Asthma Communications Toolkit

The purpose of this Asthma Communications Kit is to provide school leaders with a one-stop online resource to obtain information, forms, and templates to communicate about asthma management in schools with staff, parents, the community, and the media. It was created by AASA and the National School Boards Association. It is made possible through a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Adolescent and School Health Award Number U58-DP398-02.

This toolkit is available to members and non-members alike. You do not need to sign in to access the Asthma Communications Toolkit.

Introduction

Letter to AASA and NSBA members from Daniel A. Domenench and Anne L. Bryant (PDF) – AASA and NSBA’s executive directors encourages school system leaders to use the toolkit to communicate effectively with various constituents on the topic of asthma.

Laying the Groundwork: Information About Asthma – This section contains an overview of asthma, including data.

• Asthma Key Points (webpage)
• QuickStats: Percentage of Children Aged <18 Years with Current Asthma, by Race/Ethnicity and Sex (webpage)
• Asthma Disparities in Schoolchildren (Word)
• How Asthma Friendly is Your School? Checklist (PDF)

Why Should School Leaders Be Concerned About Asthma? – This section contains new media selections of school leaders talking about the importance of asthma management in schools.

• National Perspective: Streaming video from Paul Houston, former Executive Director, American Association of School Administrators, Arlington, Va. (WindowsMedia)
• State Perspective: A short video from Miles Turner, former superintendent and current executive director of the Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators (webpage)
• Local Perspective: Streaming video from Beverly Hall, Superintendent, Atlanta Public Schools, Atlanta, Ga. (WindowsMedia)

School Board Policy – This section showcases useful information on creating school board policies to protect students with asthma in the school environment.

• NSBA Asthma Policy Checklist (Word)
• Fit, Healthy, and Ready to Learn, Part III: Policies on Asthma, School Health Services, and Healthy Environments (webpage)
• Interactive Map of State Laws (webpage)

Fact Sheets - Students with asthma can often be impacted by other aspects of the school or social environment. The topics below connect asthma with other school health issues in order to better address the complete school environment.

• Asthma And Bus Idling (PDF)
• Asthma And Physical Activity (PDF)
• Asthma and Environmental Tobacco Smoke (PDF)

Communicating with Parents - Essential Forms and Information for Schools to Work with Families and Students with Asthma

• “Dear Doctor” letter (Word)
• Asthma Action Plan (PDF)
• Template of letter to parent of child with asthma Version 1 (Word)
• Template of letter to parent of child with asthma Version 2 (Word)
• National Standards for Family-School Partnership (webpage)

Templates and Information in Event of a Crisis – The resources in this section can be used by the school district information officer or other person responsible for responding during a crisis, and contains information on reaching out to students, parents, staff and the community in the event of an asthma emergency.

• Template of letter to parent in event of an asthma death at school (Word)
• Template of press release to community in event of crisis (Word)
• Template of letter to staff in event of an asthma crisis or death at school (Word)
• Tips for responding to media queries (Word)
• Article: “Crisis Situations Deserve More Than a ‘No Comment’” (webpage)

Learning from Your Peers - Sharing in Success

• View streaming videos of AASA’s former Asthma Partner Workgroup (webpage)
• Read about AASA’s Asthma Partner Workgroup success stories (Word)
• Albuquerque Public Schools (webpage)
• Charlotte-Mecklenburg (PDF)
• Have you implemented changes to your district regarding asthma? If so, submit your story to AASA today. (webpage)
• NSBA's Promising District Practices webpage

Essential Resources for School District Leaders

• School Governance & Leadership: Asthma Wellness (PDF)
• Powerful Practices (PDF)
• Questions School Leaders Frequently Ask About Asthma (webpage)
• Asthma Engagement tool (PowerPoint)
• Asthma “101” packet (webpage)
• Strategies for Addressing Asthma within a Coordinated School Health Program (webpage)

Asthma Communications Toolkit Evaluation

Additional Resources for Asthma Management in Schools- The resources on this page are intended for a variety of school staff (principals, teachers, facilities managers and others) and include topics of asthma, indoor air quality, and more.

Please note: Many of the items in the Asthma Communications Kit include links to the full text of materials from outside organizations. While we provide these links for your convenience, their content does not necessarily reflect the opinion of AASA. Please check each website for copyright information.