skip to main |
skip to sidebar
This award-winning database provides students in grades 7-12 with comprehensive curricular support and self-help tools on topics such as diseases, drugs, alcohol, nutrition, fitness, mental health, diversity, family life, work readiness and more. It gives answers to real life questions and issues facing young adults. It’s an excellent resource in guidance, health classes, family living classes and for reports in social studies and language arts. It includes reliable age-appropriate information that can be used for students’ personal learning. Authentic first-person teen narratives and 24-hour Iowa and national hotlines for teens in crisis make this a unique and important resource for students, teachers and parents. Feel free to share this information with your teachers and in parent newsletters.
How to access: Use the online database username and password assigned to your school. Use the federated search at http://comcat-agent.auto-graphics.com or go directly to http://www.teenhealthandwellness.com. A packet of promotional materials has been sent to the teacher-librarian.
Webinar training for teachers, counselors and nurses is scheduled for January. Register by going to the Professional Development Catalog on the Heartland Web site or by clicking here.
Click here to read an article that could be a fantastic resource for high school seniors getting ready for college. This appeared in the monthly series, College Bound, which is a service of the University of Northern Iowa and is distributed through the Office of University Marketing and Public Relations.
The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools will be conducting an accreditation evaluation of Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) March 25-27, 2009. The Commission is seeking public comments on DMACC prior to the accreditation visit.
If you would like to make comments about the quality of DMACC or its academic programs, please submit your comments to the following address:
Public Comment on DMACC
The Higher Learning Commission
30 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2400
Chicago, IL 60602 or
http://www.ncahlc.org
Written, signed comments must be received by Feb. 25, 2009. Comments should include the name, address, and telephone number of the person providing the comments. Comments will not be treated as confidential.
Note: Individuals with a specific dispute or grievance with an institution should request the separate Policy on Complaints document from the Commission office.
DMACC has been accredited by the Commission since 1974. The Commission is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Most principals tell us that life-threatening food allergies are on the rise. Let's consider peanuts for starters. According to the Food Allergy Initiative, the number of U.S. children with peanut allergy doubled between 1997 and 2002. Studies in the United Kingdom and Canada also showed a high rate of peanut allergy in school-aged children.
But peanuts aren't the only problem. Kids can have serious allergies to products containing eggs, milk, tree nuts, soy, fish and more. Just this past October, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that in 2007, approximately 3 million U.S. children and teenagers under age 18 reported having a food or digestive allergy in the past year, compared to just over 2.3 million in 1997.
Teamwork between principals, teachers, parents and students is vital to keeping these children safe at school. A school policy should be in place. Communication is key to establishing and maintaining this team.
If you need help in developing a food allergy policy, the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network created a tool kit for schools. It's posted at www.foodallergy.org. Also, the Food Allergy Initiative web site at www.faiusa.org includes a sample letter about peanut allergies for principals. The site also includes detailed information about other types of food allergies, tips for food service professionals and resources for parents.
(Courtesy of PRincipal Communicator/January 2009, National School Public Relations Association)
