A r c h i v e d I n f o r m a t i o n

   ATTENTION:  EDUCATION EDITOR                        June 28, 1994                A review of current programs and projects at the            U.S. Department of Education. Use upon receipt.        CONTACT:  Melinda Kitchell  (202) 401-1008

FEDERAL GRANTS SUPPORT HEALTH EDUCATION

Teaching students about good health and healthy lifestyles is the goal of eight comprehensive school health education projects that will receive more than a million dollars from the U.S. Education Department. An additional $3.5 million will go to continue 23 health education projects started in fiscal years 1992 and 1993.

The Comprehensive School Health Education projects will train teachers and administrators in how to teach nutrition, safety, personal health and fitness, disease and accident prevention, and drug and alcohol abuse prevention. Funds also are used to involve community members and parents in the design, implementation, and evaluation of programs. Successful models will then be shared with other schools through the federally supported National Diffusion Network.

Among the projects:

HealthExpress 18, sponsored by Community School District 18 in Brooklyn, N.Y., will establish a partnership among teachers, parents and the community to improve the health knowledge, skills, attitudes and behavior of middle-school youth. The project will stress staff development through workshops, teacher coaching and teaching health in all subjects. Parents will be involved via a newsletter, workshops, and "Healthy Interactions" intergenerational clubs. To assist the community's immigrant population, a community health advocate will help coordinate social services.
In Oconto Falls, Wisc., the public schools will launch a three- year program, known as "Plant the Seeds," to strengthen teacher preparation and staff development. The school district will help educators integrate health education into the curriculum and enlist parents and other community members to help students make healthy lifestyle choices. Health issues the program will address include violence, drug and alcohol abuse, teen pregnancy, low-birth weight babies, HIV infection and nutrition.

The awards were issued under the Fund for Innovation in Education, authorized by the Elementary and Secondary School Improvement Amendments of 1988 (P.L. 100-297).

NOTE TO EDITORS: A list of grantees is attached.

                      Fund for Innovation in Education:                Comprehensive School Health Education Programs                        New Grants -- Fiscal Year 1994                                          CALIFORNIA    Irvine         Irvine Unified School District                                   Nancy Richards Colocino (714) 651-0444       $125,104                                 DISTRICT of COLUMBIA    Washington     District of Columbia Public Schools           148,681                   Constance R. Clark (202) 724-2406                                        GEORGIA                    Lawrenceville  Gwinnett County Public Schools                144,346                   Gwen Grant (404) 822-6525                                                                           MONTANA                    Helena         Montana Office of Public Instruction          102,950                   Spencer Sartorius (406) 444-4434                                       NEW YORK    Brooklyn       Community School District 18                  150,000                   Phyllis Gonon (718) 927-5204                                    SOUTH CAROLINA    Moncks Corner  Berkeley County School District               149,739                   Tena Hoyle (803) 572-0280                                         TEXAS                Houston        Texas Region IV Education Service Center      137,198                   W.L. McKinney (714) 744-6534                                       WISCONSIN                   Oconto Falls   Oconto Falls Public Schools                   150,000                   Cynthia Trettin (414) 846-4466                                                               TOTAL  $1,108,018