The The SECA SECA

Reporter

FAll 2013

In This Issue: Reducing Sodium in the Diets of Children The Military and Business Community Step Up to the Plate A New Approach to Professional Development Getting to School on Time: Another Perspective a New Professional Development Center The 2013 Kids State Dinner

Too Much Salt?

Reducing Sodium in the Diets of Children
Its sad to say, but high blood pressure is no longer something that happens to a middle aged or older person. More and more children are presenting evidence of high blood pressure at a young age. Researchers tell us that children are consuming salt in amounts that far exceed the recommended daily limits for sodium. What has changed to make this a disease of young people? The age of fast food and fewer home cooked meals has contributed to both a weight/obesity problem as well as increased incidences of high blood pressure, not just for children but for adults as well. These eating habits are formed in the early years and can lead to heart disease and strokes when the children become adults.

Leave that salt shaker behind!

According to experts, young children consume most of their salt from processed foods.pizza, tacos, hot dogs, etc. Here are some statistics: Children ages 6-11 years old consume an average of over 3,000 mg/day of sodium. (Recommended levels: 2,300 mg for the general population/1500 mg for children who are African American, hypertensive, diabetic or who have chronic kidney disease.) Boys between the ages of 12-19 are at particularly high risk, often consuming more than 4,000 mg per day. The proportion of children and adolescents who have pre-hypertension rose from 7.7% to 10% between 1988 and 2002.
Source: FACTS, Reducing Sodium in the Diets of American Children, American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, www.heart.org/advocacy

Non-Hispanic black children and Mexican Americans generally have a greater prevalence of high blood pressure and pre-hypertension than non-Hispanic white children and boys exhibit high blood pressure more often than girls. Sodium Intake Amounts 4000 3260 mg/sodium per day 2000 2300 1500 0 2307 3486

Recommended Intake/General Population

Recommended Intake/Special Populations*

Average Intake 2-5 year olds

Average Intake 8-12 year olds

Average Intake 13-18 year olds

* Special populations: African American/diabetic/hypertensive/kidney disease

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Childrens preference for salt is influenced by their food choices and food marketing. They may exhibit a reduced desire for salt and salty foods if they are exposed to lower sodium diets at an early age. (Food is not the only culprit: soft drinks also contain a significant level of sodium and calories.) The effects of a lower sodium diet can be seen as early as infancy. Top 10 Sodium Sources/Children Aged 2-19 Years

Pizza

Bread & Rolls

Poultry

Cold Cuts & Cured Meats

Sandwiches

Savory Snacks

Soups

Cheese

Mixed Pasta Dishes

Hot Dogs & Sausages

The South is at the top of the list in adult and child obesity percentages of the population, certainly not something that we can look at with pride. Our childhood and adult obesity rates are reaching major proportions. With obesity comes hypertension, diabetes, heart attack, stroke, and a myriad of other health problems. The USDA has issued new regulations for the school lunch program that will limit the amount of fat, salt, sugar and calories in snacks and vending machine foods sold in schools. This follows on the heels of regulations outlining accepted limits of these items in school lunches and requirements that more fruits and vegetables be served to school children. Snacks from vending machines in schools can have no more than 230 mg of sodium for the 2014-2015 school year, with a drop in that maximum level to 200 mg in the 2015-2016 school year. The federal government and schools are beginning to do their part: now its up to us to begin in those early years to protect the adult health of the children who pass through our classrooms and programs. (Not to mention its not a bad idea for us adults as well.) It will take a little planning and effort on your part as you develop menus and prepare meals for the children you serve. The following are some tips developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that are aimed at parents, but many of the strategies they propose will work well in group and home settings.

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Source: FACTS, Reducing Sodium in the Diets of American Children, American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, www.heart.org/advocacy

When Youre Buying Groceries

Read food labelsIt takes a little time initially but it will become second nature as you shop in the future. Each food provides nutritional information on the label, including the amount of sodium contained in a serving. (Make sure you know what portion is a servingits very easy to double the amount of sodium if the portion served exceeds that estimated on the chart.) Youll find wide variations in the amount of sodium contained in breadschoose the lower sodium variety with whole grains and youve hit a nutritional home run! If you purchase in bulk from a vendor, ask them to provide options that contain lower sodium levels. Choose pre-packaged foods that list lower sodium or no sodium added on the label if possible. Use fresh fruits and vegetables and dont add saltthey are naturally low in sodium. Use fewer packaged items and more fresh produce.it takes a little more time but cooking fresh items pays off big dividends in reducing the sodium in meals.

At Home or In Your Program

When cooking, use alternatives to replace or reduce the amount of salt you use. Did you know that you can buy a salt product that boasts 33% less sodium? It tastes just as good and provides that flavor boost when added to food. Herbs and juices also provide flavor and texture. Plant an herb garden and use the herbs to impart great flavor without the sodium. Children love to garden and this is a great way to help them learn responsibility and provide a cheap, available alternative to salt that will benefit the health of both adults and children. Herbs can grow in pots on a balcony or window sill in the city or in a small patch of ground outside. They dont take much care and youll be surprised at the variety of tastes and textures you can produce with fresh herbs. Prepare rice, beans, pasta and meats from their most basic forms (dry and fresh). This means leaving behind the pre-packaged and flavored easy products most of the time. We all know that its much easier to put the ready to cook rice pouch in the microwave, but if you can spend the time to cook it on the stove, youll significantly reduce the amount of sodium in the final product. Encourage children to eat more healthful, lower sodium foods by letting them help to prepare those foods and then consume what theyve made. They can freeze fresh fruit into popsicles, create a snack tray with low-fat yogurt and fresh vegetables or make trail mix using unsalted nuts, dried fruit, and whole grain cereal. It will take a real effort to make some of the changes that weve outlined, but our children are worth it. Lets do what it takes to help them (and their families) on a path to a healthier life and better future.

Sources:
FACTS, Reducing Sodium in the Diets of American Children American Heart Association/American Stroke Association www.heart.org/advocacy High Sodium Intake in Children and Adolescents: Cause for Concern National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion www.cdc.gov/salt

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Fall 2013

Different Programs, Different Gardens: Low Sodium & Fun!

Courtesy of BB International Preschool & Kindergarten, Pompano Beach, Florida

Courtesy of Westlake United Methodist Preschool, Austin, Texas

Courtesy of Highland Plaza United Methodist Preschool, Hixson, TN

Courtesy of Dora L. Lewis Family & Child Development Center, Richmond, VA

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Fall 2013

Generating Support for Early Childhood Education:

The Military and Business Community Step Up to the Plate
With President Obamas State of the Union speech in January 2013, early childhood education became a front and center issue. The President proposed ensuring that all children have access to high quality pre-kindergarten, a mantra that our profession has been repeating for many years. Although the issue achieved high visibility with the speech, the focus didnt come as a surprise to many in the business, professional and military community. Military leaders might seem like strange partners (at least to early childhood educators) but they realized several years ago that many young adults in America did not meet the standards for military service and presented this issue as a threat to domestic security. Mission Readiness was formed by a group of retired military leaders, all of whom were concerned about the health and educational status of Americas youth. A non-partisan organization calling for smart investments in Americas children, it operates under the umbrella of the non-profit Council for a Strong America. Mission Readiness made a big splash with the report, Too Fat to Fight, in April of 2010 and shocked America with their insights into the fitness of American youth to enter the military. At that time, the Department of Defense estimated that 75% of American youth could not meet the entry criteria for the military. They have continued their advocacy on behalf of young children and support: expanding high-quality early childhood education programs; increasing access to healthier food at school; and improving the quality and quantity of Physical Education. In June 2013, they released a report, A Commitment to Pre-Kindergarten is a Commitment to National Security, and came out in support of increasing access and quality in early childhood programs. Representing the business community, The Institute for a Competitive Workforce recognized in 2010 that Achieving a world-class (educational) system however, begins with high quality early learning opportunities for children from birth to age five. Affiliated with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, The Institute for a Competitive Workforce has as its mission: To promote and support effective local education and training initiatives concerning workplace excellence;

America has bipartisan support for our sophisticated 21st Century military systems. But without qualified personnel, those investments will be severely compromised and our national security will be put at risk. Support from both Republican and Democratic policymakers demonstrates a commitment to high-quality school readiness programs from both sides of the aisle. The more than 350 retired generals and admirals of Mission:Readiness know that investing in high-quality early childhood education, from birth to kindergarten entry, is essential for the future strength of our military and our nation.
From the Summary, A Commitment to Pre-Kindergarten is a Commitment to National Security, http://www.missionreadiness.org/2013/ a-commitment-to-pre-k-is-a-commitment-to-national-security/

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 To conduct and support research that will develop more effective worker training programs; and, To initiate and document promising education and workplace preparation programs that can be replicated by chambers of commerce and small businesses at the local level. They released two reports in 2010: Ready, Set Go! Why Business Should Support Early Childhood Education and Starting Smart and Finishing Strong: Fixing the Cracks in Americas Workforce Pipeline Through Investments in Early Childhood Development

These reports make the case for business support of early childhood education initiatives in their communities and states. Youll find a wealth of resources that are designed for business leaders on their website at http://education.uschamber.com/resources. As the debate continues, these new partners lend weight and support to what weve known all alongearly childhood education makes a difference in the lives of children, helping them toward later success in life and providing that educated and skilled workforce that will support our country far into the future.

Notification to Members of a Dues Increase

From the Executive Director In July, the SECA Board of Directors voted to increase the annual SECA dues from $20 to $22 per year. The dues increase will be effective beginning September 1, 2014. This notification is being provided according to the By-laws of the Association. SECA By-laws: Article IVDues Dues for each class of membership shall be determined by the Board of Directors. The membership shall be informed through their state affiliate boards and by written notice from the SECA office at least 6 months prior to any dues alteration. (SECA Policies and Procedures, page 7, http://www.southernearlychildhood.org/upload/file/Leadership%20Page/Board%20Resources/Policies%20and%20Procedures%202013.pdf ) Current SECA dues are $20 per member/per year. On September 1, 2014, SECA dues will increase to $22 per membership year. State dues, as determined by individual state associations, are added to the SECA dues to determine yearly membership dues. States that include NAEYC membership in their dues structure (AL, FL, GA, KY, OK, TN, TX, VA & WV) add the cost of that membership to state and SECA dues to determine yearly membership dues. This is the first SECA dues increase since 2004. SECA dues include all individual member benefits as well as support to state affiliates.

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Fall 2013

A New Approach to Professional Development: MOOCs

In May, the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia announced that it was partnering with Coursera to offer a six-week course that will focus on early childhood education. Coursera, a provider of free massive on-line courses (MOOCs) open to anyone in the world, provides the technology base to allow the university partners to reach thousands of students rather than small numbers of students in a campus setting. (The Peabody School of Education and Human Development at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee has also formed a partnership with Coursera to offer MOOCs.) Classes offered by Coursera allow you to watch lectures taught by world-class professors, learn at your own pace, test your knowledge, and reinforce that knowledge through interactive exercises. Courses offered span the Humanities, Biology, Social Sciences, Mathematics, Business, Computer Science and others. The Curry School of Education and its Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning (CASTL) at the University of Virginia are well known to early childhood educators as the developer of the CLASS assessment instrument, an observational teacher-assessment tool that captures teacher behaviors linked to student gains and that has been proven to work in tens of thousands of classrooms, from preschool to high school to beyond. Faculty and researchers at CASTL are partnering with Head Start and early childhood programs in the SECA states of Florida, Georgia and Oklahoma and this work has led to the partnership with Coursera. According to Robert Pianta, dean of the Curry School and founder of CASTL, The faculty and researchers at the Curry School of Education are national leaders in improving the quality and effectives of preschool education. The launching of this free, online course is simply the next wave of effort to innovate and scale our proven-effective methods for early childhood workforce development, allowing us to make good on Obamas promise to expand high-quality preschool. The course has been developed through a grant from the U.S. Department of Education that was designed to develop and test an online course that helped early childhood teachers across the country engage in more effective interactions with their young students. This MOOC is a great opportunity..For maximum impact on students, our mode of delivering the content must be proven effective, not just the content of the course. This grant has allowed us to build and test online coursework for early childhood practitioners. The partnership with Coursera offers us a unique opportunity to see how this might work on a larger scale. Bridget Hamre, associate director of CASTL. The course will be available in mid-October and is titled, Effective Classroom Interactions: Supporting Young Childrens Development. You can sign up for the course at https://www.coursera.org/course/earlychildhood.
Robert Pianta

Faculty for the Course

Bridget Hamre

Grace Funk

Allison Leach

Kathy Neesen

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Fall 2013

Getting to School on Time: Another Perspective

We always look forward to spotlighting ideas and thoughts from our members, and our monthly member e-mail in August was developed around a subject that was submitted by a SECA member. Anita Howard, Director of Little Disciples Preschool of Miami, Florida shared her thoughts about The Importance of Arriving at School on Time. (For the original e-mail, login to the Members-only section of the SECA website at www.southernearlychildhood.org.) We invited her colleagues throughout the SECA states to share their thoughts and ideas and we received a thoughtful message from Connie Heise, Goldberg Family Early Childhood Center, Jewish Community Center of Dallas, Texas, about how her program handles this issue. I certainly agree that it is critical for classroom management and continuity for children to arrive on time. We love having everyone together to start our day and Morning Meeting. However, we often have children whose parents must first get their school age children to distant schools before dropping off their preschoolers. Those children often feel the pressure of being late when it is not in their control, and due to traffic in our large metropolitan area, beyond their parents control. This results in anxious children sitting in the car in traffic and reluctant to enter the classroom when they do arrive. We let these children who must come long distances have a different on time time than the others. Our children and parents are already under such stressors that for us to add to that is cruel. No amount of helpful time Connie Heise management hints will alleviate their inevitable lateness due to scheduling issues or traffic. We teach these children helpful skills, such as learning to nod to the teacher for a welcoming smile and to silently put their things away. The rest of the class is taught that sometimes things happen and we must be late, and we are going to help our friend with silent greetings and a scooch over to make room for them to quickly join us in Morning Meeting. I would much rather have a child learn such coping mechanisms than to have a parent decide it is too uncomfortable to be late and just take the child home rather than face the disapproving teacher. Thanks to Connie for sharing her perspective on this issue.any others? You can send your thoughts to Glenda Bean, Executive Director at gbean@southernearlychildhood.org. Well post your responses on the SECA Facebook page.

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Fall 2013

Frank Porter Graham Opens a Professional Development Center

On August 19, 2013, the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute at the University of North Carolina/Chapel Hill opened the Professional Development Center, a new Center devoted to providing teachers and administrators with a wide variety of resources on child development and education. The Professional Development Center will deliver free online instruction on implementing evidence-based practices in classrooms, as well as lessons on such topics as the early identification of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). We understand many teachers and administrators have no travel budget, so were also offering many of the centers resources online. Pamela J. Winton, FPGs Director of Outreach. (FPG Opens Professional Development Center, www.fpg.unc.edu/news, 08/18/2013) Affordable training workshops on instruments measuring the quality of programs for children with disabilities, statistical analysis and other topics will also be offered. The Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute is one of the nations oldest and largest multidisciplinary centers devoted to the study of young children and their families. About 300 researchers, implementation and technical assistance specialists, staff and students work on more than 100 projects related to developmental disabilities; early care and education; physical and social health, professional development, technical assistance, and implementation science, public policy and evaluation; and racial, ethnic, linguistic, cultural and socioeconomic diversity. For early childhood professionals, Frank Porter Graham will be recognized for the development of the ECERS assessment instruments. Three faculty, Dr. Thelma Harms, Dr. Richard Clifford, and Debby Cryer, developed the instruments that have become a benchmark for many early childhood rating systems. For more information about the new Center and the resources available, go to http://pdc.fpg.unc.edu/.

The Janie L. Humphries Student Leadership Development Fund

At the July 2013 Summer Board Meeting of the SECA Board of Directors, a new initiative was born, the Janie L. Humphries Student Leadership Development Fund. This fund was created to support the development and leadership capacity of the early childhood students as emerging leaders in our states and is in honor of Dr. Janie Humphries of Louisiana, SECA President 2010-2011, who has worked tirelessly to support student groups in her state and in the SECA region. The Fund will be capitalized by the proceeds of the Silent Auction at the annual SECA conference and memorial and designated donations that are made to the Association. State affiliates will be eligible to apply for $250 per year to support student membership, the development of student chapters/groups in their states and to provide leadership development opportunities for those groups. SECA is committed to supporting our next generation of professionals and to strengthening our voice as advocates for young children and their families. Application criteria is being developed and will be available to state affiliates by November 1, 2013. Consider donating to the fund.our field is only as strong as our next generation of leaders!

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Fall 2013

The 2013 Kids State Dinner:

Do You Know Any of Our Budding Chefs from the SECA States?

For the second year in a row, First Lady Michelle Obama welcomed 54 budding chefs to the White House on July 9th for the Kids State Dinner. A winning recipe was selected from each of the states, territories and the District of Columbia and the chefs and their parents invited to the White House. As a part of the Healthy Lunchtime Challenge (http://www.recipechallenge.epicurious. com/), recipes were judged based on guidance that supports the USDA My Plate (http://www.choosemyplate.gov/) recommendations to ensure that meals were affordable, original, healthy, and yummy.

Winners from the SECA States

State Alabama Arkansas Florida Georgia Kentucky Louisiana Mississippi North Carolina Oklahoma South Carolina Tennessee Texas Virginia West Virginia Chef Kindall Sewell-Murphy Emma-Kate Schaefer Nicole Medina Regan Matthews Regan Strehl Brynna Robert Reed Lindsey Vijay Dey Ogden Jonson Corbin Jackson Makenna Hurd Devanshi Udeshi Campbell Kielb Jessica Wolfe Chef s Age Recipe 10 Kale Broccoli Chicken and Apple Salad 8 Confetti Spring Rolls with Orange-Cilantro Sauce 10 Summer Salmon 12 Sweet Potato Turkey Sliders 11 Raisin Bran Muffins 12 Sweet and Spicy Stir Fry 10 Pan Seared Mississippi Catfish on a Bed of River Rice 12 Spring Rolls 10 Taco de Camaron 9 Bring it on Brussels Sprout Wrap! 9 Makennas Bodacious Banana Muffins 12 Slam Dunk Veggie Burger 8 Orange Chicken Lettuce Wraps 9 Spicy Tofu Lettuce Cups

If youd like a copy of The Epicurious Healthy Lunchtime Challenge Cookbook that contains the 2013 winning recipes, go to http://www.letsmove.gov/kids-state-dinner. Youll find a place to download a copy on that page. Congratulations to our budding chefs and their families! Information for this article retrieved from http://www.letsmove.gov/kids-state-dinner and http://whitehouse.gov on August 20, 2013.

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Fall 2013

Join us in historic Williamsburg Virginia for the

65th Annual Conference

of the Theme:

January 16 - 18, 2014 The Williamsburg Lodge Williamsburg, VA

Southern Early Childhood Association!

Childrens Play: Past, Present and Future
Visit www.southernearlychildhood.org for more information

Other Resources from SECA on the Topics in this Newsletter

BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Nancy Cheshire President West Virginia Kathy Attaway President-Elect Kentucky

The SECA Reporter, Summer 2013, First Lady Michelle Obama Plants the Spring 2013 White House Garden with a Little Help from the SECA States! The SECA Reporter, Fall 2012, First Lady Hosts First Ever Kids State Dinner Public Policy Notes, July 2013, Americas Promise Alliance: Take the Ready Nation Pledge

AFFILIATE REPRESENTATIVES
Alabama Richard Hardison Arkansas Dr. Joanna Grymes Florida Sister Roberta Bailey Georgia Anita Dailey Kentucky Maureen OBrien Louisiana Cindy Ramagos Mississippi Beverly Peden Oklahoma Marti Nicholson South Carolina Crystal Campbell Tennessee Lisa Maddox-Vinson Texas Cille DAscenzo Virginia Susan Barnes West Virginia Melissa Smith

Public Policy Notes, April 2013, The Presidents Proposal: Early Education for All Americans

Public Policy Notes, January 2010, Early Education and the Generals: Unexpected Supporters

Dimensions of Early Childhood, Vol. 41, # 1 (2013), Providing a System that Supports Teachers Potential Growth with Technology Tools and The 2013 SECA Outdoor Exemplary Classroom Dimensions of Early Childhood, Vol. 41, # 2 (2013), Creating an Authentic Inclusive Early Childhood Learning Environment for Teacher Candidates and The 2013 SECA Exemplary Outdoor Classroom: State Winners

MEMBERS-AT-LARGE
Carol Montealegre Florida Dr. Floyd Creech South Carolina

To access copies of these articles, go to http://www.southernearlychildhood.org/ and log in as a SECA member. For non-members, contact the SECA office at 1-800305-SECA to determine availability. Copyright 2013, Southern Early Childhood Association (SECA). Permission is not required to excerpt or make copies of materials in the SECA Reporter if they are distributed at no cost. SECA serves the interests of early childhood educators concerned with child development, including university researchers and teacher educators; early childhood, kindergarten and primary-grade teachers; and early childhood program administrators and proprietors. The association has affiliates in 13 Southern states. Non-affiliate memberships are available to anyone living outside the 13 affiliate states. For information about joining SECA, contact the executive offices at P.O. Box 55930, Little Rock, AR 72215-5930, (800) 305-7322 or on the web at www.southernearlychildhood.org Members receive a variety of publications throughout the year, discounts in the SECA Store and conference registration fees. The SECA Reporter is produced by Glenda Bean, Executive Director. Design by RB Fine Art (www.rbfineart.com) Cover photo by Subjects & Predicates.

Glenda Bean Executive Director Maurena Farr Administrative Assistant Southern Early Childhood Association P.O. Box 55930 Little Rock, AR 72215-5930 (800) 305-7322 info@southernearlychildhood.org www.southernearlychildhood.org

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