To sign up and take the Checklist Quiz providers can go to: http://www.healthykidshealthyfuture.org/content/hkhf/home/startearly/howtosignup.html

CLICK HERE for more information about the Let’s Move! Child Care State Challenge!

• Child development and education: Child Health Talk features articles that demonstrate the link between good health and children’s development and education.  Topics have included middle school education, school readiness, infant physical development, and language development.  A feature in each issue, “Between the Covers,” also provides an incredible list of titles, authors and subjects that feature age appropriate, multi-cultural books.
• Healthy home environment: NBCDI helps parents create a healthy and learning-friendly home for children by focusing on topics such as booster seats, child-proofing physical environments, second-hand smoke, summer fun and safety, and swimming pool safety and providing sources of free or low-cost information, materials, and services.
• Nutrition: With obesity on the rise, particularly among African American children, Child Health Talk continues to focus on a variety of nutrition issues, such as how to make better food choices and healthy eating habits. “Snack Time” is a special column that provides low-cost and low-maintenance recipes that include the nutritional value of the ingredients and are especially appealing to children, while “What’s In Season” focuses on fresh fruits and vegetables available at different times throughout the year.
• Health and Fitness: NBCDI provides parents with information on fitness and fun physical activities for children. Topics generally focus on physical activity for each developmental stage, sports and family fitness. In addition, NBCDI provides parents with vital information regarding their children’s medical/physical and mental health such as immunizations, limiting screen time, flu, obesity, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

To download the current issue of Child Health Talk (Fall 2011), please click here.

For the Spring 2011 issue, please click here.  For more information, access prior issues, or if would like to submitt an article, please contact Angele’ Doyne at  adoyne@nbcdi.org

Mixed results from the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress released on November 1 paint a complex picture of student achievement at the fourth and eighth grade levels, in both reading and mathematics.  While the National Black Child Development Institute is pleased to note that several states have had success in narrowing their racial and economic achievement gaps, and increasing their overall performances, we continue to be challenged by the fact that there were no significant changes in fourth grade reading scores on the national level since 2009, the last time the assessment was administered.  Further, a 25-point score gap between Black and White students remains unacceptably high, though it has decreased from 26 points in 2009 and from a peak of 38 points in 1994.

There is some good news to celebrate, including the fact that low-income students performed better in 2011, in both grades and subjects, and the fact that higher percentages of students overall are scoring Proficient and above, compared to 2003, the first year for which we have data for all 50 states.  In the eighth grade, White, Black and Hispanic students achieved the highest reading scores to date.  Yet in the fourth grade, over 50 percent of Black children scored below Basic in reading, with only 14 percent scoring Proficient and 2 percent scoring at the Advanced level, as compared with White children, 22 percent of whom scored below Basic (33 percent scored Proficient and 11 percent scored Advanced).

It is clear that despite some advances, significant challenges remain on the national level.  It is critical that we celebrate the states that have made progress in both raising achievement and closing achievement gaps in reading and math, including Alabama, Hawaii, Kentucky, Rhode Island, and Texas, while also learning from these and other states, districts and schools that are relying on strong, proven methods to enhance teaching and learning, engage families, strengthen investment in early care and education, and prepare our students for sustainable academic and lifelong success.

The National Training Institute is fast approaching! But it is not too late to register to attend.

The NTI will feature sessions on autism, brain and behavioral development, and practical approaches in pediatric primary care, just to name few!

You can register onsite for the NTI starting on Thursday, December 8th, 7:00 am, at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center.

For more information, visit www.zttnticonference.org

http://s3.goeshow.com/nbcdi/annual/2011/pdf/sams_gift_card.pdf

September 1, 2011                                                                                                                                            202.833.2220; ptyson@nbcdi.org

NATIONAL BLACK CHILD DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE RECEIVES $300,000 GRANT FROM THE WALMART FOUNDATION

Washington, DC—August 15, 2011–National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI) receives a $300,000 grant from the Walmart Foundation. This grant will help strengthen and expand an education campaign designed to encourage healthy nutrition practices specifically among Black families with young children.

Promoting the health of Black children and families is a key policy and program initiative for NBCDI. In partnership with local child care centers, schools, churches and community-based organizations, leading experts in the child nutrition and health fields, as well as with our BCDI affiliates, we will be able to build upon existing accomplishments in these areas to effectively and successfully connect positive nutrition messages and actions with Black families and communities.

“Promoting healthy nutrition practices among Black children and families through culturally relevant and meaningful systems of delivery will have positive effects on reducing obesity among Black communities as a whole” said Felicia DeHaney, President and CEO.

Over the past 42 years, NBCDI has focused our efforts on preventing negative outcomes for Black children and families, which has allowed us to create a strong history as a credible change agent and advocacy voice.

“Supporting nutrition education programs that empower people to make healthier choices is a priority for the Walmart Foundation,” said Julie Gehrki, Sr. Director. “Walmart is working to make healthy, affordable food accessible to families across the nation and we’re proud of the work the National Black Child Development Institute is doing to provide culturally relevant nutrition education.”

NBCDI’s mission is to improve and advance the lives of Black children and families through education and advocacy. NBCDI focuses its work on child development, early and middle school education, parenting, health and child welfare. Detailed information can be found on the website at www.nbcdi.org

James E. Bowman, MD, professor emeritus in the departments of pathology and
medicine at the University of Chicago, died at the University of Chicago
Medical Center on September 28 at the age of 88, after a long battle with
cancer.

An internationally recognized expert on pathology, inherited blood diseases and
population genetics, Bowman was the first tenured African-American professor in
the University of Chicago’s Biological Sciences Division. He also was a
powerful advocate for minority scholars seeking access to advanced careers.
“The University of Chicago and the University of Chicago Medical Center has
lost one of its most important and eminent citizens,” said Kenneth S. Polonsky,
MD, dean of the Division of the Biological Sciences and the Pritzker School of
Medicine at the University of Chicago. “Dr. Bowman had an enormous impact
in so many areas — as a physician-scientist, mentor, leader, role model and
inspiration to students and faculty. We are indeed fortunate to have
benefitted from his many contributions and from knowing a man of such exemplary
integrity.”

Bowman, a senior scholar for the MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics and
a member of the committees on genetics and on African and African-American
Studies at the university, was one of the first to study genetic variation
among diverse populations, primarily those of African origin, and the
relationship between genetics and minority health.
Later in his career, Bowman focused on the ethical, legal and public policy
issues raised by human genetics and mandatory screening tests in certain U.S.
states.
“James Bowman’s longstanding commitment to the study of sickle cell disease,
both here and abroad, and his advocacy for communities and individuals affected
by this mutation stand as the model for discussions of insurability and
discrimination on the basis of genetic predisposition,” said William McDade,
MD, associate professor in anesthesiology and critical care and deputy provost
for research and minority issues at the University of Chicago.

After serving as CEO and President for nearly five years, Dr. Carol Brunson Day will pass the baton of leadership over to Dr. Felicia DeHaney, who comes to NBCDI after serving as the Interim Assistant Superintendent for Early Childhood Education and Director of School Preparedness for the District of Columbia’s Office of the State Superintendent of Education.

No stranger to NBCDI having served as Project Director for the Kellogg Foundation funded program Supporting Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids (SPARK) from 2006 to 2009, Felicia’s background in advocacy and human services prepare her well for the position. Over the past 15 years since getting her undergraduate degree at Howard University, she has worked as classroom teacher and administrator, higher education instructor and researcher. During that time she also received her Masters Degree from Columbia University and her Doctorate from Howard University.

Dr. DeHaney recognizes the challenges ahead to strengthen NBCDI’s position as a trusted and effective voice on behalf of Black children and families. “In this changing economic climate where the challenging conditions facing our children seem to be growing, we must dig deeper to find critical opportunities both to marshal support for them and to demonstrate their capacity to grow and thrive. Our agenda must support both their struggles and their strengths.”

The leadership transition will take place over the next month. Dr. DeHaney accepts the baton of leadership as she enthusiastically forges the future at the helm of NBCDI.

Over the past 42 years, NBCDI has sought to improve and advance thewelfare of Black Children and families through education and advocacy. NBCDI focuses its work on child development, early and middle school education, parenting, health and child welfare.

For additional information, please contact: Nicole Thomas at nthomas@nbcdi.org

1313 L Street, NW • Suite 110 •
Washington,D.C.20005-4110

202.833.2220 •
800.556.2234 • 202.833.8222 FAX • www.nbcdi.org

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