School Health Fair

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Specializes in School Nursing.

OK, school nurses, I need to pick your brains. I want to host a school health fair, but I have never done anything like this and have no idea where to start. I know I will need help, but we don't even have a wellness committee or anything like that so maybe starting one should be my first step? I have some ideas on what types of people/organizations to ask to come out, but it is the basics that are bogging me down, like should I have it on a school day, an evening, or a Saturday? My thoughts are to have a "Family Health Night" (we already have Family Math Night and Family Science Night, so thought this would be nice). That way kids and parents can benefit.

If anyone has done something like this before and has any tips, suggestions, or advice I would be eternally grateful! :bow:

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Get a hold of your PTA for help. They are a big resource for me. They can help organize the event and give you man power if you need it! Sounds like a really cool idea! Good luck

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Specializes in School Nursing.

That's a great idea. I will definitely seek them out. Thanks!!!

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Since the wellness committee is required by federal law, I would start by bringing that group together.

Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004

The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 requires that every school district participating in the National School Lunch Program adopt local school wellness policies that address healthy eating and physical activity by the first day of the school year in 2006.

School districts must establish a school wellness committee, involving a broad group of individuals, which will set goals for:

Nutrition education

Physical activity

Other school-based activities that promote student wellness

Establish nutrition standards for all foods available on the school campus

Encourage the consumption of a variety of healthy foods through new initiatives to creatively market healthful foods

Improve student nutrition behaviors through the promotion of student health and reduction of obesity

Reinforce the regulations/guidance issued in the School Lunch Act

Measure the implementation of the wellness policy

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Specializes in Coronary Care, School Nurse.

Our elementary school has family movie nights in January and February. I have considered having a "Family MOVE" night with simple silly activities to show how easy it is to keep your family moving (i.e. sock hops or disco dancing, walking the halls, arm wrestling, yoga for kids...). A health fair would be a great part of that night. Good luck with it! I will keep dreaming about it for now.

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Specializes in School Nursing.
Since the wellness committee is required by federal law, I would start by bringing that group together.

I just meant that my particular school does not have a wellness committee, I am sure the district does. It is my understanding of the law that it is the district that is required to have one, not necessarily each individual school. However, I do want to start one at my school since it is very much needed.

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Specializes in School, Hospice, Triage.

My school is 100% free lunch with many absent parents. We have a tough time reaching families in a variety of areas. I have had success by holding my fairs when parents are in the building for other reasons, such as Parent Teacher Conferences. I call in the Red Cross, Minority Health, The County Library, Fire Department, Dairy Council, Local Health Clinic, American Heart and Lung Associations, YWCA, Park and Recreation Center, and local Behavioral Health Agency. I look to safety and wellness issues as our biggest problem in my school. My fair is small but located in the cafeteria to increase traffic. Over the years I found that offering juice and crackers increases participants. We don't have a PTO but I will confer with No Child Left Behind/ Title I groups if my school has them here that particular year. They are funded by the government and not the local school system. They sometimes have funds available for community education. Hang in there, the first one is the hardest. Good Luck.

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Hello everyone,

I have several questions regarding health fairs. I hope the experienced nurse could provide me with answers.

What happens if a patient has a serious reaction to a vaccination given at a health fair? Would the School of Medicine, School of Nursing, or the agency be sued if something goes wrong with the patient?

What are the legal requirements you must meet prior to having a health fair?

Sometimes the client has an unusually high blood sugar. Would this constitute an emergent referral? At health fairs, what is considered as emergent referral?

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Specializes in Med Office, Home Health, School Nurse.

Our district is actually having a county wide one this afternoon at one of the high school gyms from 3-6pm. I will be going by there after school. I'm excited to see what they have!

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Specializes in School Nurse, Maternal Newborn.

I chair a health fair at my school every year, as part of our community "harvest festival" in the fall. It is always well attended. Some suggestions (trial and error for me, LOL!) Learn from my mistakes. You may look into some of these things, though they may not be available in your state/community:

1) Highway patrol to do corificeat safety inspections.

2) Some have a passenger safety simulator with crash test dummies to show what happens to an unrestrained passenger.

3) A dentist from the area to do dental screenings- just looking, making suggestions to the parent as to care needed.

4) The Red Cross, to show their available services

5) County extension for food safety and preparation

6) sometimes local grocery stores will offer a healthy snack

7) Women's opportunity centers- to show what is available for the displace homemaker- assistance in preparing for employment

8) The ARC- to show what services can be offered to developmentally disabled citizens

9) The Lions club . Some chapters offer the service of a type of vision screenings, using a special camera (meant to be used by a lay person, but read by a local opthalmologist) that can identify a number of conditions such as cataract and retinoblastoma. They also often offer glasses

10) If you have a local college that has a speech pathology program, they will sometimes do hearing screenings for pre k children.

11) If there is a free clinic in your county, sometimes a representative can offer information for the uninsured.

12) Domestic violence agencies

13) Local health food stores can offer nutritional information

14) You may have a local pediatrician that will come to offer information on growth and development

15) Local Chiropractors, massage therapists, acupuncturists, if you would like to offer alternative therapy information

16)American Diabetes Association have regional representatives

17) Some of the state childrens insurance programs (CHIPS) offices will fill out applications for families for health insurance

18) Representatives from local food pantries, sometimes food stamp offices have outreach people that will fill out applications. GOOD LUCK

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Contact your local Health Department for assistance/information. One of the goals of public health is to assess/address the health needs of their community...you, your school, and the students and their families are all part of this community. Our LHD attends our health fairs and provides immunization services, hearing and vision services, cardiovascular risk assessments, etc. LHD's have to provide evidence to their State Health Department that they are indeed working within the community, so they may be very eager to lend a hand to you! Good Luck!

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