School district gets grant to fight obesity

The health partnership's headquarters will be in the district.
By JEANNE STARMACK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
AUSTINTOWN -- The school district is getting a $600,000 grant for a three-year program to fight obesity and related problems in children.
Rick Giecek, senior vice president for Forum Health, told the school board at its meeting Monday that the health-care system will enter a partnership with the district. The $600,000 is a Western Reserve Health Foundation grant. The foundation is affiliated with Forum Health, said Joe Norha, district athletic director.
The board approved the three-year contract for the partnership and approved receipt of the grant.
"Fourteen months ago, we started talking. What can we bring to our community?" Giecek said.
He said research about children revealed "staggering facts."
"The CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] Web site reports 13 percent of 6- to 11-year-olds are overweight. Twelve to 19, 14 percent are," he said.
He said that children as young as 8 have coronary heart disease.
He said partnership programs will focus on health and physical education, health and nutrition services and family and community involvement, a healthy school environment, counseling, psychological and social services, and promotions for staff health.
The partnership will have its headquarters in the school district.
On the new middle school campus on Raccoon Road, the plan is to have an indoor-outdoor center for athletic activities and events, pupil physicals and screenings, physical and sports therapy, a health information kiosk, a link for the district on the Forum Health Web site, imaging, a lab and counseling services.
Other business
In other business, the district tabled for more discussion awarding a contract to one of two organizations that are bidding on updating the board's policy manual. Superintendent Doug Heuer recommended awarding the contract to the Northeast Ohio Law Association for $19,500. The other bidder was the Ohio School Boards Association for $12,500.
Heuer said the NEOLA service includes administrative guidelines and forms, and the OSBA service does not.
Board member Michael Creatore also told his colleagues he met with transportation director Colleen Bagnoli to try to resolve some safety concerns about busing.
He said he was glad the issues were resolved quickly and that the "dialogue is better and moving in the right direction."
Parents have complained throughout the school year about busing.
Creatore said after the meeting that two pupils on Burkey Road who had to walk a long way to their bus stop had their route changed. They now get picked up closer to their homes. Creatore said that with no sidewalks on the road and bad weather, it was a serious safety problem.
starmack@vindy.com