NEWSLETTER #1 - 2020
Welcome to 2020 The SHE secretariat welcomes you all to a new year with an ever expanding emphasis on school health promotion. Our official external evaluation has given much positive credit to the work SHE has completed in 2019 and to the emphasis SHE provides in relation to health promotion in schools. In 2020, we will translate and pilot test the new tools created last year. and new tools will be provided. The SHE secretariat will provide updates as this work progresses. Mapping the status and development of health promoting schools will be continued and expanded in our member countries.
SHE board meeting, December 2019
New SHE PublicationsDo you know about the new SHE tools from 2019?
SHE School Manual 2.0 (methods to develop a health promoting school)
European Standards and Indicators (most significant areas to facilitate the implementation of effective health promoting school programmes)
Fact Sheet no. 5 (state of the art health promotion in schools in Europe)
Materials for Teachers (health competence development for teachers and students)
SHE Mapping Report (A cross-national study to map the level om implementation of health promotion in schools)
How to Succeed in Encouraging Teachers to Write About HealthIn 2019, 23 Slovenian teachers published articles in the SHE newsletter and/or the SHE social media platforms. This initiative started as a part of the Slovenian network’s regular meetings where important themes for the current school year and other health topics were presented by teachers. Sharing good practices via the SHE newsletter or social media ensures networking and the practical application of theory from lectures and workshops. The achievements in the field of school health promotion in Slovenia have given enormous amounts of pride and ownership of school health promotion for teachers. Read more.
Drinking Water at SchoolIn Kazakhstan’s Atyrau Region, 27 schools have made a commitment to become Health Promoting Schools. Easy access to drinking water is one of the main challenges for communities in the region and schools have made a commitment to improve drinking water accessibility. This commitment was supported by one of the largest investors in the region, and 216 drinking taps were installed in all 27 of these schools.
Slovenia: One Day Without a PhoneThe Slovenian Network of Health Promoting Schools has chosen a complex theme in 2020: Education in the real and the digital world. The wish is to raise awareness among teachers and other adults working professionally with young people and their parents of how to guide children in the process of developing social competencies .In November 2019 an all-Slovenian action took place: One Day at School and at Home Without a Phone! Read more.
Green Environment and Sustainability in SchoolsIn the Netherlands, the Government has requested a study to examine the possibilities of broadening the scope of the national Healthy School Programme with topics such as a Green environment and sustainability. Suggested sub-themes include indoor and outdoor environment, green playgrounds, plants in classrooms, waste separation, food consumption, food waste, energy saving and climate change.
The national coordinator from the Netherlands would like to hear from any of the other Health Promoting School Programs in Europe if they have incorporated this theme or the suggested sub-themes in their programs? How was this received by your schools? And how was it incorporated? Please contact Marije van Koperen with information from your country.
Children's Views of 'The Daily Mile' - New ResearchResearchers from Swansea University, Wales have published the first mixed-methods study on The Daily Mile, the school-based running programme that is delivered in over 10,000 schools worldwide. Emily Marchant from the SHE research group led the project which explored pupils, teachers and headteachers’ experiences and examined the effect on children’s fitness. Their findings provide a set of recommendations for schools for the effective implementation and sustainability of The Daily Mile. This is the first study to incorporate pupils’ views and highlights the importance of involving children in the design and delivery of programmes like The Daily Mile. See article and news article.
Noise Reduction in Polish SchoolsIn Danuta Primary School No.14 in Szczecin, 366 teachers and students worked to reduce noise during school time. The school considers the health of children as a priority and every day the school has activities to reduce noise levels at school and educate students about the importance of quietness. Read about noise reduction activities.
Social Sector's Network Helps Holistic Health PromotionIn Hungary, holistic health promotion for schools has been prescribed by law since 2012. Teachers are required to regularly support four health promoting tasks: 1) healthy eating; 2) daily physical education and other physical activities; 3) use of appropriate pedagogic methods and activities which support mental health; 4) improving health literacy. This article describes how the public health sector and other sectors help teachers with tasks 3 and 4. Read more.
Warning Heavy Schoolbags‘The Light Schoolbag’ is a nationwide information and educational campaign in Poland targeting elementary school students to prevent posture defects. In the School Complex in Goleniów, students in the Primary School, Work-Adaptation School and the First-grade Vocational School have had their schoolbags weighed. These activities draw the attention of teachers, children and parents to the issue of heavy schoolbags and how students can take better care of their bodies. Read more.
Visit SHE's Facebook ProfileDo you want to see more stories from health promoting schools? Visit SHE’s Facebook profile. We have lots of inspiration from schools throughout Europe – here you can read about health promoting tips and various activities. To be notified of new stories, click the ‘follow’ icon on the website. This helps SHE spread health promotion news in a school setting.
Poland: Mouth HygieneA school in Goleniów in Poland has entered the Amazing World of Mouth Hygiene. This program is recommended by the Polish Academy of Dental Prevention and the program provides good results. Read about the school's efforts.
Participatory Planning and Health Promotion in Bazilian SchoolsSHE defines student participation, empowerment and democracy as core values that ought to be part of school policies. But are these values only important in Europe? No, certainly not! Luciana Santos Collier, PhD in Bioscience and Health Teaching, from Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. explains how Brazilian Physical Education (PE) teachers often use participatory strategies in their classes. Read the article and see her powerpoint presentation from the SHE academy here.
