Health in Action
puts health and physical education activities at your fingertips
This database provides hundreds of health and physical education activity ideas in one central online search site where activities can be viewed, searched, re-sorted, and printed. Written by Mississippi teachers, the lesson plans available on Health in Action are designed specifically to help educators fulfill the requirements of the Mississippi Healthy Students Act.
Governor's Commission on Physical Fitness & Sports Awards Reception
The 2007 awards reception was held on the evening of March 4th at the Governor's Mansion in downtown Jackson. Over 30 schools received Gold, Silver or Bronze award designations and the opportunity to meet Governor & First Lady Barbour. To view pictures of this event click on the provided link.
School-Based Body Mass Index (BMI)
School-based body mass index (BMI) School-based body mass index (BMI) measurement has attracted much attention across the nation from researchers, school officials, legislators, and the media as a potential approach to address obesity among youth.
Improving the health of our students is more than just a good idea or a nice gesture; it’s a crucial investment in the future of Mississippi. Our “Health is Academic” initiative is designed to ensure that all of our school children are fit, healthy and ready to succeed!
Take a look at how our schools are already working to improve the health of Mississippi’s students and submit your own Success Story.
Opportunities for Success
The 2008 MAHPERD ON THE MOVE Conference will be held on November 3 - 4, 2008 at Mississippi College in Clinton, MS. For more information including to register visit the MAHPERD website.
Last years conference was held on November 9-10 on the campus of Mississippi College in Clinton, Mississippi. The conference provided presentations on topics such as school health policies, programs, initiatives, and many other wonderful resources available for teachers. Thank you to everyone involved in making the 2007 conference a great success.
Pictures from 2007 Conference
2007 Conference Program
Click here for registration information
Healthy School Environments Measuring Up
The  Health is Academic initiative is proving to be a successful investment in achieving healthy school environments. Many schools and districts throughout Mississippi are now making improvements in nutrition and physical activity. The Office of Healthy Schools would like to recognize school successes in promoting a healthy school environment to support the link between the health of students and academic achievement. Please submit a success reporting form to have your school included in these many Mississippi successes. For more information please contact Christine Philley at cphilley@mde.k12.ms.us.
Mississippi Provides Children a Safe School Environment
The  health and well-being of children greatly depends on the quality and safety of their physical and social/emotional environment at school. Well-designed school buildings, grounds and transportation systems are all necessary to provide safe settings for children. In addition, schools have a responsibility to address emotional and social conditions that create positive school climates. To guide schools in addressing the elements necessary for creating Safe and Orderly Schools, the Office of Healthy Schools has designed a template that may be used to develop a School Safety Manual.
Healthy Schools = Healthy Communities
Promoting student wellness is essential for a number of reasons. Not only does student wellness impact student achievement, but it also it also has an economic effect on school districts. When student attendance is linked to the level of funding for schools, absences resulting from unhealthy children can significantly affect schools financially. With the development and implementation of a Local School Wellness Policy, the entire community is encouraged to become involved in promoting wellness and prevention practices that benefit all citizens.
Mississippians know first hand the importance of hurricane preparedness in reducing the effects of a hurricane disaster. The Mississippi Department of Education in conjunction with key state agencies has developed a thorough emergency evacuation plan that will be put in place when activated by the MS Emergency Management Agency (MEMA).
 Vending Regulations for Mississippi Schools
In 2006 the Mississippi Board of Education adopted a policy regulating the food and beverage items that can be sold to students. To stay up-to-date with policies and current information regarding food and beverage vending items, visit Vending Regulations for Mississippi Schools.
Health and Learning Go Hand in Hand
 Schools represent an environment where children can learn to succeed academically as well as learn to make healthy lifestyle choices necessary to become productive adults. An effective approach works in partnership with school staff and parents and extends out into the community. Coordinated school health should be designed to meet each communities' specific needs; however, our office has provided a guide to Coordinated School Health Implementation.
Is a self-assessment tool for schools to identify their strengths and weakness in order to develop an appropriate action plan to improve school nutrition and physical activity.
Resources for Preventing Heat Induced Illness
In late Summer of 2007 Mississippi students experienced record breaking high temperatures across the state as they began a new school year. These conditions placed further strain on student athletes training for fall sports, especially football. This fact hit home in Mount Olive on August 8th when Lonnie Magee, a 17 year old, 6 feet 4 inch, 295 pound football player died on the practice field from heat stroke. From 1995 to 2006, there were 31 heat related deaths of middle and high school football players nationwide. Heat stroke is the third leading cause of mortality in high school athletes.
In response to these sobering statistics, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Committee on Sports Medicine and Fitness published a policy in July 2000 titled, “Climatic Heat Stress and the Exercising Child and Adolescent.” When exposed to high temperatures, children and adolescents do not adapt as effectively as adults. Heat stress is measured using the Water Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT). This temperature takes into account the ambient temperature, humidity and the direct solar radiation of the sun. The WBGT apparatus is available commercially, but the same WBGT can be estimated using the Heat Stress Advisor.
Based on this information, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the following for children and adolescents:
- The intensity of activities that last 15 minutes or more should be reduced whenever relative humidity, solar radiation, and air temperature are above critical levels. For example, for WBGT 75-78.9 F, longer rest periods in shade with drinking every 15 minutes are recommended; for WBGT 79-84 F, limit the activity of acclimatized persons and stop activity for unacclimatized persons; and for WBGT greater than or equal to 85, cancel all athletic activities.
- At the beginning of a strenuous exercise program or after traveling to a warmer climate, the intensity and duration of exercise should be limited initially and then gradually increased during a period of 10 to 14 days to accomplish acclimatization to the heat. When such a period is not available, the length of time for participants during practice and competition should be curtailed.
- Before prolonged physical activity, the child should be well-hydrated. During the activity, periodic drinking should be enforced (eg, each 20 minutes 150mL [5 oz] of cold tap water or a flavored salted beverage for a child weighing 40kg (88lbs) and 250mL [9 oz] for an adolescent weighing 60kg (132lbs), even if the child does not feel thirsty. Weighing before and after a training session can verify hydration status if the child is weighed wearing little or no clothing.
- Clothing should be light-colored and lightweight and limited to one layer of absorbent material to facilitate evaporation of sweat. Sweat-saturated garments should be replaced by dry garments. Rubberized sweat suits should never be used to produce loss of weight.
In closing, I will share with you a direct quote from the first paragraph of the AAP policy, “Climatic Heat Stress and the Exercising Child and Adolescent.”
Heat-induced illness is preventable. Physicians, teachers, coaches, and parents need to be aware of the potential hazards of high-intensity exercise in hot or humid climates and to take measures to prevent heat-related illness in children and adolescents. PEDIATRICS Vol. 106 No. 1 July 2000, pp. 158-159
Schools and school district personnel are encouraged to consider the health needs of student athletes in extreme temperatures. Pediatricians across Mississippi are requesting that school districts adopt policies and/or procedures that will protect the health of their students.
For additional Information, contact Eric Harding, MD, FAAP, Member, MS Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics, Internal Medicine and Pediatric Clinic of New Albany 488 West Bankhead, New Albany, MS 38652 phone: 662/534-0898, or by email.
Additional resources: Fairfax County (Virginia) Public School District heat stress policy
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