June: National Safety Month
Each June, the National Safety Council encourages organizations to get involved and participate in National Safety Month. Each week carries a theme that brings attention to critical safety issues. The 2011 dates & themes are: June 1-4, kickoff; June 5-11, Preventing Overexertion; June 12-18, Teen Driving Safety; June 19-25, Preventing Slips, Trips and Falls; and June 26-30, On the Road, Off the Phone. Visit www.nsc.org/nsc_events/Nat_Safe_Month/Pages/home.aspx for more information.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency also has a safety guide available just in time for National Safety Month titled "Are You Ready? In-depth guide to Citizen Preparedness." Find it at www.ready.gov or visit FEMA's homepage at www.fema.gov, or call FEMA's publications warehouse at 800-480-2520.
Help combat tooth decay
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tooth decay affects children in the United States more than any other chronic infectious disease. Untreated tooth decay causes pain and infections that may lead to problems eating, speaking, playing and learning.
Tooth decay and other oral diseases that can affect children are preventable. The combination of dental sealants and fluoride has the potential to nearly eliminate tooth decay in school-age children. Visit www.cdc.gov for information on school dental sealant programs.
Also, teachers or school nurses can find healthy tooth resources at http://www.colgate.com/BrightSmilesBrightFutures/v2/US/EN/guides/Bright-Smiles-Bright-Futures-2-3.pdf. The site includes access to posters, guides, 28-day brushing logs for students, tooth team challenges, videos, math journals, templates for a 3-D mouth model, certificates, and lesson plans.
Crisis help
The National Education Association's Health Information Network has created "The School Crisis Guide" in order to foster the creation of crisis teams with the ideas, tips, tools, and resources that spur effective leadership and crisis management. The guide, made possible through a grant from the Sprint Foundation, is available in hard copy or as a free PDF Download. Visit http://www.neahin.org/educator-resources/school-crisis-guide.html, or call 877-250-5795.
Support for teens
Teen Health & Wellness: Real Life, Real Answers, an online resource, provides middle school and high school students with nonjudgmental, straightforward, self-help support. Topics include diseases, drugs, alcohol, mental health, suicide prevention, bullying, green living, nutrition, financial literacy, and more. Visit http://www.teenhealthandwellness.com for more information. (The site is highly ranked by School Library Journal.)