Spring is here, and like spring, our world is everchanging.  When there is change in our lives, we often experience a variety of emotions from moments of uncertainty to excitement.  Finding a healthy balance in what do to help ourselves, our children, our students, and each other stay safe and healthy is our challenge. 

In this month's newsletter, we highlight a number of pressing issues that adolescents in particular are facing, and ways that we can help support them.          

Please take some time to view the resources and opprtunities in this newsletter and make an extra effort to cover this information in your classrooms, and share with your colleagues, friends and families. And, please remember, you are making a difference in the lives of all of our youth!

 We need your input!  ODE is recruiting K-12 teachers who are teaching Health and Physical Education, curriculum directors/administrators, public health and other content specialists to serve on the Oregon Health Education Standards Advisory Panel and the Physical Education Standards Advisory Panel. 

Click on the links above to complete your application.  There will be 2 meetings during the summer of 2022, and approximately 4 meetings during the 2022-2023 school year (PDUs offered).  Meetings are scheduled to be virtual, and held after 3:30 p.m. during the school year.  For more information, contact suzanne.hidde@ode.oregon.gov and sasha.grenier@ode.oregon.gov

CDC released new data from the Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey (ABES) highlighting the magnitude of the challenges our nation’s youth faced during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Results from the survey highlighted that many populations that experienced more inequity before the pandemic also had greater risks during the COVID-19 pandemic related to mental health, suicide, substance use, abuse, and racism.

The ABES data also showed that youth who felt more connected to people at their schools had better mental health; however, young people who experienced racism were less likely to benefit from this protection. Check out the resources and recommendations to help ensure that schools provide a safe and supportive environment where all students feel connected to people who care, and that all students can fully benefit from the protections connectedness provides.

Did you know when students eat healthier and exercise regularly, they learn better in school? Implementing healthy behaviors and habits can improve mental and physical health and overall quality of life. According to research observed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there is evidence of a strong connection between healthy behaviors and academic achievements like graduation rates, grades and attendance. Read this article to find our more, and to access resources.

• The Song For Charlie MS/HS Toolkit  puts all of the things the schools would need to implement an awareness program in one place.
• The Video resources page has multiple free educational videos. 

• Beaverton School District - MS and HS educational materials and lesson plans   
• CDC's Response to the Opioid Crisis - Fentanyl

BEPA 2.0 - Be Physically Active 2Day!Training for Elementary Classroom Teachers & After School Enrichment Providers.

BEPA 2.0 can be used to deliver activity brain boosts and to provide PE minutes for your students as required by ORS329.496.

The training consists of two parts:

• Online, asynchronous training material to be completed at your own pace
• A 90-minute follow-up training via Zoom, led by BEPA 0 program director and Oregon Department of Education (ODE) Health and Physical Education staff. 
• April 28, 2022 from 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.

The first 50 registrants will receive a BEPA 2.0 Toolkit for  FREE. The training also provides three hours of professional development time that can be completed on your own schedule.  Click this link to sign up  

Come join a collaboration between ODE Oregon Healthy Schools and OSHAPE regarding:

• Teaching physical education during COVID using best practices and safety protocols
• SEL/Trauma Informed and Culturally Responsive Teaching
• Outdoor & Lifetime PE Pedagogy
• Best practices for adaptive PE

PD Credit: 1.5 hrs.

Click this link to register:Elementary Physical Education Best Practices for Inclusion & COVID Considerations

April 7, 2022, 3:30-4:45 pm  PD Credit: 1.5 hours

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the training.

The 3 R’s of Educational Caregiver Restoration & Renewal 

OEA Choice Trust invites you to restore your energy and revitalize your spirits at a 90-minute highly engaging and experiential virtual retreat on Wednesday, April 27 at 3:15 p.m. This event is open to everyone working in public education. Dr. Jen Clifden will lead us in an exploration of the 3 Rs of educational caregiver restoration, sharing knowledge and leading us through personal reflection, guided contemplation, and mindful body movements that will be accessible to all abilities and inclusive of all backgrounds. Let's focus on you and your well-being! Go HERE for more information and to register. 

World Athletics Championships coming to Oregon! Your students and schools can get involved!

The World Athletics Championships are coming to the United States for the first time ever, July 15-24, 2022. The World Athletics Championships will draw over 200 of the best track and field athletes from over 200 countries around the world to Eugene, where they will compete at the University of Oregon’s reimagined Hayward Field.

Making Tracks Making Tracks, a youth engagement program created by the local organizing committee of the World Athletics Championships Oregon22, invites all youth across Oregon to be a part of the history, the cultural diversity, the global unity, and the excitement of the world coming to Oregon for the first World Athletics Championships to take place in the United States! 

NFL Flag Kit Applications open April 20-May 18, 2022

Share the news with your colleagues and apply for an NFL Flag Kit for your elementary, middle and/or high school. Kits, include equipment, curricula, nutrition tips, videos and more, with an estimated value of $410. This fast-growing team sport provides fun, inclusive ways for kids to be more active.  Apply April 20^th - May 18^th   

Also - Check out learning plans, resources and grant funding opportunities on Fuel Up to Play 60.  Grant applications for up to $4,000/school to advance healthy eating and physical activity will be open March 16 to April 13, 2022.  These grants provide opportunities to collaborate with the school nutrition director for schoolwide wellness initiatives.  Questions?  Contact Crista Hawkins, Sr. Director of Youth Wellness, Oregon Dairy and Nutrition Council, chawkins@odncouncil.org