As a parent of a child with type 1 diabetes (T1D), I am excited to see the adventures that await as my daughter begins middle school, but I am also cognizant of the preparations that we need to make to ensure she has a successful school year.

Set yourself up for success: To learn more about tackling T1D in the classroom, I encourage you to visit typeonenation.org where you can find JDRF’s collection of resources, including information about 504 Plans, building a school diabetes emergency kit, the JDRF School Advisory Toolkit and more.

Empower your teachers: I love to share information with my daughter’s teachers, so they have a better understanding of her daily needs. This list, 10 Things Teachers Should Know About T1D, provides a good overview. Feel free to share with your teachers too!

• Don’t forget to educate your child’s coach. Our Outreach Volunteer Lourdes loves to share this Coaches Guide to T1D with her son’s soccer coach.

Keep them safe at school: JDRF New Jersey Metro & Rockland County Chapter has partnered with the American Diabetes Association and will be hosting “Safe at School: An Introduction to 504s” at our office in Woodbridge, NJ. Keep an eye out for upcoming dates, which will be shared on our calendar.

Educate your school: JDRF’s Kids Walk to Cure Diabetes is a great program to offer to your child’s school to raise T1D awareness among the students and teachers. Kids Walk also empowers students to make a real difference in their community by coming together to raise money for life-changing T1D research.

• How it works: JDRF staff will work with your school to schedule an assembly and – one/two weeks later – a Kids Walk Day. JDRF hosts an interactive assembly (complete with this great video) to teach students about T1D, diabetes and answer any student questions. Students are given their own JDRF paper sneakers, providing them with an opportunity to make a difference and raise funds for T1D research. Then, we celebrate the school’s success at Kids Walk – a perfect opportunity for the school to come together, get some exercise and have their own mini-walk experience! Additionally, schools that participate receive benefits; in fact, 10% of the funds raised is awarded back to the school!

If you have questions, need assistance navigating through JDRF resources or would like to have your school schedule a Kids Walk, don’t hesitate to reach out to me at gvanmater@jdrf.org or at (732) 219-6654.

— Gretchen Van Mater, Outreach Coordinator