, and evaluating evidence-based prevention programs. It also highlights programs that are making strides in addressing suicidal thoughts and behaviors in young people from underserved communities.

Applications are live NOW for the OPEN Youth Board program: an exciting new opportunity for youth to get involved with substance use disorder prevention in their communities. We are recruiting passionate, diverse youth throughout Michigan that are interested in creating resources for teens and adolescents around opioid use, pain management, and substance use disorder.

Goals for the Youth Board include:

· Empowering youth perspectives and voices in decision-making related to substance use prevention and treatment

· Developing educational materials for young people, by young people

· Building partnerships and creating a comprehensive community approach to address the substance use crisis

We are requesting your help in sharing information about this opportunity with the youth that you work with, and encouraging interested young people to apply. The Youth Board application for students can be accessed here.

Requirements for the Youth Board members include:

· Up to age 24

· Virtual collaboration

· Time commitment: ~2 hours / month

· Compensation will be provided

Please reach out to open-support@med.umich.edu with any questions or to request additional information. We appreciate your support in getting us connected with youth looking to make difference!

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s RecoverMe campaign connects young adults with resources that help them manage their substance use and mental health challenges, together. Designed for those who want to be or are in recovery, the campaign provides resources to support them through these interconnected journeys.

RecoverMe was developed in response to 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) data that young adults report the highest unmet need for both substance use treatment and mental health treatment. In the past year:

· The percentage of people aged 12 and older with a substance use disorder in the past year was highest among young adults aged 18 to 25 (27.1% or 9.2 million people); and

· The percent of adults aged 18 or older who had any mental illness in the past year was highest among young adults aged 18 to 25 (33.8% or 11.5 million people).1

RecoverMe encourages those in recovery to seek the support that feels right for them, lean on an active recovery community, and view recovery as an avenue to further enhance their overall wellbeing.

Spread the word about RecoverMe and connect young adults to resources that will help them maintain their recovery. Share the campaign across your channels to reiterate to young adults that recovery is possible for everyone.

Visit the RecoverMe website to learn more about the campaign and how to get involved.

Need Help? Get Support

Find Information about the Substance Use and Mental Health Connection

Learn more about RecoverMe

Access RecoverMe Campaign Materials

Did you know 1 in 10 children will be the victim of sexual abuse before his or her 18th birthday?

ROAR is the Oklahoma City Children's Advocacy Center's child-based education program that teaches children ages 4-8 how to protect themselves from abuse.

• Remember, privates are private.
• Okay to say NO.
• Always talk about secrets.
• Raise your voice and tell someone.

This personal safety program is provided locally by professional staff from Voices for Children. The free, interactive lesson is designed to be taught in a classroom or group setting by Voices for Children staff, and includes information for parents/guardians.

For more information about ROAR, and to schedule presentations at your school or with your community group, contact Tenesa Thompson at Voices for Children tenesa@voicesforcac.org

Personal Safety lessons are also part of the Michigan Model for Health curriculum in the Safety unit for each grade. Lessons and videos were updated in 2020. Click HERE to check out the MMH lessons highlighted in the K-6 Scope and Sequence SAFETY strand. ROAR and MMH lessons complement one another and can be used together. For more information about accessing MMH lessons, contact Judy Fridline at jfridlin@geneseeisd.org.

Issue #10 features the following articles:

· Providing Empathy in Parenting

· Navigating the Dangers of Social Media

· The Impact of Positive Co-Parenting on Children

· The Power of Positive Fathers

Are you able to help the Genesee County Prevention Coalition distribute the magazine to local families? Contact Andrea Keller to have copies delivered to you today, call 810-285-9047 and email AKeller@theGCPC.org.

The GCPC has several workgroups which offer school staff, youth, parents/guardians and community members an opportunity to address drug misuse and abuse in our community. Contact them to learn more about GCPC’s prevention activities, or to find out more about how you can support their mission. info@the GCPC.org or call 810-285-9047

November 2024 Youth Connection Newsletter

Celebrates people raising children and promotes year-round education and resources for parents and caregivers. Its mission is to promote parenting awareness, education, and resources through state outreach and local effort.

For more information visit:
https://www.preventionnetwork.org/pam

TalkSooner serves as a resource for parents to access information about substance use prevention. TalkSooner helps parents inform youth about the dangers of substance use. Focus group data suggested that youth do seek information and guidance from parents and other adults, so it is important that parents have these difficult conversations.
For more information visit:
http://talksooner.org/

Practice talking to your kids about the dangers of alcohol. Prepare for one of the most important conversations you may ever have with your kids about underage drinking. SAMHSA’s “Talk. They Hear You” app.
Talk. They Hear You. app:
https://www.samhsa.gov/underage-drinking/mobile-application

Mark your calendars for the 6th Annual Whole Child Summer Learning Series! July 22 & 23, 2025 at Genesee ISD. Whether you attend as a participant or would like to contribute as a presenter, plan to attend for this great professional learning event highlighting the components of the Whole Child Model. All school staff are encouraged to participate ala carte' - register to attend as many or as few sessions as you are interested in, once the presenter schedule is assembled later this spring.

The planning committee is currently hosting a call for presenters. Great things are happening in our schools and we would love to have you share! Presenter applications are due by February 7, 2025!

Call for Presenters Invitation

Presenter Google Form

For more information, contact Katie Shantry, at kshantry@geneseeisd.org or 810-591-4946

Join the Michigan Model for Health team for a live webinar on Thursday, February 27, at 4:00 PM (Eastern). This 60-minute session provides educators, curriculum developers, and administrators with practical strategies and tools to customize MMH instructional materials for specific student and classroom needs. We’ll explore the core elements that make MMH an evidence-based program, highlight where lesson adaptability is most effective, and share insights from teachers nationwide. Don’t miss this chance to hear how MMH's comprehensive health program has supported over 240,000 teachers!

Click here to register or contact Regional School Health Coordinator Judy Fridline at jfridlin@geneseeisd.org for additional information.

We are excited to announce that our schedule for the 6th Annual VIRTUAL Teaching Cannabis (and other drugs) Awareness & Prevention Conference is now available. The live event will take place April 9th and 10th 8:00-2:30 PST. We have two keynote sessions and 79 workshops this year covering tobacco/nicotine, fentanyl/opioids, alcohol, hallucinogens, and other substances.

Early bird registration until February 15th! Lock in your early bird registration of $125 today! Can’t attend live? Registration includes access to ALL keynotes, workshops, and associated materials for up to one year after the conference.

Learn about the latest research on cannabis, tobacco including e-cigarettes, and other drugs, reasons for use amongst youth, health effects, and the latest available curriculums for teaching drug education and prevention. See full agenda.

For more details, click here to see our latest Cannabis Conference flyer!

This year CEU, CME, and CHES/MCHES Credits will be offered, at an additional price, obtainable by attending workshops LIVE during this virtual conference! For more information about this please click here.

For question or inquiries, please contact canprevtoolkit@stanford.edu.

Are you looking for upper elementary lessons addressing sexting and sextortion? Check out these resources from Thorn or NetSmartz. These lessons may align well with Michigan Model for Health lessons, or other personal safety and online safety lessons you/your school are currently teaching. Depending on how your district defines sex education, these lesson may need to be reviewed and approved by your school board prior to teaching. Be sure to review them with your school/district reproductive health supervisor for guidance specific to your school.

Thursday, February 27, 2025 1-2:00 PM Central Standard Time

From the Tall Cop Says Stop (TM) - We're excited to invite you to an exclusive webinar lead by Officer Jermaine Galloway, where he will share critical insights on emerging substance use trends, the latest concealment tactics, and effective strategies for helping communities combat youth drug and alcohol use.

As substance use trends continue to evolve, staying informed is essential for those working with adolescents. This session is a must for educators, prevention specialists, law enforcement, and community leaders looking to recognize emerging risks and implement effective strategies.

Click here for registration information.

In the world of substance misuse prevention, we often hear about what does work—research-backed strategies that make a real impact. But what about the methods that don't work? Surprisingly, many communities continue to use outdated, ineffective, or even harmful prevention practices despite decades of research showing they fail to deliver. This webinar provided by the Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC) Network will explore the common yet misguided approaches still in use, shedding light on why they don’t work and the unintended consequences they can create. We’ll also dive into practical strategies for prevention professionals to overcome the resistance they often face when challenging long-held beliefs and entrenched practices. Join us to rethink the status quo, equip yourself with the knowledge to advocate for change, and help build more effective prevention efforts in your community.

Thursday, February 20, 2025 12:30 - 2:00

Click here to register

Severe Early Childhood Cavities (ECC) causes pain and infection. Some children learn to live with this pain day in and day out. ECC results in increased missed school days and an inability to concentrate at school. Pain also affects a child’s sleep and nutrition, resulting in poor overall health and well-being. ECC can even result in poor self-esteem and a reluctance to smile. Your mouth is your gateway to health! The condition of your oral health can significantly impact your overall well-being, as poor dental hygiene can be linked to various systemic diseases like heart disease and diabetes. It is so important to "Baby those Baby Teeth!".

Michigan School Nurse 101 is a comprehensive, self-paced, online training intended to build the knowledge of both novice and expert school nurses. Course topics can be viewed here. MASN Members can earn up to 6 Contact Hours (CEUs) when completing the training within 90 days and receive 1 year access to the support tools.

Wednesday, May 15, 2024 at 12:00am ET - Wednesday, May 14, 2025 at 12:00am ET

Did you know that health issues are the #1 reason for school absenteeism? Sometimes it's because there is an untreated health condition. Whether out of school or in school, illness can prevent kids from being engaged learners. Access to health care coverage can be an important factor in addressing student health issues and supporting school success. Connecting Kids to Coverage is one program to help families apply for health care coverage. (Call or text 810.853.6458)

Enrollment specialists from all of the managed health care plans are available to personally help families with the screening and enrollment process. As a parent's trusted partner, you may be the connection they need to health care coverage for their children.

Blue Cross Complete

Genesee County Health Department

Genesee Health Plan

HAP Empowered

Hamilton Community Health Network

McLaren Health Plan

Meridian Health Plan

Molina

UnitedHealthcare Community Plan

An article from PLAYWORLD

Michigan State Board of Education Model Policy on Quality PE and PA in Schools

The Safe Routes to School (SRTA) Mini Grant Request for Proposals (RFP) for the 2025-2026 school year are now open!

Mini Grants are an excellent way to make quick gains in your community with the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) movement to inspire change to the transportation culture around schools and neighborhoods. They are designed to be used to encourage and educate students about how they can travel safely to and from school in healthy ways. By increasing the number of students that walk, bike, and roll to school, the Mini Grant can be the spark for broader local active transportation improvements that focus on safety and physical activity.

Proposals are due March 7, 2025, by 5 p.m. Mini Grant award notifications will be announced in June.

For questions about the Mini Grant, contact Erin Paskus

Local Education Agencies (LEA) participating in the National School Lunch Program and/or School Breakfast Program are required to develop a local school wellness policy that promotes the health of students. Wellness policies are tailored to the unique needs of each LEA and present an opportunity to improve the health of each community.

LEAs must conduct an assessment of the Local Wellness Policy (LWP) every three years, at a minimum. During the COVID-19 pandemic, waivers were available to postpone the deadline for the triennial assessment. For tools and guidance on developing our updating your Local School Wellness Policy Click HERE.

The Family Center for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (Family Center) and Children’s Special Health Care Services (CSHCS) are pleased to announce a grant opportunity for the 2025-2026 fiscal year (10/1/2025 – 9/30/2026). Each school district and/or school can apply for up to $5,000 to implement peer-to-peer programs to reduce bullying for students with special health care needs.

Eligible programs need to demonstrate the ability to meet the following objectives:

• Create a more inclusive school community for students with special health care needs.

• Create or expand peer support opportunities for students with special health care needs.

• Increase social and emotional support in schools for students with special health care needs.

• Expand anti-bullying efforts for students with special health care needs.

The deadline to have the application emailed is Friday, March 14, 2025.

The fillable PDF application is available here BPI_Grant_Application_Packet.pdf.

For more information, please do not hesitate to email cshcsfc@michigan.gov or call 800‐359‐3722.

As vaping among K-12 students has become more common, many schools have turned to vape

detectors and disciplinary measures, like suspension, to address this issue. Vape detectors are

often used in restrooms to monitor vaping, but there is no clear evidence that these devices

reduce vaping among students. Research also suggests that punitive measures such as

suspension might not be the most effective way to reduce vaping in schools.

Click HERE to read the entire article from Tobacco Free Michigan

LGBTQ+ students are still at disproportionate risk for persistent bullying, harassment, and victimization. In response to requests from school districts across Michigan, the MDE LGBTQ+ Students Project staff created a suite of online professional development workshops to build the capacity of schools to provide a safe, supportive, and inclusive culture and climate where all students can thrive.

◼ Stay Current: Legal and Policy Issues Pertaining to LGBTQ+ Students and School Staff

◼ Safe, Supportive and Inclusive Classrooms: Practical Strategies for Affirming LGBTQ+ Students (Secondary Focus) - Tuesday, February 25, 2025 | 4-6 PM

◼ Safe, Supportive and Inclusive Classrooms: Practical Strategies for Affirming LGBTQ+ Students (Elementary Focus) - Wednesday, March 19, 2025 | 3:30-5:30 PM

◼ When Bias Gets in the Way: How to Recognize and Address Barriers to Supporting LGBTQ+ Students and Families - Wednesday, April 9, 2025 | 8-10 AM

◼ Listening to Understand: LGBTQ+ Students Discuss Their Experiences in Michigan Schools

◼ From the School Bus to the School Board: School-Wide Policies and Best Practices to Support LGBTQ+ Students - Wednesday, May 14, 2025 | 8-10 AM

For more information: Laurie Bechhofer, HIV/STI Education Consultant, MDE BechhoferL@michigan.gov

February 1-28, 2025

Dating violence is more common than you may think, especially among teens and young adults: 1 in 3 U.S. teens will experience physical, sexual, or emotional abuse from someone they’re in a relationship with before becoming adults. And nearly half (43%) of U.S. college women report experiencing violent or abusive dating behaviors.

Click here for resources and information from love is respect

If you or someone you know is being abused or threatened with violence:

National Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-4-A-CHILD

Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-900-799--SAFE

National Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE

Love is Respect (Relationship Abuse)

1-866-331-9474 Text: LOVEIS to 22522

The Michigan State Police Office of School Safety (MSP/OSS) is hosting Michigan K-12 Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management (Mi-BTAM) training across the state for school-based threat assessment teams in K-12 public, charter, and private schools. Mi-BTAM training is a fact-based, systematic process designed to identify, assess, and work collaboratively with families and students to mitigate thoughts of violence and aggression.

An important piece to the Social Emotional Learning (SEL) work is helping families understand what SEL is and how they can strengthen their child’s SEL skills with simple, and fun, activities at home. Michigan Department of Education offers three Family Matters Fact Sheets that center Social Emotional Learning. These family resources are available in three languages: English, Arabic, and Spanish.

Family Matters SEL Fact Sheets:

• What is Social Emotional Learning and Why It’s Important – Defines social emotional learning and explains how families and schools can support students to strengthen SEL skills.
• Social Emotional Learning Concepts and Skills – Shares key SEL concepts and skills and how they support skill development in areas such as communication, emotion regulation, decision-making, problem-solving, and positive relationships.
• Supporting Social Emotional Learning at Home – Offers activities that families can do together to support wellbeing, growth mindset, acts of service, communication, and emotion regulation.

*To locate the fact sheets in Spanish and Arabic, click on MDE’s Family Matters page and search for the SEL fact sheets by either the “Family Support and General Resources” category or by alphabetical order by title.

Contact information for more information is: Amy Wassmann at wassmanna1@michigan.gov

National Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Day is Monday, March 3, 2025. On this day, schools and communities are encouraged to showcase, promote, advocate, and support SEL. The Michigan Department of Education is encouraging school staff to support student SEL by completing the free Michigan Virtual Social Emotional Learning: Introduction to SEL course through the month of March. Upon completion of the course, participants will:

• Define social emotional learning.

• Understand how SEL can increase students’ capacity to learn.

• Outline the five competencies of SEL.

• Review SEL standards and benchmarks to apply to their school and classroom.

This course is asynchronous and grants six State Continuing Education Clock Hours (SCECH) hours for educators.

The GISD Whole Child Update is an effort to communicate with school professionals and community partners with diverse and often overlapping interests and needs. The content is aligned with the 12 components of the GISD Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child Model, a modified version of the ASCD/CDC model of the same name.

• Wondering what this "model" is? Checkout the GISD Whole Child Framework Summary
• Want to learn more about the Whole Child Model and how each of us contributes to supporting our students? Contact Steve Polega, GISD Assistant Superintendent of Special Education, spolega@geneseeisd.org

Previous Whole Child Updates

Did you miss a previous edition of the GISD Whole Child Update? Click on a date to access previously shared information.

November 2024

September 2024

July 2024