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Not in shape School districts fall short; so do students One of the many requirements that schools have outside the 3Rs is in physical education, an increasingly vital component in an increasingly obese state. But school districts have not been able to run fast enough to keep up, the state superintendent of public instruction reports. More than half of those elementary school districts fail to provide the required 200 minutes of PE every 10 school days, according to Superintendent Jack O’Connell’s department. Results were provided by a California Center for Public Health Advocacy report. In Orange County, Saddleback Valley Unified fell short of compliance. In San Bernardino County, so did Apple Valley, Barstow, Hesperia, San Bernardino City, Upland, and Yucaipa-Calimesa. “Our priorities are tragically skewed,” reported Harold Goldstein, the center’s executive director. “We’re in the midst of a severe and growing childhood obesity epidemic and yet most of our children are missing out on even the most basic school physical activity opportunities.” The state Board of Education adopted PE standards in January 2005.m To check on school districts that were assessed and other information: publichealthadvocacy.org FAST FACT One-third of U.S. adults know someone who homeschools their child, according to a nationwide Harris Poll. Among those households with children who are old enough to have attended school, 8% report that their child has been homeschooled at some point in their education. Trampoline safety The jump often ends in injury We’ve long wondered about trampoline safety, but it is an issue that the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons has no question about. Recommendation: Ban its recreational use. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, approximately 278,000 people – including nearly 248,000 Americans under age 20 – were treated for trampoline-related injury in emergency rooms, doctors’ offices and clinics in 2004, translating into more than $6.3 billion in medical, work loss, pain and suffering, and legal costs. Separately, the academy last year put the number of injuries to children ages 5-10 at 102,017, making this group the most vulnerable. The most frequent causes of trampoline-related injuries result from colliding with another person, landing improperly while jumping or doing stunts, falling or jumping off the trampoline, and hitting the trampoline’s springs or frame. Sprains, fractures, scrapes, bruises and cuts are common injuries associated with trampoline jumping. Severe injuries – such as to the neck or spinal cord – resulting in paralysis or death can also occur. In an effort to reduce the number and severity of trampoline injuries treated by orthopaedic surgeons, the academy recommends routinely following the below safety tips: • Use of trampolines for physical education, competitive gymnastics, diving training and other similar activities requires careful adult supervision and proper safety measures. • Trampolines should not be used for unsupervised recreational activity. • Competent adult supervision and instruction is mandatory for children at all times. • Adult spotters must be present when participants are jumping. A spotter should be big enough and strong enough to protect the jumper, if he or she gets too close to the edge. • Only one person should use a trampoline at a time. • Always jump in the center of the trampoline. • Somersaults or high-risk maneuvers should never be attempted. • Never jump off a trampoline. When finished jumping, a jumper should stop, walk to the edge, sit and slide off. • Put the trampoline in a spot that is surrounded by a soft or padded surface. • Place the trampoline away from structures, fences, trees and other play areas. • If possible, lower the height-to-ground level by putting the trampoline in a pit. Trampoline legs should be placed firmly into a hole slightly wider and longer than the trampoline frame, and deep enough so that the mat is level with the ground. • Tip the trampoline onto its side (if possible) when not in use to prevent jumping without proper supervision. • Always have a protective net securely surrounding the trampoline, so users cannot fly off and land on the ground.m Information from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: (orthoinfo.org). 10 dad tips Calling all new fathers Boot Camp for New Dads, an Irvine-based, national program that hosts one-day workshops for expecting, first-time dads, has put together a top-10 list. This works for all dads, by the way, not just the expectant ones: 1 Trust your instincts. A little experience will quickly turn you into the world’s leading expert on your own baby. 2 Learn from the best. Ask the hospital nursery personnel to show you how to change, swaddle and bathe your baby. Ask other dads for suggestions. 3 When it comes to mom, remember to be patient and positive. Communication and support are the key. She’ll love you for it. 4 Stand your ground. Let no one push you away from your baby. Not your mother-in-law, your mate, your boss, no one. 5 Learn as a family, just the three of you. Keep “help” in the first weeks down to what is needed in case it becomes interference. 6 Your baby is portable. You can take your baby anywhere. Don’t get caught up in fretting about what you can’t do. 7 You will get frustrated. Step back. Think. Count to some high number. Think again, and so forth. 8 Make eye contact. Babies talk with their eyes. You will see! 9 Relax and enjoy the ride. Make it a daily habit to play with your new baby, check out her tiny little feet, have him fall asleep on your chest, etc. It’s the little things that count the most. 10 When times are trying, remember they too will pass. Before you know it, you will have a teenager on your hands.m Information: newdads.com Home at last Down Syndrome Association opens a center The Down Syndrome Association of Orange County now has a home of its own in Costa Mesa. The new facility, referred to as “A Place to Belong,” allows the organization to better serve its 1,200 families by offering a more extensive resource library, a boardroom for parent meetings, and an activity center. Previously, many of the association’s programs were run out of family homes. Down Syndrome Association of Orange County is a nonprofit organization designed to support and provide information to families affected by Down syndrome. Created by parents in 1978, it is affiliated with the National Down Syndrome Society and National Down Syndrome Congress. By providing educational, social, and support programs for people with Down syndrome and their families, the association hopes to enhance quality of life and promote awareness and acceptance of individuals with Down syndrome. The Children & Families Commission of Orange County recently honored the Down Syndrome Association of Orange County with the 2006 Peter A. Hartman Award for excellence in improving the lives of children.m For more information, visit dsaoc.org or call 714.540.5794. Girls school opens Silverleaf Academy is in Mission Viejo Silverleaf Academy, a private girls high school, opens for the fall semester. Located in Mission Viejo, the college preparatory academy of arts and science will be open to girls in grades 9-12. Along with teaching the California curriculum, Silverleaf Academy will provide courses in fashion and graphic design, visual and computer fine arts, as well as a technologically advanced science program. Its sister school, West Coast Dance Academy, augments the curriculum in offering a range of classes from Pilates to hip hop. In classrooms with a 10-1 student-teacher ratio, students at Silverleaf will receive individualized instruction while developing self-esteem and forming meaningful relations with other peers. The Academy centers on the values of same-sex education as evident in recent studies. A year 2000 survey by the National Coalition of Girls’ Schools says that girls’ schools cater to the distinct learning needs of the female brain in providing a nurturing, single-sex environment. A study by the University of Michigan shows that girls attending same-sex schools excel in areas of science, reading and writing compared to their co-ed peers.m Information: silverleafacademy.com. family news bites OCEAN INSTITUTE’S MILLION DOLLAR HOME RAFFLE The Ocean Institute in Dana Point, home to the tall ship “Pilgrim” and two other ships, the “Spirit of Dana Point” and the “R/V Sea Explorer,” has begun its key fundraiser of the summer. The program, the “Laguna Beach Million Dollar Home Raffle” offers more than 100 cash and merchandise prizes from $350 to the Grand Prize of either $1 million or a beautiful condo in Laguna Beach with an estimated value of $1 million. A total of 18,000 tickets will be sold at $150 each. The last day to purchase tickets is Oct. 18, with the Grand Prize raffle taking place on Oct. 28. Proceeds from the fund-raiser will be used to help fund the many educational programs that excite and teach more than 100,000 school children every year. The center, dedicated to ocean awareness and preservation, also offers several programs and events for families. For more information on the Ocean Institute or home raffle, visit ocean-institute.org or call 949.496.2274. ROD CAREW HOSTS FUNDRAISER Rod Carew has joined the Angels once again – this time in support of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s annual evening fundraising Light the Night walk, to be held Sept. 16 at Angel Stadium. Proceeds from the walk, expected to exceed $600,000, will go to blood cancer research and patient services. Information: 888.535.9300 or lightthenight.org PRENTICE SCHOOL CELEBRATES The Prentice School’s recent celebration, “20 Years of Unleashing Potential,” raised about $145,000. Some 365 guests were at hand to support Orange County’s only school specifically educating children with dyslexia. $33,800 RAISED AT GOLF TOURNEY The Coyote Hills Country Club hosted the 10th annual One Heart at a Time Golf Classic and raised $33,800, which will benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Southern California. Some 140 golfers entered the tournament. The Orange County Association of Health Underwriters hosted the event. ST. JOSEPH HOSPITAL ONCOLOGY RECEIVES HONOR Advance for Nurses Magazine recently named the oncology nursing team at St. Joseph Hospital in Orange a “2005 Best Nursing Team.” The magazine recognized the team with the Initiative Award for its innovative patient programs such as Healing Arts and Nurses Caring for Kids. STUDENTS AT FAIRMONT PRIVATE SCHOOL WIN SPECIAL HONORS A team of sixth-graders from Fairmont Private School finished third in the nation in cumulative standings at the WordMasters Challenge, a national language arts competition. More than 225,000 students enter each year. The students competed against 202 teams in three separate meets held throughout the year. Fairmont’s Boyoung Kim and Maria Kim were ranked among the 11 highest-ranked sixth graders in the country. CHILDREN CENTER RECEIVES NATIONAL ACCREDITATION Orange Coast College’s Children Center has earned accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). The 14,000-square-foot Harry and Grace Steele Children’s Center has been on campus for seven years providing developmental services to community children. BLUE BUOY CELEBRATES 50 YEARS More than 800 individuals turned out last month to celebrate Blue Buoy Swim School’s 50 years of swimming instruction. Famous swimming alumni in attendance included Jason Lezak, the 100-meter American record holder, and Bruce Furniss, two-time freestyle gold medalist in the ’76 Olympics. The school, located in Tustin, is the oldest family-run swim school in the county. – Reported and compiled by OC Family Magazine staff |
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