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Southern School System Leaders
Combating Childhood Obesity
LEADERSHIP ACADEMY
WHAT: A two-day Leadership Academy for teams of school system and
municipal leaders.
The American Association of School Administrators (AASA), in
collaboration with the National League of Cities (NLC) invites you to
participate in a unique opportunity to learn innovative and practical
childhood obesity prevention strategies. This opportunity is only being
offered to superintendents in the Southeast United States.
With support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and its
Leadership for Healthy Communities program, AASA has developed an
extensive understanding of ways in which schools can participate in
collaboration with others to reduce childhood obesity. Since 2007, AASA
and NLC have worked together on an initiative that included intensive
technical assistance to six city-school teams to implement community
wellness policies.
Over the past 40 years, childhood obesity rates have more than quadrupled
among children ages six to 11 and more than tripled for adolescents ages
12 to 19, with the highest prevalence of childhood obesity found in
southern states. This trend has dire implications for children’s well-being
and life expectancy, including their school attendance and achievement
rates.
Superintendents can respond to this crisis by taking practical steps to
promote active living and healthy eating among children and youth,
including collaborating with mayors and other municipal leaders. You
have the power to implement policies and practices that encourage
walking and biking, improve access to nutritious foods and establish joint-
use agreements with municipal parks and recreation facilities to promote
physical activity.
This Leadership Academy will share promising strategies for the adoption
and implementation of local wellness policies. The event will also have a
special focus on partnerships between cities and schools. AASA and NLC
can help you establish a comprehensive plan to combat childhood obesity
in your community.
For more information on AASA’s and NLC’s efforts to help cities combat
childhood obesity, visit http://www.aasa.org/ChildrensPrograms.aspx or
www.nlc.org/iyef.
WHERE: New Orleans, Louisiana
WHO: Up to 30 participants – superintendents, mayors and councilmembers
AASA and NLC will select a diverse set of school system and municipal
leaders representing cities and schools of various sizes. Superintendents
and mayors from the same city who are interested in participating are
encouraged to apply jointly. NLC will invite city leaders via a separate
request for proposals. Preference will be given to superintendents who are
members of AASA and to cities that are members of NLC.
Selection criteria will include the extent to which the Leadership Academy
can assist applicants in enacting or implementing local or school policy
and environmental change to combat childhood obesity and strengthening
city-school partnerships. Successful applications will feature evidence that
city-school collaboration is already occurring or is likely to occur in the
near future.
WHEN: December 9-11, 2009
Applications are due to AASA on or before October 14, 2009. Early
applications are encouraged because space is limited. All selections will
be announced no later than November 2, 2009.
TRAVEL SUBSIDIES:
Participants will be reimbursed for travel-related expenses (airfare, hotel,
meals, parking, etc.) according to AASA guidelines. Detailed information
will be provided to selected applicants about eligible expenses and how to
claim reimbursement.
HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS:
Hotel reservations will be made by AASA for accepted applicants. After
selections are made, AASA will request additional information to
complete the reservations.
APPLICATION FORM – DUE ON OR BEFORE OCTOBER 14, 2009
Southern School System Leaders Combating Childhood Obesity
Leadership Academy – New Orleans, La., December 9-11, 2009
Superintendent Name: Member #
District Free/Reduced Lunch
(Circle One) Urban Suburban Rural Rate:
Superintendent Signature:
School District:
Address:
Address:
Phone: FAX E-Mail:
Please complete the form above. Then answer the following questions on a separate
sheet(s), not to exceed 3 pages total. Please respond to each question individually.
1. What steps has your district taken to address childhood obesity? Briefly
describe any existing programs, policies or initiatives around active living and/or
healthy eating. If no steps have been taken, briefly explain the district’s interest and
readiness to undertake future efforts.
2. Please give an overview of your support, as superintendent, for healthy eating
and active living strategies. Do you support the development of a comprehensive
strategy for adopting and implementing healthy eating and active policies within
your district? Please describe briefly.
3. Has there been collaboration between your local school district and the city
around child wellness or related issues in the past? Have the school district and the
city collaborated to specifically address childhood obesity? Briefly describe the
collaboration and its benefits, challenges, and outcomes.
Application Admissions Checklist:
Typed application and signature (no more than 3 pages)
Bio or résumé of the superintendent (no more than 2 pages)
Mail, fax, or email application materials by October 14, 2009 to:
Kelly Beckwith, American Association of School Administrators
801 N. Quincy St., Suite 700, Arlington, VA 22203
E-mail: kbeckwith@aasa.org -- Phone: (703) 875-0760 -- Fax: (703) 841-1543
