Staff and student wellness is a key component of creating healthier schools and communities.
In March 2018, Brushton-Moira Central School District hosted its second annual Staff Wellness Day and the first-ever Student Wellness Day, with support from the North Country Healthy Heart Network. The staff program follows up 2017’s successful event that earned high marks from teachers and faculty.
“The staff day was started as a means for boosting staff morale by supporting the teacher as a person first and not just an educator,” said Kat Haney, program coordinator for the Heart Network.
Nearly 175 staff members participated in a variety of activities, including cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, healthy cooking classes, and yoga and meditation.
“We hope to expand offerings next year to include sessions that focus on incorporating wellness into the classroom,” Haney said.
Student Wellness Day was spearheaded by two students who were inspired by the previous year’s staff day. The students polled their peers to find out their main areas of interest.
Activities for students included healthy snacks demos, a healthy relationships workshop, team building physical activities, and an internet safety presentation.
This annual event supports two components of Comprehensive School Physical Activity Programs: staff involvement and physical activity during the day.
The Heart Network provided technical assistance in the planning and execution of the event. To learn more, contact Kat Haney at khaney@heartnetwork.org.
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