CFF School Garden Grant Program
This program administered by the California Fertilizer Foundation (CFF) offers a $1,200 unrestricted grant, a $50 gift card to Home Depot, and age-appropriate educational materials to California schools for gardening projects. At the end of each year, winning schools can re-apply for a progress grant of $1,500 and a free agricultural field trip.
http://www.calfertilizer.org/grant.htm
Deadline Date:
06/15/2008

Capta…

Childhood obesity is the public health crisis affecting the world!

Explore:
1) What lead to the current epidemic?
2) What research tells us about the schools’ influence on childhood obesity?
3) What schools can do?

USDA Eat Smart Play Hard
for free materials!

http://www.fns.usda.gov/EATSMARTPLAYHARD/
LISTEN HERE

Marian Wright Edelman wrote a great article for the Huffington Post on Bullying called "Let's Take it Seriously." She makes some compelling points in the post. Here's a few: "Bullying is the aggressive, intentional, physical, verbal or psychological abuse of a chosen victim carried out through a pattern of behavior that is repeated over time. It can take the form of violence, threats, name-calling or cyber attacks. Childr…

For freshmen students in California Public Schools physical fitness testing has a new meaning this year.



Pass 5 out of 6 fitness items or continue taking PE until you do. California's high schools have traditionally worked around Education Code and exempted students from taking PE in 11th and 12 grade. This year that will change as a result of the new legislation.

Under legislation taking effect this school year by Sen. Tom Torlakson, D-An…

As of May 19, 2008 Google Health went live and is a free service available for storing health records and health related information. I'm partial to the idea largely because about 5 years ago my insurance company folded right in the middle of a cancer diagnosis and about 3 days before I was scheduled for surgery. Needless to say I was scrambling for a new doctor but without any medical records I was at a complete loss. Not only was it fr…

The Ventura County Star ran a series of articles on physical education, physical activity and childhood obesity. See links below.........

Body-Brain Connection
According to Dr. Levin, medical director for the Ventura County Public Health Department, kids who play hard every day may be making their brains, as well as their bodies, stronger. Researchers have found that children who exercise on a regular basis have more neural activity in the fronta…

Deadline for Applications: July 15, 2008

Mattel and the Mattel Children's Foundation have announced they will continue the Mattel Domestic Grantmaking Program, which provides funding for organizations benefiting children in the United States.

Mattel's funding priorities include: programs that directly and effectively impact children with demonstrated needs (physical, financial, emotional, and health- related); preferences to pro…

A playground fight which occurred in physical education during a game of tag has led to a lawsuit by an elementary-school student and his mother against the Tucson Unified School District.

The student was attacked while playing tag. He was knocked to the ground, kicked which severely lacerated his spleen, said plaintiff's attorney Richard Gonzales. The victim ended up staying 6 days in the hospital.

The victim's mother accused the scho…

Remember the elementary school playground in Texas last year where the wood chips caused a spontaneous combustion fire? The school district is suing three companies that provided the wood chips and playground equipment that were destroyed in an August 9 fire at Beth Anderson Elementary School, Arlington, Texas. The district contends that the wood chips caused the fire. The district said it paid $220,000 to cover the affected playgrounds with 3…

Tracy Bale, a new principal at Spencer County High School in Kentucky set out to make some changes to school culture. But unlike what most principals resort to in "getting schools back in control" (by adding new rules) he focused on building new relationships.

Bale's advice for other educators who want to build a school environment that supports learning: show you care. "A high-achieving school is a school where adults care…

Nationally Rated Best in Class
A panel of experts representing 27 national organizations and government agencies gave the Peaceful Playgrounds Physical Activity Program their highest rating of excellent! Their Best in Class Award noted the program brought about "whole school change."

Peaceful Playgrounds received the award for addressing a number of national physical activity standards and Action for Healthy Kids Goals.

1. Provide daily…

The Washington Post series on the Childhood Obesity Epidemic began on Sunday, May 18 and continues through May 22. It is the position of the Washington Post that "we are all responsible for the childhood obesity epidemic: parents, government, schools, communities, companies, the health system. This five-day series searches for solutions."

Topics for the 5 day series on Childhood Obesity are listed below and can be reached at the follo…

"Ultimately, at the end of the day, we are making decisions that benefit all students," said Hawaii DOE Superintendent Patricia Hamamoto. She was speaking about Hawaii's recent legislation that requires physical activity and makes dramatic changes in the way school lunches are prepared and served. Over the next four years schools are required to phase out foods and drinks high in fat and sugar and will be promoting more healthy f…

Peaceful Playgrounds attended the National Elementary School Principals' Conference last month in Nashville, TN. During the conference a new exhibitor and NAESP partner School Tube interviewed Andrea Bossenmeyer from Peaceful Playgrounds.

School Tube Video of Peaceful Playgrounds.

Click to Request An Information Packet

Go Visit Produce for Kids to get:

For Kids
healthy recipe ideas for kids'tips for kids IE: Why fruits & veggies are good for you, brain food for all that you do & a food guide pyramid for kids
as well as fun games for kids with Curious George, the cookie monster and many more colorful friends.
For Adults
Register to win a family vacationRecipes for the whole familyResources for topics like obesity, FAQs on childhood, and the PFK advisory…

Listen to Podcast on Bullying Programs. Why bullying programs fail or succeed.
Thirty-Six states have passed anti-bullying legislation which is indicative of the growing concern over bullying in schools. The tipping point for bullying has been the school shootings where 3/4 of all shooters reported being bullied or harassed. Clearly, bullying has captured the nation’s attention.

This podcast reviews the components and philosophy behind bullying…

Florida legislature passes what is being described as the nations toughest bullying law called the "Jeffrey Johnston Stand Up for All Kids Act". The new bullying legislation passed the Senate and Governor Crist has indicated that he'll sign it into law according to Nick.com.

Jeffrey Johnson was a student that took his own life after three years of experiencing bullying at school and on the internet. His mother, Debbie Johnson lead…

I read an article today that definitely fits into the "pretending not to know what we know" category identified by esteemed educational researcher Carl Glickman. Such was the title of an article by Glickman in the early 80's . I think his reasoning is still applicable today.... Consider the story below.

In San Diego, CA Physical Education teacher Jessica Casilla encourages students to, "Come walk. Come on, warm up that body…

WASHINGTON, May 6 (UPI) -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a voluntary recall of Playground Swing Sets made by Playworld Systems Inc. of Lewisburg, Pa. No injuries have been reported but the clevis that holds the swing can wear down, causing the swing to detach, creating a falling hazard, a CPSC statement said.

The swing sets were sold through authorized dealers from January 2007 through February 2008 for between $770 and $…

AZ lawmakers to decide if recess should be mandatory By Howard FischerCapitol Media Services Tucson, Arizona |

PHOENIX — State lawmakers are weighing whether to elevate recess to the same level as readin’, writin’ and 'rithmetic as required subjects.
Legislation awaiting state House action this week would require schools to provide at least 30 minutes of recess each day for students in grades one through six on top of the minimum 20 minutes th…

Teaching Tolerance offers grants for programs that engage collaboration between educators, researchers, parents/guardians and student groups that aim to equalize students' experience in schools. Teaching Tolerance Grants have funded Peaceful Playgrounds Programs in past competitions.

Such programs might include equitable discipline policies and practices; consistent educational experience for migrant, homeless or foster-care students; specia…

The got milk campaign is taking time to reward Mom's for being the nutritional gatekeepers in their homes and for keeping kids healthy! Mom's are being dubbed the 72% solution, because it has been discovered that moms influence 72% of what kids eat and drink.

This campaign is being called Project Mom. Moms can be rewarded with a $100,000 paycheck, for keeping their kids healthy. The campaign notes, one small change like serving lowfa…

Boston apparel maker Life is good Inc. has agreed to pay $50,000 to settle claims that it distributed children's sweatshirts with drawstrings that could be hazardous and failed to notify government regulators about it according to the Boston Globe.
The drawstrings have caused injuries and even death when they have gotten tangled on such items as playground equipment, bus doors, and cribs, regulators said. No one was reported injured by the L…

The National Association for Sport and Physical Education has just released a new document for use by Principals: Suggested Job Interview Questions for Prospective Physical Education Teachers.

Research indicates that hiring quality teachers is the single best indicator of student learning. Another important aspect of student learning is a teacher's general understanding of the standards, issues and trends relative to all the content areas …