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  • Mental Health Support
  • Nutrition/ Farm to School
  • Physical Education & Health
  • Physical Health Services
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Mental Health Support

What is Mental Health Support?

Mental health in childhood means reaching developmental and emotional milestones and learning healthy social skills and how to cope when there are challenges and/or concerns. Supporting students in achieving these milestones and learning these skills is paramount in assisting with development and overall identification of mental health services, should they be needed. Mental health is address in three tiers: universal school support, group therapy and individual services.  

Nutrition/ Farm to School

What is Nutrition/ Farm to School?
Farm to School is a movement that connects all parts of the food system with all aspects of the school day. ​​

For information please visit the GaDOE School Nutrition.
Research & data

  • ​PRACTICE PAPER: Comprehensive Nutrition Programs and Services in Schools

    This paper supports the joint position paper of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, School Nutrition Association, and Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior published in the May 2018 Journal of Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. In alignment with the joint position paper, this practice paper provides registered dietitian nutritionists and nutrition and dietetics technicians, registered with an overview of current school nutrition services and opportunities for professional careers in school settings.

For additional information, please email Linette Dodson-State Director
Leveraging funds
 
​For additional information about grants, ​​please email Kelley Toon-Academic Nutritionist.
pROGRAMS & INITIATIVES
  • AFTERSCHOOL SNACK CARE PROGRAM
    Schools that offer student enrichment programs after the end of the regular school day are eligible to participate in the Afterschool Snack Care Program through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Afterschool snacks give children a nutritional boost and draw them into supervised activities that are safe, fun and filled with learning opportunities.

  • BREAKFAST PROGRAM
    In addition to the traditional, cafeteria-based breakfast model, schools may also consider an alternative breakfast model. For example, “Breakfast in the Classroom” involves serving the breakfast meal to children during a morning class. Schools operating “Grab & Go Breakfast” serve children a breakfast “to go,” before school or during a morning break.

  • COMMUNITY ELIGIBILITY PROVISION
    The Community Eligibility Provision is a four-year reimbursement option for eligible, high poverty, local education agencies and schools. Under this provision, a local educational agency may participate for all schools in the local educational agency or only for some schools. Participating local educational agencies must offer free breakfast and lunches for four successive years to all children attending participating schools and receive meal reimbursement based on claiming percentages.

  • FARM TO SCHOOL
    Farm to school is a movement that connects all aspects of the food system with all aspects of the school day. It creates an opportunity for students to identify where food comes from, know why that is important, and apply knowledge from all subject areas in a hands-on way. It is experienced through eating local foods in the school cafeteria, school gardens, and by food-based learning activities that meet established curriculum criteria.  
 
  • FOOD BASED LEARNING
    Food Based Learning resources provide examples of ways to connect the classroom and cafeteria utilizing standards-based learning experiences with a focus on food. Food is not only one of our most basic needs but also serves as a powerful educational tool. 
 
  • FRESH FRUIT AND VEGETABLE
    The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) is a federally assisted program providing free fresh fruits and vegetables to children at eligible elementary schools during the school day. The goal of the FFVP is to introduce children to fresh fruits and vegetables, to include new and different varieties, and to increase overall acceptance and consumption of fresh, unprocessed produce among children. The FFVP also encourages healthier school environments by promoting nutrition education.
 
  • LUNCH PROGRAM
    The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools and residential child care institutions. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to children each school day. The program was established under the National School Lunch Act, signed by President Harry Truman in 1946.
 
  • PROVISION 2
    ​This Provision reduces application burdens and simplifies meal counting and claiming procedures. It allows schools to establish claiming percentages and to serve all meals at no charge for a 4 year period. Schools must offer meals to all participating children at no charge for a period of 4 years.
 
  • SEAMLESS SUMMER PROGRAM
    Any child 18 years old and younger is eligible to visit the summer meal sites to receive a free healthy and nutritious meal during the summer months. Those who are looking for summer meal sites can easily find locations through their cell phone or online. Options include:
    1. Text “FOODGA” to 877877 from a mobile phone beginning June 1 and be provided geographically based results on the closest sites
    2. Visit www.GeorgiaFoodBankAssociation.org for a GPS-enabled map of the closet sites
    3. Dial 1-866-3-HUNGRY (1-866-348-6479) to find locations. For Spanish-speaking participants, clients may call 1-877-8-HAMBRE (1-877-842-6273)
      To learn more about these programs visit: http://snp.wpgadoe.org/programs-and-initiatives-2/​
​For additional information, please email Linette Dodson-State Director
pARTNERS IN THE WORK
TOOLS & RESOURCES
EDUCATION
  • FARM TO SCHOOL
    Farm to school is a movement that connects all aspects of the food system with all aspects of the school day. It creates an opportunity for students to identify where food comes from, know why that is important, and apply knowledge from all subject areas in a hands-on way. It is experienced through eating local foods in the school cafeteria, school gardens, and by food-based learning activities that meet established curriculum criteria.  
 
  • FOOD BASED LEARNING
    Food Based Learning resources provide examples of ways to connect the classroom and cafeteria utilizing standards-based learning experiences with a focus on food. Food is not only one of our most basic needs but also serves as a powerful educational tool.
RESOURCES
  • FoodFinder
    FoodFinder is a safe, secure and award-winning mobile and web app that gives food insecure children and their families a way to find free food assistance programs quickly.

​​For additional information, please email Kelley Toon-Academic Nutritionist.
SCHOOL/DISTRICT BEST PRACTICES
FARM TO SCHOOL:
In April of 2019, Effingham County School District hosted a weeklong farm to school celebration at Springfield Elementary to highlight their great farm to school efforts that happens year-round. One prime example of this work was the School Nutrition Program’s local hamburgers that they served during this week and beyond.  How do they define local hamburgers? Consider this: the meat for these hamburgers came from a cow that was raised on their school district owned farm. The special menu for the week included 500 + patties that the School Nutrition team made from fresh, never frozen meat processed from the district’s own cow.  

For additional information, please email Ellen Bennett-Communications Specialist.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES
  • DIRECTORS
    • Administrative Review Training
    • Civil Rights Training
    • Community Eligibility Training
    • Food Distribution Training
    • GaDOE Director’s Conference
    • New Director’s Training
    • Preview Conference
    • Provision II Training
    • ServSafe Training
  • MANAGERS
    • Civil Rights Training
    • GaDOE Manager’s Conference
    • GaDOE Culinary Training
    • GaDOE Nutrition Training Online
  • INTERPROFESSIONAL (SCHOOL NUTRITION PROFESSIONALS, EDUCATORS, ETC.)
    • GaDOE/GDA Farm Education Experience

For additional information, please email Erin Dilcher-Program Manager.

Physical Education & Health

What is Physical Education and Health?
Physical education is a planned, sequential, K-12 standards-based program of curricula and instruction designed to develop motor skills, knowledge and behaviors for active living, physical fitness, sportsmanship, self-efficacy and emotional intelligence.
​
Health education encompasses planned, sequential, and developmentally appropriate education experiences. A comprehensive health education curriculum helps students recognize how personal choice affects their short-term and long-term goals, and how responsible decision making can lead to risk reduction and an improved quality of life.

For information please visit the GaDOE Health and Physical Education.
RESEARCH & DATA
LEVERAGING FUNDS
  • FEDERAL FUNDS:
    • ​Selecting Interventions: Allowable Federal Funding- Physical Education and Health
  • OTHER FUNDS:
    • Georgia SHAPE Grants: Annual grants available to Georgia K-12 schools. Funds are offered to support in the areas of physical activity, physical education and or school nutrition. (Available annually in September)
    • HealthMPowers provides services for students, teachers, school staff and families. Services include health education lessons, a wellness model that allows participants to gain knowledge of their overall health and fitness, classroom exercise DVDs, family seminars, newsletters, and more. Periodic grant opportunities are available.
    • NFL Fuel up to Play 60:  Fuel Up to Play 60 is an in-school health and wellness program which empowers students and educators to work together to build healthier schools and create healthy, high achieving students. The program offers a variety of opportunities for adults, students and schools: from in-school wellness initiatives to funding opportunities.
    • Good Sports: Good Sports gives all kids the lifelong benefits of sport and physical activity by providing equipment, apparel and footwear to those most in need.
PROGRAMS & INITIATIVES
  • Georgia SHAPE partnership: The GADOE HPE Department supports Fitness Assessment in Georgia K- 12 Public schools.  All aspects of the assessment are supported through webinars, professional learning, as well as technical support as needed.
  • HPE State Leaders: System level health and physical education leaders is a collaborative group of work alike administrators.

For additional information, please email Therese McGuire, Program Specialist.
PARTNERS IN THE WORK
TOOLS & RESOURCES
SCHOOL/DISTRICT BEST PRACTICES
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES
  • Georgia AHPERD (Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance): GAHPERD hosts many professional development opportunities each year focusing on health, physical education, recreation, and dance. Conferences GAHPERD
  • Fitness Assessment Professional Leaning and Training: FitnessGram
  • SHAPE America Professional Learning and Webinars:  SHAPE America (Society of Health and Physical Educators)

For additional information, please email Therese McGuire, Program Specialist.

Physical Health Services

How does physical health effect education?
“Left untreated or undermanaged, health barriers to learning can adversely affect children’s ability to see, hear and pay attention in the classroom, their ability and motivation to learn, their attendance, their academic performance, and even their chances of graduating from high school.”

Health Barriers to Learning: The Prevalence and Educational Consequences in Disadvantaged Children (2017)
Physical health is defined as the condition of your body, taking into consideration everything from the absence of disease to fitness level.

For more information about school nursing, please visit GaDOE School Nurse Exchange.
RESEARCH & DATA
LEVERAGING FUNDS
FEDERAL FUNDS:​OTHER FUNDS:​
  • Expansion of School Nursing Services/ School-Based Medicaid Program (currently working to get the State Plan Amendment approved with Department of Community Health, Georgia Department of Education and other collaborative partners)
  • School Health Clinic Funding and Grants
PROGRAMS & INITIATIVES
  • Office of School Safety and Climate
    • The Georgia Department of Education is committed to providing a safe, secure, and productive learning and working climate for all students and staff in all schools through the development and implementation of intervention and prevention programs. This is accomplished by providing training, technical assistance, and support to local school districts and local schools in collaboration with other state agencies and stakeholders.  
  • The Georgia Department of Education School Nurse Exchange 
    • The School Nurse Exchange provides a collection of resources for school nurses to keep abreast of current trends and best practices in the leadership and delivery of school based health services. This webpage will serve as a vehicle for exchanging ideas and suggestions to support school nurse programs across Georgia. 
PARTNERS IN THE WORK
TOOLS & RESOURCES
SCHOOL/DISTRICT BEST PRACTICES
COMING SOON!
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES
  • American Diabetes Association Training Resources for School Staff
  • Asthma
    • The Georgia Asthma Control Program (GACP) at the Georgia Department of Public Health offers training for school nurses interested in better managing children with asthma. School nurses may also qualify to take the Certified Asthma Educator exam through the National Asthma Education Certification Board. For school nurse interested in providing asthma self-management education courses for students, GACP provides training and technical assistance.  
  • Georgia Department of Public Health: School Health
    • ​The Georgia Department of Public Health: School Health Program provides leadership, training, and consultation as it relates to school nursing practice and public health. For more information on available professional development opportunities please visit our website or reach out to schoolhealth@dph.ga.gov. 
  • Diabetes