Maine Resources

NUTRITION

Alternative Fundraisers A brochure developed by the Maine Department of Education.

Maine Dairy & Nutrition Council's Health Fair Packet may be reproduced for educational purposes. These are great resources for health fairs, newsletters and classroom activities.

Maine Department of Education's Rule 51
This chapter contains state regulations which supplement federal regulations pertaining to the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program and the School Milk Program.

Maine-ly Nutrition
The Maine-ly Nutrition Project provides teachers and school nurses with training and resources to implement nutrition education in the classroom. This project is open to Preschool - High School teachers and school nurses who teach in schools that have 50% or more of students eligible for free or reduced price meals. There is some funding available that allows us to offer this program to a limited number of K-8 schools that do not meet the low income guidelines.

To participate:
Each teacher submits an appropriate sign-on form committing to a minimum of 25 hours (15 hours for preschool teachers) to plan, teach, and assess nutrition education lessons during the school year.
The teacher then receives a minimum of $100 to purchase nutrition education resources for the classroom.
Teachers complete time logs and expense records, which are submitted to the Maine Nutrition Network office at the end of the school year.

MSAD #48 Nutrition Team developed the following documents:
Food As A Reward
Money Matters: A Guide to Healthy Fundraising
Snacks for Classroom Parties
Snack Time

What's MyPyramid? is an interactive teaching tool/game that conveys and reinforces key concepts of the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and MyPyramid Food Guidance System. What's MyPyramid? may be adapted for use with players of all ages and abilities. It has been piloted as part of educational programs with elementary, middle and high school students, young adults and senior citizens. What's MyPyramid? may be used with individuals or with groups of all sizes. There are many ways to use the tool depending upon the participant age, ability, group size and environment.

What's MyPyramid? may be borrowed from any county office of University of Maine Cooperative Extension

Power Up! was developed by Healthy Portland and addresses the following:

• Healthy School Stores
• Smart Fundraisers for Healthy Schools
• Alternatives to Food Rewards
• Quick & Easy Healthy School Party Snack Ideas
• Healthy School Snacks & Parties
• Healthy Food & Beverages for School Staff Meetings
• Healthy Food & Beverages for Student Activities

Grocers-Schools Snack Group, a collaboration of state wide organizations working together to promote healthy food choices, developed the following fact sheets:
Fuel Learning With Fruits & Vegetables!
Fuel Learning With Celebration Snacks!
Fuel Learning With Milk, Cheese and Yogurt!

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

PE4ME Final Report

All Children Exercising Simultaneously (ACES) Resource Manual
In 2003, the Maine Governor's Council on Physical Activity received funding from the Maine Cardiovascular Health Program, Maine CDC through a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to create an ACES Resource Manual. The manual provides planning and program suggestions, promotional materials, materials for students, a history of ACES, nutrition and physical activity resources, and much more. The 73-page manual can be downloaded by clicking on the above link. It is also available in hard copy for $5 each (to help cover postage and handling) by contacting dianec@mcd.org.

Physical Activity Challenges in Schools Policy Brief developed by the Maine Nutrition Network and is designed to provide information on key issues surrounding physical activity in the school environment. Data used in these briefs are from the most current sources available. The policy briefs may be reproduced and used to inform decision makers, laypersons and stakeholders impacted by the topic.

WELLNESS

School Wellness Toolkit
This free Wellness Activation Kit is designed to help students make positive changes in their eating and exercise habits. The Wellness Activation Kits that schools receive will include display pieces that can be used throughout the school and will feature kid-centric nutrition and "Play 60" messages. Online tools will support the Wellness Activation kits and will include items like a student "pledge" to eat healthy and be physically active, success stories, sticker art, and logos.

The wellness materials and Web site can be used to complement the school's wellness programs, or to help a school implement Game On! The Ultimate Wellness Challenge —a new (free) program from Action for Healthy Kids.

This program is available for the 2008/09 school-year, and is targeted at elementary and middle schools—though any school may order a kit. (One per school.)

Maine Department of Education Sample Local Wellness Policy

Maine Department of Education Sample Local Wellness Guidelines

The Coordinated School Health Programs Key Advisory Resource List is a directory of organizations throughout Maine and their resources that support a coordinated approach to school health.

The Julie and Brownie Healthy Choices Show has been designed to enlighten children and confirm the message of how important it is to make healthy choices for themselves. It's done with music, comedy, movement, fun, interaction, and audience participation. With their new show, "Healthy Choices" - Julie and Brownie cover many different topics… the show can be tailored toward any one main topic, such as healthy eating and exercise, diversity, tolerance or safety. With music, comedy, audience participation and visuals, Julie and Brownie are not just advising , but stimulating the children into making their own decisions and choices for themselves… more of an empowerment… and after all they will be the ones who will be making their own choices someday… so if they learn early to do it for themselves… hopefully that message will stay with them for a lifetime. A packet of information will be left with the school that includes game pages and educational material as well.

For more information visit:www.juliebrownie.com

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
Calories Count