SCHOOL WELLNESSAlyson BrabitzShowell Elementary SchoolWorcester Countyajbrabitz@mail.worcester.k12.md.us

PURPOSE The link between wellness and student

learning is well-documented. Consistent with research, I believe that students who adopt healthy eating patterns and incorporate physical activity into their daily lives are able to achieve their full academic potential, full physical and mental growth, and lifelong health and well-being. In addition, the staff members who model these healthy behaviors, help to promote lifelong health and well-being.

“If you don’t take care of your body, where are you going to live?”  ~Unknown

HOW DOES IT WORK?

See what your staff is interested in

Create an action plan

Provide resources Cover all types of

wellness (stress relief, mental wellness, nutrition, etc)

Provide incentives

Brain breaks in traditional classrooms

ACES (all children exercise simultaneously)

Before or after school exercise programs

Healthy choice awards at lunch

Faculty and Staff Students

DID YOU KNOW?• Approximately 2/3 of all deaths in adults aged 25

year and older in the US can be attributed to cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes. The primary causes of these conditions are four preventable risk factors – tobacco use, poor eating habits, inadequate physical activity and overweight.

• Obesity and related chronic diseases cost employers up to $93 billion per year in health insurance claims

• The cost of obesity, including medical expenditures and absenteeism, for an employer with 1,000 employees is estimated to be $277,000 per year

WE NEED TO BE THE GOOD EXAMPLE FOR OUR STUDENTS! IF WE ARE

HEALTHY AND ACTIVE, THEY WILL BE TOO!

ACTION PLAN FOR FACULTY AND STAFF Begin with a survey to see what your faculty

and staff are interested in Set a few goals for the year and how you will

implement them (ex. Walking program, biggest loser, first aid/cpr training, healthy recipes, exercise challenges, healthy breakfasts, health screenings)

Where to get $$ Soda machine $ Casual days Grants PTA A school fun run

MAKE IT WORTHWHILE! Offer incentives to keep people motivated!

Wellness programs not only control health care costs and

reduce claims, but also improve employees’ health

and morale!

MINUTE TO WIN IT GAMES TO SPICE UP FACULTY MEETINGS OR LUNCH TIME!

Baby blocking

Bobble head

Hanky panky

Stack attack

Questions, comments, concerns??

Balloon ball brain break!

DID YOU KNOW? Students who get physical activity and eat

healthier are more likely to have higher grades 1 in every 3 children (31.7%) ages 2-19 is

overweight or obese 1/3 of all children born in the year 2000 are

expected to develop diabetes during their lifetime Many experts believe that today’s kids may be the

first generation in American history to live shorter lives than their parents.

Schools alone cannot be responsible for the health and well-being of children, but along with other families and partners in the community, they do play an important role.

NOW FOR THE CHILDREN Once you have the faculty and staff on

board, create a committee to help organize things for the studentsPhysical Education teachersNurseAdministratorFit healthy teachersCafeteria workersLocal parks and recreation

HEALTHY CHOICE AWARDS AT LUNCH Get the cafeteria workers on board and

really encourage healthy choices. Have the myplate charts visibly placed

around cafeteria Highlight the students who have

healthy choices for lunch (ex. Let them line up first, take their picture for a bulletin board, give them a certificate, etc)

Have students make a pledge that they will make healthy choices at school and at home.

ACES (ALL CHILDREN EXERCISE SIMULTANEOUSLY) An event that usually happens once a year,

could be a weekly or monthly event. The event should be short and easy, but

everyone drops what they’re doing to MOVE! Choose a time where the whole school stops

and does some sort of exercise Walk around the school Aerobics in the gym Dancing in their classrooms Stretching to calming music Calisthenics

BEFORE OR AFTER SCHOOL EXERCISE PROGRAMS Create a walking or jogging group

before school. Offer an after school program that

incorporates physical activity (yoga, dance, wii sports, etc)

Offer extra Physical Education class to star students.

Coordinating with local parks and recreation facilities to provide activities.

BRAIN BREAKS IN TRADITIONAL CLASSROOMS http://www.emc.cmich.edu/BrainBreaks/ The focus here is on whole school health, so

why don’t we give teachers in traditional classrooms ways to use some BRAIN BREAKS!

Examples: Balloon ball Reaction game Brain break cup Knots of people The seat exchange A special person

“PHYSICAL FITNESS IS NOT ONLY ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT KEYS TO A HEALTHY BODY, IT IS THE BASIS OF DYNAMIC AND CREATIVE INTELLECTUAL ACTIVITY.”  ~JOHN F. KENNEDY

LET’S CHAT Share some ideas with people around

you What are some struggles you might

have? Any good resources to share?

RESOURCES

https://schools.healthiergeneration.org/_

asset/wwj4dq/schoolwellnesscounciltoolkit.pd

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http://www.nbc.com/minute-to-win-it

http://www.emc.cmich.edu/BrainBreaks/