1. Nutritional Services
2. Risk and Safety Managment

For more Nutritional Services Wellness information click here.

The increasing rates of obesity among youth threaten to jeopardize their future health and productivity. Academic success will become more and more difficult for students to attain as lifestyle choices diminish a child’s ability to learn. Will today’s students be the first generation to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents? Do over-nourished and malnourished children face similar adversity?

Studies have shown undernourished children do not perform as well on standardized tests, have difficulty concentrating and may miss more school. Physical activity is consistently related to higher levels of self-esteem and lower levels of anxiety and stress- both of which have been associated with better academic performance. The staff of Omaha Public Schools is committed to providing an environment in which students can learn about healthy food choices and the benefits of physical activity.

In the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, the U.S. Congress established a new requirement for all local agencies with a federally funded National School Lunch Program. All local agencies are required to develop and implement wellness policies by the start of the 2006-7 school year. In response to this requirement, the Omaha Public Schools convened a group of professionals representing a variety of organizations, i.e. health, nutrition, education, community and industry to develop a wellness policy. A coordinated effort by the entire community is necessary to promote a healthy environment for children, which includes knowledge of nutrition, the promotion of physical activity and the availability of healthful food choices during and after school.

Our Wellness Policy and Practices & Procedures supports the following Educational Aims:

1. High Student Achievement

2. Safe and Secure Learning Environment

4. Partnership

	Document	Link
	Wellness Policy
	Wellness Practices

Adobe Acrobat is required to view these documents. You can download it here.

For more Risk and Safety Management Wellness information click here.

Wellness Resources for Teachers and Staff

(All government web sites have English and Spanish versions)

Other Wellness Resources are located on the OPS Nutrition web site.

Physical Activity

http://www.cdc.gov/youthcampaign

Children today spend less time being physically active and more time doing sedentary activities. As a result, there has been an increase in the number of overweight youth in the United States and research shows that being overweight can increase one's risk for Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and gall bladder disease.

Download Materials VERB YELLOWBALL materials are designed to help you move students to action and make physical activity a natural part of every day. These materials can be downloaded in color, printer-friendly black and white (BW), or Rich text format (rtf). Some of the following documents are in Portable Document Format (PDF).

Health and physical activity Information available, handouts can downloaded or printed from website.

Online Materials School Health Index, can be kept online, down loaded or printed out.

Child and teen BMI Index and BMI online calculator

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Brochures for Parents, Teachers, and Principals to Increase Physical Activity among Youth
http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/PhysicalActivity/brochures/

Materials for Tweens – verb activities for Tweens - http://www.cdc.gov/youthcampaign/materials/tweens/

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Web site with fun activities for kids of elementary and middle school age. Games, quizzes, search database, physical activity ideas, healthy recipes for kids to make, physical activity calendars and other fun learning activities for healthy and safe lifestyle.

http://www.bam.gov

Downloadable worksheets, fact sheets, teacher pages for health, safety and wellness and science. Additional reference sites also listed.

http://www.bam.gov/teachers

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We Can! – National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute with the National Institute of Health

Adult and childhood obesity, problems caused by obesity, activities, nutrition, etc. How much should I weigh?

www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/wecan/

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American Council on Exercise

www.acefitness.org

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American Heart Association – a physical activity program. Keep a fitness diary; get links to other activity web sites.

www.justmove.org

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President’s Council on physical Fitness and Sports

www.fitness.gov/

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Nutrition Resource Information

United States Dept. of Agriculture

http://www.mypyramid.gov

Teachers can order curriculum for the classroom use, posters, and nutrition information. Online interactive tools can be used by teacher or students. Games, Coloring pages, posters and worksheets can be downloaded for fun activities. My Pyramid Plan can help you choose the foods and amounts that are right for you. For a quick estimate of what and how much you need to eat, enter your age, sex, and activity level in the My Pyramid Plan box.

For a detailed assessment of your food intake and physical activity level, click on My Pyramid Tracker.

Use the advice "Inside My Pyramid" to help you

One size doesn't fit all.

Make smart choices from every food group,
Find your balance between food and physical activity, and
Get the most nutrition out of your calories.

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Nebraska Department of Education

http://www.nde.state.ne.us

Nutrition Services page has My pyramid for kids power point presentation to down load.

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General Health Topics

Website from the Nemours Foundation. On the parents page is a teacher’s section. Teachers can sign up for a weekly curriculum lesson with activity ideas. Meets national standards for curriculum. Various health topics. Kids page for elementary students and for teens.

http://www.kidshealth.org/

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School Network for Absenteeism Prevention

A joint project with the Centers for Disease Control, The Department of Heath and Human Services and the Soap and Detergent Association.

http://www.itsasnap.org/

The National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC) works to reduce morbidity, disability, mortality, and costs associated with injuries.

http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc

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Brush Up on Healthy Teeth: A Quiz for Parents about Simple Steps for Kids’ Smiles
http://www.cdc.gov/OralHealth/pdfs/BrushUpQuiz.pdf

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Environmental Protection Agency website has health publications and posters for Asthma and Sun safety.

http://epa.gov/teachers

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Childhood Obesity web site, nutrition, physical activity, health statistics

http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/obesity/

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Parenting Kit: Got a Minute? Give It to Your Kid- Youth Campaign on Smoking/Tobacco Use

http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/parenting/

Downloadable posters, handouts brochures to send home to parents. Some teacher items may be on site also.

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Site for teachers and parents: Download fact sheets PK through High School health information

Down load Activity Sheets for classroom use.

http://www.cdc.gov/women/owh/express

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EXCITE (Excellence in Curriculum Integration through Teaching Epidemiology) Science methods and careers in health and health science. Materials on website are geared toward middle and high school but can be adapted for elementary.

http://www.cdc.gov/excite

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Diabetes: Resources for Children and Teens
NDEP | Information on diabetes in children and young people.

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Raising Safe and Healthy Kids
http://www.cdc.gov/od/spotlight/nwhw/kids.htm

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General Safety Topics

Consumer Product Safety Commission

http://cpsc.gov

Kids page on safety. Bicycle safety, safety helmets, playground safety, in-line skating safety. Online safety games.Federal Emergency Management Agency web site. Has a kids page on safety. Has teacher curriculum. Free publications and posters. Games for kids and fire safety fact sheets.

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http://www.fema.gov

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Federal Bureau of Investigation web site. Safety page for kids. Includes information on Internet safety