Pictured l-r are those who participated in the initial grantee teleconference and training: Melanie Shannon, New Albany School District Grant Writer & Public Relations; Tammie Reeder, New Albany School District Health Services Coordinator; Zell Long, CPO Boys & Girls Club of North Mississippi; Jackie Ford, New Albany School District Superintendent; Windy Faulkner, New Albany Elementary School Principal; Dr. Collett Cross, New Haven Center Director.
New Albany Elementary School (NAES) is the recipient of two $4,000 grants through the “Healthy Lifestyles: Making Your Community Healthy Mini-Grant”. These Shared Use Agreement (SUA) grants have been possible by the Mississippi State Department of Health Bureau of Community and School Health and the Mississippi Department of Education Office of Health Schools.
Through this grant agreement process, NAES has formed partnerships with both the New Haven Center and the Boys & Girls Club of North Mississippi-New Albany Unit. Grant funding will assist in the launch of policy and community based change initiatives to promote wellness, improve nutrition and health education, and to prevent obesity.
The New Albany School District (NASD) and the Boys & Girls Club already has a well established partnership in place as the New Albany Boys & Girls Clubhouse is a school district owned and maintained facility. Grant monies will be used to provide games and supplies to improve physical fitness and health, nutrition, and character education.
The NASD is excited to begin to establish a new partnership with New Haven Center. Clients of the center will visit the physical education building at NAES weekly for physical fitness activities and structured play. Grant monies will be used to enhance the already existing facilities and supplies with an emphasis on expanding supplies to use with clients and students that have special needs.
“We are pleased that these grants will allow us to expand our Coordinated School Health Program to better meet the needs of our community,” said Tammie Reeder, School Health Coordinator and Grant Project Director. “We are so excited that many of our current students and former students will be served through these grant processes.”
