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WeArePublicHealth.org twitter.com/Maricopahealth facebook.com/MCDPH

Parent

Ambassadors:

Empowering

Parents to Create

Healthier Schools

Fatima Hernandez, MS

Program Coordinator, Office of Public Health Policy

Maricopa County Department of Public Health

How it all started…

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MCDPH and AZPHTC partnered to create the Parent Ambassadors Program.

Formed under the idea that parents can be the driving vehicle to create healthy

school environments.

Training curriculum was compiled by graduate students from the Mel and Enid

Zuckerman College of Public Health.

Parent Ambassadors Pilot Training March 2012

Schools and Parents

� Why schools?

– Schools are the one place where children spend the majority of their time

– Schools play a critical role in the health of a child by establishing a safe and supportive environment with policies and practices that support healthy behaviors (CDC)

� Why parents?

– Parents play a vital part in creating healthier schools.

– Parents can advocate for school health/wellness and success

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Childhood Obesity

� Overweight children are at increased risk for becoming obese.

� When children become obese they are at risk for chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and Type 2 Diabetes, which in turn elevate risk for cardiovascular and other diseases early in life.

� An increasing proportion of obese children will influence population health for an entire generation.

� If the current obesity trend continues, approximately 50 percent of the adult population will be obese by 2030.

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Health and Academics

� Schools everywhere are challenged to improve

the academic success of their students.

� We know that

– healthy, fit children are more successful students.

– healthy well-fed children perform better in school

and have better concentration, improved

mathematics, readings and writing test scores,

less troublesome behavior, and better attendance.

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Parental Involvement

� Schools with involved parents become better schools.

� Children with involved parents are more likely to:– earn higher grades and test scores

– enroll in more advanced programs

– pass their classes

– be promoted to next grade level

– attend school regularly

– have better social skills

– show better behavior/settle in well to school

– graduate and go on to college *

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Who better to explain the

program…

� http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3Rcw4

Wyduo

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� Mission: To improve school health through

well-informed, active, and engaged parents

that advocate for health policy, systems, and

environmental initiatives.

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Parent Ambassador Training

� The program begins with a

comprehensive training that

combines evidence-based curriculum

addressing:

– Public health

– School health

� Programs, resources, LSWP

– How to work with schools

– Advocacy skills

– Action Planning

� Identify school health needs

and strategize to address

them

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Across Maricopa County

� The program partners with school

districts and community

organizations across the valley

� Focus on building a network of

well-informed parents that can

make meaningful contributions to

creating healthy school

environments

Parent Ambassadors

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� Parent Ambassador

Curriculum:

1. Introduction to Public

Health

2. Schools and Public

Health

3. Introduction to

Advocacy

4. Understanding and

Working with Schools

5. Action Planning

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Enroll in Parent

Ambassador Training

Participate in

two-day training class

Learn about

public health, health and

education, and advocacy

Work in groupsCreate an action

plan

Advocate and

implement the action plan

Follow up and

updates/Join alumni group

Action Plan Topics

� Nutrition

� Physical Activity

� Sanitation

� Bullying/mental health

� School staff wellness

� School safety

� Health education

� Community engagement

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Parent Success Stories

� PHYSICAL ACTIVITY: Parent Ambassadors

teamed up with their school’s PE teacher to

develop and implement a Morning Stretch

Routine to get kids physically active before

school. (PUSD)

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Parent Success Stories

� NUTRITON AND EXERCISE LESSONS: Parent Ambassadors identified that students at their school were not learning about nutrition and exercise, so they teamed up with their school nurse to teach these lessons to fourth and fifth grade classes at their school. (PUSD)

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Parent Success Stories

� HEALTHY FOOD

RESOLUTION: Two

Parent Ambassadors

created a resolution for

their classroom and

campaigned in the

school to forgo cake and

ice cream and celebrate

birthdays with healthy

food instead. (PUSD)

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Parent Success Stories

� GRIEF COUNSELING TRAINING FOR TEACHERS: After losing their son to a tragic accident and having no resources for their other children to deal with the grief, a Parent Ambassador Mom and Dad are now implementing a Grief Counseling Training for teachers and staff to help grieving students across their district. (PUSD)

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Parent Success Stories

� SCHOOL GARDEN: Parent Ambassadors worked together to set a future goal of creating a school garden focused around nutrition and wellness. They have met regularly and developed a layout plan, have won a small gift card after submitting pictures and request to a local nursery. They are also working with the Assistant Principal and Principal to garner volunteer support. (PUSD)

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Parent Success Stories

� ANTI-BULLYING: Parent Ambassadors were concerned with bullying at their school. Parents observed that many times conflict would occur due to a lack of direction and supervision during recess time, so they have committed to volunteering their time for a solution. Their action plan is to implement structured recess. (RSD)

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� School Health Index Program

– School Health Advisory Councils

– Wellness Councils

– PTOs/PTAs

� District Local School Wellness Policy

Alignment

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Parent Ambassadors Video

� https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=443

709465694692

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Partners

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The Arizona Public Health Training Center

Parent Ambassador Facilitators

� Train the Facilitator

� 2-day training to become a certified Parent

Ambassador Facilitator

� GVAHEC public health and social work interns

� Parents!

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Parent Ambassadors 2014

� Trained over 500 parents across eight school districts in Maricopa County

– Peoria Unified School District

– Litchfield Elementary School District

– Washington Elementary School District

– Roosevelt School District

– Mesa Public Schools

– Osborn School District

– Balsz School District

– Glendale Elementary School District

� First Annual Parent Ambassadors Summit (August 2014)

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Contact

Fatima Hernandez, MS

Program Coordinator

Maricopa County Department of Public Haelth

Cell: 602-639-0511

Email: FatimaHernandez@mail.maricopa.gov

www.parentsforschoolhealth.org

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