School Health & Safety

SEPTEMBER 2019 | EDUCATIONANDCAREERNEWS.COM

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SCHOOL HEALTH & SAFETY

Tamera MowryHousley The mother and talkshow host talks about how she gets her kids prepared for going back to school

Why it’s important to get involved in after-school sports ONLINE follow these guidelines to keep your child’s school safe

Why We Need to Sound the Alarm for School Safety The silent panic button could be an effective first line of defense against school tragedies.

On Valentine’s Day 2018, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida was the scene of the most tragic and devastating mass shooting in U.S. history.

On that day, Lori Alhadeff lost her daughter Alyssa.

Not only was ineptitude and inaction among law enforcement officials to blame, but emergency preparedness was completely absent.

Shortly after, Lori Alhadeff created a national nonprofit organization called Make Our Schools Safe. The mission is to improve the safety of schools, increase research, and test best security practices. One of their initiatives, the Alyssa Law, which calls for the placement of silent panic buttons in all public schools, has already been signed into law in New Jersey.

The safety of all of our children in the United States is in our hands. As Alhadeff says, “your voice is your power.” Use your voice to pass this essential legislation mandating the use of silent panic buttons in schools today.

Lori Kitaygorodsky, Communications Director, Make Our Schools Safe

These 3 Steps Can Help Parents Help Teachers Help Their Children There’s a lot parents can do to ensure their children get the best, and safest, education possible. Start with these three tips.

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he new school year brings a lot of “new” into your life as a parent: new morning routines, new after-school activities, new classmates to know, and new homework to worry about. Making friends with your child’s teacher might not be on your radar, but it should be!

Teaching the teachers As parents, we know our children better than anyone else, and we can provide their teachers with invaluable information. Who else knows your child is taking longer than usual to complete their math homework or hasn’t stopped talking about the upcoming science fair?

When we share information about our children’s daily lives, it helps their teachers get to know them as individuals and empowers them to adapt lessons to meet their needs. Here are three ways you can partner with your children’s teachers to support their success: 1. During your initial meeting, discuss how you and your children’s teachers will communicate throughout the year — in frequency and format. Encourage their teachers to reach out to you, and contact them whenever you have questions, concerns, or even exciting news.

2. L ook in your children’s backpacks every day, and frequently view the parent portal for assignments, grades, and important information from their teachers and school administrators.

3. A ctively participate at school and volunteer in the classroom when you can. This not only supports their teachers, but also gives you a behind-the-scenes look at what goes on in your children’s school.

Keep the conversation going It’s also important to encourage your children to talk about their day and express any concerns. An open, ongoing dialogue will help you understand your children’s experiences in school and what activities they like and don’t like; help you obtain information to share with their teachers; and help keep your children safe, happy, and learning.

The great thing about developing relationships with your children’s teachers is that it helps ensure your children receive the support they need before they are struggling. When we partner in our children’s learning, we empower teachers and ourselves to give the best to help our children grow and thrive. n Leslie Boggs, President, National PTA

Publisher Abigail Hanania, Sara Defelice Business Developer Joelle Hernandez Managing Director Luciana Olson Lead Designer Tiffany Pryor Designer Celia Hazard Lead Editor Mina Fanous Copy Editor Seth Garben Director of Sales Shannon Ruggiero Director of Business Development Jourdan Snyder Director of Product Faye Godfrey Content Strategist Vanessa Rodriguez Cover Photo Ashley Burns Photography All photos are credited to Getty Images unless otherwise specified. This section was created by Mediaplanet and did not involve USA Today.

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The Right Headgear Can Reduce Soccer Concussions Kids aren’t going to stop playing concussion-prone sports. But effective new headgear can help prevent those dangerous accidents.

Concussions in soccer are a growing concern. To test whether headgear may help, a National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment-funded study run by Dr. McGuine’s team at the University of Wisconsin examined approximately 2,700 U.S. high school players over two years. The team tested five different protections with differing properties; and half of the players wore headgear, while the other half did not.

The peer-reviewed study did not find significant benefits when the results of the various products were lumped together. However, the supplementary data revealed wide differences among the individual products. Specifically, players who wore the Storelli ExoShield Head Guard experienced an average 50 percent lower risk of concussions. When accounting for gender, there was a 60 percent decrease for females, and concussion rates for this cohort dropped from 6.5 percent to 2.7 percent. The Storelli ExoShield was the only product to lead to a statistically significant reduction.

These results should be followed by more research and encourage soccer administrators to seriously consider headgear as a means of reducing concussions.

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Turn “Good Morning” Into a Good Morning Routine for Your Child Developing executive functioning skills early through practical routines before school can have immense payoff down the line.

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s a parent, mornings are anything but easy and relaxed.

Establishing a morning routine can help not only ease this daily process but also facilitate the development of executive function skills.

How to execute Executive function skills help us organize information, manage time, act appropriately, and complete steps to reach a goal. In particular, your child will develop: self-control, which will help them get started on time and stay on track; working memory, the ability to remember what is part of the routine and what steps need completing; and mental flexibility, the ability to adjust the routine if something unexpected comes up (like spilling juice on the shirt they planned to wear to school).

Start by deciding on the tasks in the routine and talking them out. For example, you

can say, “First, go to the bathroom and then brush your teeth. Next, get dressed and eat breakfast. Last, grab your lunch and backpack, and out the door we go!”

One step at a time Furthermore, teach your child how to do each step in the routine. Kids need to see how to do the steps, not just be told. You can also incorporate step-by-step instructions and post them where they can be easily seen. Use a picture list if your child can’t read yet.

Remember that some children learn tasks more quickly or slowly than others.

Don’t give up! Continue to guide your child until they are successful. If you have any concerns about your child’s abilities, don’t hesitate to bring it up with your healthcare provider. n Melissa Medellin, Pathways.org

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Playing High School Sports Is the Best Predictor of a Successful Career Studies have shown that participation in high school sports can prove even more important to long-term success than good grades or standardized test scores.

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s high school students head back to school this year, more than 50 percent of them will be i nvolve d i n ac t iv it ies unavailable in most countries — sports within an education-based system.

Bursting at the seams Despite the ever-growing number of distractions diverting teenager attention today, participation in high school sports has increased every year since 1988, according to surveys from the National Federation of State High School Associations and its 51-member state high school associations.

The latest survey from the 2017–18 school year revealed an all-time record high of 7,980,886 participants in high school sports, which broke down to 3,415,306 girls and 4,565,580 boys. The last time participation dipped was between the 1987–88 and 1988–89 school years, with a decline of about 19,000 participants.

All-around support High school sports — and other activity programs such as speech, debate, and music — support the academic mission of schools. As illustrated in studies like the “Case for High School Activities” performed by the NFHS, students who participate in sports and other activities have higher grade point averages, better attendance records, and lower dropout rates.

Students in sports and other activity programs report development in

discipline, self-confidence, and ability to handle difficult situations. These programs provide lessons in teamwork and sportsmanship that aren’t as readily available in the classroom.

But more importantly However, surveys have indicated that the No. 1 reason high school students participate in sports is to have fun. In fact, one survey indicated that boys ranked “winning” No. 8 among the reasons they participate in high school sports.

Many high school students agree the primary advantage of playing a sport or participating in an after-school activity is the opportunity to meet new people and develop meaningful friendships. An online chat is no substitute for working toward a common goal face-to-face, sideby-side, for weeks on end with teammates.

High school sports are also instrumental in helping teenagers establish nutritional and exercise habits that will carry them throughout life. However, perhaps the greatest long-term benefit of sports participation in high school is that is fosters success later in life. More so than grades in high school or college or high SAT or ACT scores, surveys have indicated that participation in high school sports is a better predictor of success in both a career and as a contributing member of society. n Bruce Howard, Director of Publications and Communications, National Federation of State High School Associations MEDIAPLANET • 5

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Children Should Be at the Center of All Plans to Promote Safety at School The prevalence of mass shootings at schools has motivated administrators and parents to get serious about safety. The kids shouldn’t be absent from those conversations.

With every unbearable school shooting, the nation turns its emotions to politics, politicians, policy, and anger. But the focus should be on the students.

Students happen to be the first line of intelligence against crime. Anonymous reporting is a must. Students know the trends and changes in bullying and cyberbullying. They are aware of the newest drugs, drinks, and who is selling what. They are on top of the latest app, chatroom, social media platform, and gaming device — as well as who is being approached online for questionable activity.

Harvesting the information students possess is critical, and providing them with an anonymous way to share it is an absolute must. Students shouldn’t have to fear retaliation, and so they must be able to share their observations freely.

At the other end, those fielding the information need to be seasoned investigators who know both what to ask and how to critically respond.

So many dangers can be mitigated and completely thwarted by starting with the students, the first line of intelligence. Invest in them directly, find solutions with them directly, and watch campuses change.

Rania Mankarious, MA, JD CEO, Crime Stoppers of Houston

Tamera MowryHousley Discusses How to Prepare Your Kid Before School Starts The actress, known for her role on “Sister, Sister” and co-host of “The Real,” knows what it takes to prepare a child for going back to school ­­— learn how she finds ways to prioritize her son’s education.

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amera Mowry-Housley, mother of two, actress, and Emmyaward winning co-host of “The Real” talk show, is embarking on a journey familiar to all mothers: preparing her son for his first day back to school. For Mowry-Housley, this means preparation in many different forms. First, she focuses on introducing her son, Aden, to the idea of responsibility.

A great responsibility “I’m so grateful that Aden’s preschool and kindergarten teachers prepared him on all levels,” Mowry-Housley shares, “[especially] how to be respectful and aware of communicating his

feelings.” For parents like Mowry-Housley, finding a community of like-minded teachers and parents is essential. “It really does take a village,” she says.

“Whatever is being taught at school, we try to emulate that at home.”

On a schedule Another back-to-school prep hack Mowry-Housley practices is getting her son back on a school schedule one month before classes actually start. “Also, take advantage of those back-to-school sales,” she urges other parents. “Stuff starts to add up quickly, so know when the sales hit.”

But there’s more to it than just hitting up those backto-school sales. As a busy

mother of two, Mowry-Housley knows how essential it is to have your life in order.

“Get your schedule together as soon as you can,” she says. “Don’t wait, especially if the kids are playing sports or have extracurricular activities. Having a schedule together for the whole family becomes your best friend. Also, make sure you put all special events from the school calendar into your personal calendar. That way you will never forget.”

An open book As a co-host of “The Real,” Mowry-Housley has established herself as someone who doesn’t shy away from sharing personal aspects of her life. She has also become known for her openness about the realities of parenting in today’s world, and that frankness is something many mothers can benefit from. As someone who is very much in the public eye, she is free with her advice to other parents out there.

“It’s tough to give an opinion on the entire school system in the country,” she says. “But there is one thing we can all agree upon and do: get involved. Volunteer.

It costs nothing. However big or small, your voice matters. Support your children and teachers.” n Lauren Hogan

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