Childhood


Strategies for Childhood

Support the development, implementation, and evaluation of policies that promote nutrition and physical activity in Early Care and Education Systems.

Activity Description
Empower Policy Support Empower policy change at ECE, regional, and/or state levels.
Learning Collaborative Participate in learning collaboratives, coalitions and councils to build communities of practice
Staff Development Assist a program or facility to increase staff knowledge, abilities, skills, and improve practices.
ECE-Based Agriculture Train partners to implement and sustain gardens and/or support local food procurement and implementation.
Nutrition & Feeding Practices Support improvements in ECE nutrition practices & environments consistent with Empower Standards, including breastfeeding.
PA Environment Support improvements in ECE PA environments & practices consistent with Empower Standards (e.g. painted playgrounds)
Community Coordination Support ECEs to increase programs & resources that meet an identified need (e.g. food security resources - SNAP Outreach, backpack programs, food pantries)
Community Engagement Engage residents in SNAP-Ed eligible communities in the process and planning using consulting, involving, and collaborating techniques.

Support the development, implementation, and evaluation of policies that promote nutrition and physical activity in schools and other youth-based systems.

Activity Description
Policy Revision and Communication Support written Local Wellness Policy (LWP) and/or Empower review, revision, dissemination & (two-way) communication with school stakeholders
Wellness Committees Support District and School-Level school wellness committiees, including recruitment, formation and participation.
Staff Development Provide school staff with Train the Trainer on evidence-based curricula and resources to support policy implementation and encourge students' healthy behaviors.
School/Youth-Based Agriculture Train partners to impliment and sustain gardens and or support local food procurment and implimenation.
Nutrition Practices and Environment Support improvements in nutrition practices and environments, including the Smarter Lunchrooms Movement (SLM), School Meal Programs and Out-of-School Time (OOST) consistant with Empower.
Physical Activity Practices and Environment Support improvements in PA practices and environments by employing the tenents of a Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP) eg: active transportation, active recess, adequate Physical Education opportunities, classroom brain breaks.)
Community Coordination Support School and other youth-based programs and resources that meet an identified need eg: food security - SNAP Outreach, backpack programs and food pantries.
Community Engagement Engage residents in SNAP-Ed eligible communities in the process and planning using consulting, involving and collaborating techniques.

Tools for Childhood

Displaying the most recent 61 of 134 total tools.

Early Child Nutrition: Advancing Health for Everyone

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State and local programs can use this information to build equity into their work on early child nutrition (ECN) in early care and education (ECE) settings.
Strategies to Advance Health

Advancing Early Child Nutrition in ECE

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States and communities can promote and support early child nutrition (ECN) in early care and education settings in many ways. ECN includes breastfeeding support, responsive feeding, and opportunities for children to eat a variety of nutrient-dense foods.
CDC Early Child Nutrition

SUNBucks Overview and Support

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Training on what SUNBucks is and what AZ Health Zone Local Implementing Agencies can do to support.
SUNBucks Overview and Support Training

DIG In Schools Implementation Training Video

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DIG in Schools Implementation Training presented by Kathryn Faull.
DIG in Schools Training

Smarter Lunchroom Scorecard

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The Smarter Lunchrooms Movement (SLM) Scorecard is a list of simple no-cost or low-cost strategies that can increase participation, reduce food waste, and increase selection and consumption of healthy school food.
SLM Scorecard

Smarter Lunchrooms Action Planning Template

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Use this template to help review your SLM Scorecard results, summarize your school goals, create an action plan, and develop a task list for next steps.
SLM Action Plan Template

Implementing Smarter Lunchrooms Movement in Arizona

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This powerpoint provides a self-paced overview and implementation tips that support the Smarter Lunchroom Movement. This training is Part 1, with Part 2 created by the State Evaluation Team. Once both trainings have been completed, you are a certified Smarter Lunchrooms Movement Consultant, and your certification is valid for the 2026-2030 AZ Health Zone grant cycle.
AZ Health Zone SLM Implementation Training

Smarter Lunchrooms Movement – Cornell University

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This recorded training is an overview of the Smarter Lunchrooms Movement training provided by Cornell University. Presented by Adam Brumberg.
Smarter Lunchrooms Movement Training

Adaptive Physical Activity

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In this training, learn about how Adaptive Physical Activity can support movement for all. Part of the FY25 disability inclusion series, this training was provided by Dr. Lauren Lieberman of SUNY Brockport.
Adaptive Physical Activity Training

Classroom Management for Schools – Part 2

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This recorded training video is part two of a two part series on classroom management provided by educational consultants, Branching Out.
Classroom Management Training Part 2

Classroom Management for Schools – Part 1

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This recorded training video is part one of a two part series on classroom management provided by educational consultants, Branching Out.
Classroom Management Training Part 1

School Garden Brochure

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This brochure from the Arizona Department of Health Services' School Garden program provides information on how to certify school gardens for garden to cafeteria programs.
School Garden Certification

Child Nutrition Programs Resources

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Arizona Department of Education provides information and resources for Child Nutrition Programs such as National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program, Afterschool Care Snack Program and At-Risk Afterschool Meals, and Summer Meal Service.
ADE Health & Nutrition Services

Empower Out of School Time Guidebook

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Standards for Empower Out-of-School Time Programs in Arizona. By implementing the Empower Standards, you are supporting healthy relationships with food, encouraging physical activity, preventing exposure to tobacco and secondhand smoke, supporting sun safety practices, and promoting healthy oral health behaviors so the children in your care can grow up healthy.
Empower OOST Guidebook

WellSAT 3.0

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New interactive WellSAT 3.0 Webpage: Gather quantitative and qualitative information to improve your Local School Wellness Policy.
WellSAT 3.0 Website

Engage Community Members in 10 minutes or Less

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Community engagement webinar presented on 11/9/23. Simple strategies to incorporate more community engagement. Facilitated discussion of successful strategies from AZ Health Zone local implementing agencies.
View recording

Fulfilling the Promise of Community Engagement

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Community Engagement webinar presented on 5/29/24. Strategies for using the information gathered through consulting, involving and collaborating.
Fulfilling the Promise of Community Engagement

Local Wellness Policy Training

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What is a Local Wellness Policy? A local wellness policy (LWP) is a document created by a Local Education Agency (LEA) or district that documents the policies and efforts to establish an environment that promotes students’ health, well-being, and ability to learn.
View Tool

DIG in Schools Implementation Training

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View Tool

DIG Planning Tool – Diné

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DIG Planning Tool

Key Contacts for Childhood

Kathryn Faull

Kathryn Faull

School System Specialist