School

Asthma Awareness Education Program

The North East Independent School District will address the needs of our students by creating a healthy environment in which they can be academically successful.  Healthy children learn better and by providing an asthma friendly environment students with asthma can better focus and reach their academic potential.  More than 653,000 children have been diagnosed with asthma in Texas. 

Asthma is the number one reason why students miss school days nationwide.  In 2006 NEISD data revealed over 70,000 visits to the school nurse for use of asthma medications during previous years.  Our program goals for all our students with asthma are to improve attendance (therefore increase our state funding), decrease class time interruptions due to symptoms (increase student performance), and fully participate in desired physical activities (promote healthy lifestyle).

Our four-component, comprehensive approach to asthma control provides a proactive approach to address the most common childhood disease that generates multi-day, recurring absenteeism. Using a collective approach, we take on this health issue that affects more than 8,000 of our students (12% of population).  People with asthma are the most sensitive individuals when an environment is not healthy; by providing an environment in which they can thrive we are ensuring an environment that is healthy for everyone.  We use the “Tips for Providing a Healthier Learning Environment” and perform campus walkthroughs to ensure the indoor environment is healthy for ALL occupants. We educate not only our staff in asthma awareness, but we also provide education and disease management strategies for our students and parents. This brings awareness to those with asthma, as well as identifying those undiagnosed, in order for them to receive self-management tools and the empowerment to understand and control the disease. By closing the gap between parents and the medical community through our Asthma Blow Outs outreach events we can help parents improve their child’s quality of life by educating them on the tools available to achieve asthma control.   

The Asthma Awareness Education Program has been recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency by receiving the Special Achievement Award (Diane Rhodes) as well as being an integral part of the districts’ Indoor Air Quality Program that has received the EPA’s Excellence Award and the Model of Sustained Excellence Award for the dedication to providing a healthy school environment.  Additionally, the Asthma Blow Out model was a recipient of the American College of Chest Physician's MaCaffree OneBreath Humanitarian Award in 2012 

In 2013 the Asthma Awareness Education Program received the EPA's National Environmental Leadership Award in Asthma Managment.  Additionally, 10 of NEISD campuses earned the Gold Level Recognition from the American Lung Associations Asthma Friendly Schools Initiative - the only schools in the nation to recieved this recognition for 2013 and 2014. The American Lung Association produced a video about NEISD after the first 3 schools were awarded in 2013 (link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNiAaKFqHZk&list=UU7f9888CwQq-XmKYRGa7k_g )

Learn more about the award: http://www.lung.org/lung-disease/asthma/creating-asthma-friendly-environ...

Memphis City Schools (MCS) Project Asthma is providing case management services to children with asthma. Case workers operate from the four MCS SBHC and communicate with the parents, school, student and child's PCP.  Well Child is the operating agency of the clinics.  

Asthma is the number one chronic disease among students in
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. Over 6,500 students in CMS have been
diagnosed with asthma. Asthma also is the number one reason for school
absence for children with chronic diseases nationally, with over 10
million days missed per year.

In addition to keeping children out of school, asthma also has a
detrimental effect on participation and performance in academics and
physical activities. Students with asthma may lose sleep because of
nighttime coughing and be lethargic or inattentive during class time as a
result. They may shy away from physical activity, fearing that it may
trigger an asthma attack, or may fail to take their medication because
they do not want to be seen as “different.” This often leads to
embarrassment, frustration and isolation.