ADE Director's Communication Memo Form


Memo Number : FIN-07-067

Date Created : 06/05/2007

Attention:

Superintendents
Co-op Directors
High School Principals
other: ACSIP Coordinators
Middle/Junior High Principals
6-8 Grades

Type of Memo: Informational
Response Required: Optional
   
Section:   Fiscal and Administrative Services - William J. Goff, Assistant Commissioner
Subject:
ACSIP Resource for Wellness Priority-Planet Health Teacher Training

Regulatory Authority:
N/A

Contact Person:
Sheila Brown

Phone Number:
501-324-9502

E-mail:
Sheila.Brown@Arkansas.gov

As a result of a Wellness Grant from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) Child Nutrition Unit (CNU) has available a limited number of innovative, research-based, interdisciplinary Planet Health curriculum developed and tested by the Harvard School of Public Health. The Planet Health curriculum has four simple health themes integrated into physical education, language arts, math, science and social studies classes. THE PLANET HEALTH CURRICULUM HAS BEEN CORRELATED TO THE ARKANSAS CURRICULUM FRAMEWORKS. The grant to CNU designated funds to assist schools with implementation of the Wellness Priority Protocol as part of the Arkansas Consolidated School Improvement Plan (ACSIP) process.

To receive the FREE Planet Health curriculum, 6th – 8th grade teachers must attend a one-day workshop on implementation of the curriculum. Planet Health focuses on improving the health and well-being of students while building and reinforcing skills in language arts, math, science, social studies and physical education. For maximum results, teachers should be willing to continue the curriculum for a minimum of 3 years.

Teachers in every content area subject will give this fun, flexible and comprehensive curriculum an enthusiastic thumbs-up. The curriculum includes:
- 63 ready-to-use lesson plans, including 30 five-minute micro units,
- 4 At A Glance charts that list lessons by subject and theme,
- Power Down, a two-week campaign to reduce television-viewing time, which can be launched in the classroom and school-wide,
- FitCheck, a self-assessment tool to help students track and improve activity levels, and
- Reproducible student worksheets.

WHAT:
Planet Health Teacher Training Workshop

AUDIENCE:
Grade 6-8 language arts, math, science, social studies, health and physical education teachers

TIME:
10:00am – 3:00pm

WHERE / WHEN:
Crowley’s Ridge Coop., Harrisburg - July 23
DeQueen/Mena Coop., Gillham - July 26
*South Central Coop., Camden - July 27
*OUR Coop., Harrison - July 31
Arch Ford Coop., Plumerville - August 2
South East Coop., Monticello - August 3
*Northwest Coop., Springdale - August 6
Great Rivers Coop., Helena - August 8

*There is a charge by the cooperative for participants attending at these locations.

See ESC Works Event Calendar for location and registration. Each participant must register with ESC Works.

All participants in the workshop will receive a copy of the Planet Health curriculum free of charge. Each participant must agree to incorporate the curriculum into classroom instruction for the 2007-2008, 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 School Years. Workshop attendance is limited. Registration will be accepted on a first received basis. Since grant funds are used to fund this project, the supply of curriculum is also limited. Advance notification will be given if there are insufficient quantities of the curriculum to provide each participant a copy. Multiple teachers from the same school will be allowed to attend the workshop if space is available, even if curriculum is not. If additional funds become available, curriculum will be provided to participants who attend and do not receive a copy at the workshop.

Attachments:
    None

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