GMS Changes
Changes have been made to the Gold Medal Schools program due to budget cuts. Read a list of program changes.

Not all changes apply to schools in the Davis, Ogden, and Weber school districts.

Please contact your local health department or the Gold Medal Schools program if you have questions.

Changing the Scene
If your school is going for the Gold level this year you will be choosing criteria that is part of the United States Department of Agriculture’s Changing the Scene Program. The Changing the Scene- Improving the School Nutrition Environment is a tool kit that addresses the entire school nutrition environment. This kit can help you take action to improve your school nutrition environment. The Changing the Scene toolkit is no longer available in hard copy, so be sure to download a PDF copy from the Changing the Scene Web site.

5 Minute Energizers
When your school achieved the Bronze level they wrote a policy that requires that students receive 90-150 minutes of physical activity each week. With more pressure being put on teachers to meet standards set at state and national levels this may be becoming more difficult. To help you get the recommended amount of Physical Activity you will want to incorporate some 5-Minute Energizers into your schedule.

Energizers are a classroom based physical activities that integrate physical activity with academic concepts. The activities are short (between 5-10 minutes) and fun activities to help get students up and active. Download your copy of the 5-Minute Energizers and get your students moving.

SNAP Training
If you missed the SNAP Software training a recording of the training is now available for you to review. To view the training go to the Go To Meeting Web site.

Your computer will need to have Windows Media Player to view the recording.

You can also view the slides from the presentations.

Teacher, Faculty, and Staff Wellness
Is your school working on Silver #2 or Platinum #3 and need more ideas on how you can create a fun Teacher, Faculty, and Staff wellness program at your school. Here are some ideas of things you may want to consider:

• Host a Holiday Weigh-In. Let staff weigh in and try to maintain or lose some weight over the holidays.
• Encourage staff to walk to Gold Medal Mile every morning – or have a faculty Walk-a-Thon to see which teacher can walk the most
• Have a contest to see which staff member can eat the most fruits and veggies over the next month
• Or host your own “Biggest Loser” contest

For more ideas and documents to use for your school's wellness program look in the GMS Guide.

Bureau Resource Guide
The Utah Department of Health, Bureau of Health Promotion, has put together a resource guide for you to use while planning activities for your students. Resources include:

• Factsheets
• Worksheets for tracking nutrition and physical activity
• Information on Wellness Programs
• Education materials

Look at the Resource Guide to find information to use at your school.

Yoga
Yoga is an excellent exercise for kids and adults alike. It helps relieve stress, improve self-esteem, and can help improve learning. Kids who learn yoga learn skills that can help them maintain a lifelong healthy lifestyle. Some teachers have reported that their classes are calm after doing yoga.

If your school is interested in having a yoga instructor come to your school Smiling Light Yoga and Green Tree Yoga are two programs that specialize in teaching students.

Great American Smokeout
Thursday, November 19 is the Great American Smokeout. More than 435,000 Americans die each year from lung cancer, coronary heart disease, emphysema, and other diseases caused by the ingredients of tobacco and tobacco smoke. Do you know someone who wants to quit smoking but has had a hard time doing it?  If so here are some ideas on how you can help

• Pick a date to stop. Make sure that someone besides the smoker knows the date so it can’t be avoided.
• Be supportive. Avoid passing judgment about the person and don’t tell them what they are doing wrong.
• Talk about it. Be careful not to jump to any conclusions. Listen carefully.
• Help the person identify sources (ie: the Utah Tobacco Quit Line or Utah QuitNet) that may help them with the struggle

To order materials or find resources to help your school celebrate the Great American Smokeout visit the American Cancer Society Web site.

Announcements                              3:35
Bronze                                                6:00
Silver                                                  28:35
Gold                                                    49:00 
Platinum                                             1:13:00
Platinum Focus-Mental Health      1:27:50

To view the training please go to www.gotomeeting.com/register/746193986

You may receive teacher re-certification points for attending or viewing this training. Your district office will determine the number of points given for training attendance. If you would like a certificate of attendance please contact Jessica DeMill at jdemill@utah.gov. Please include your name and school in the e-mail.

If you have any other questions please contact Gold Medal Schools at gms@utah.gov or
801-538-6240.