Commit to Be Fit Newsletter

8 March 2024/ Issue No. 278

Students have been enjoying the new movement-based literacy activities in the BrainSTAR Lab, such as the sight word building station (pictured above). By using tongs to carefully select the appropriate letter blocks, this station strengthens fine motor skills and incorporates sight word review.

In collaboration with Ms. Katherine Todd, RCES Reading Specialist, we have been finetuning our stations to further promote literacy growth. While the lab has incorporated sight word review and curriculum integration activities in the past, this new focus will help to further cement reading concepts learned in the classrooms for the young BrainSTARs. Stay tuned for more exciting updates from this movement literacy lab.

On February 29th, Ms. Mallory Grady (shown with Jackie Tederick and Principal Seward) returned to offer taste testing opportunities at the high school. The students enjoyed sampling Butternut Squash Soup during the Harvest of the Month event.

Exciting News! Rappahannock County High School was presented with the 2024 Virginia School Breakfast Award by Ms. Huong Lam from the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) during National School Breakfast Week on Thursday, March 7th. The school was selected for this recognition after reintroducing the Second Chance Breakfast offering, which increased student participation by 50-60% and helped to combat absenteeism and tardies. Additionally, the cafeteria staff were recognized for reducing the sodium and sugar content of breakfast meals by offering fresher options that incorporate local produce.

We would like to extend a special shout-out to Julie Banks, RCHS Cafeteria Manager, and our RCHS cafeteria team: Kathy Atkins, Heather Atkins, Lisa Clatterbuck, and Jennie Fewell. We are thankful for all they do to provide healthy and delicious meals for our students and staff.

Pictured (L-R): Huong Lam (VDOE), Kathy Atkins, Heather Atkins, Jennie Fewell, Lisa Clatterbuck, and Julie Banks.

Congratulations to our two prize drawing winners, Shannon Grimsley (duffle bag) and Claire Snelson (yoga mat)! Congratulations, ladies! Your prizes are available for pick-up at the school board office. Thank you to everyone that completed our survey and participated in the 8-week community challenge. It has truly been a pleasure to offer this to you. Stay tuned for future wellness challenges.

Lace up your shoes and join us for Walking Group on Mondays! This group meets at 3:45 pm at the RCES flag pole. Whether you are competing in one of our physical activity challenges or you would like to get a few extra steps in, we would love for you to come out and walk with us! This group is open to the entire community. Tell your friends or bring them with you!

Now that we are in winter, there may be times that school is closed due to weather. Walking Group will not meet when school is not in session. We will email our newsletter subscribers if there is a cancellation. School closures will be announced on the RCPS website as well.

We all experience different chapters of our lives whether we planned them or they just happen. Sometimes a curveball gets thrown in the mix making life feel like a dirty dumpster fire. This doesn’t mean the end, but it is our chance to step back, reevaluate, and set some achievable goals to regain a sense of control.

Don’t try to do everything at once. Break tasks into manageable steps, tackling one at a time. Establish a routine to provide structure and stability. Nourish your body, sleep well, and of course exercise. Nothing will get you in a depressed state quicker than sitting around dwelling on your problems.

Limit your exposure to negativity, whether it’s from people or any kind of media. We eventually become what we surround ourselves with. This is a great time to explore new hobbies or revisit old ones. You just might ignite a new passion. Don’t try to be perfect. Progress is more important than perfectionism.

Finally, don’t forget to consider seeking professional guidance such as therapy or counseling to navigate challenges. Many of us want to be strong and may feel a stigma associated with such services. There is no shame in asking for help! Remember, transformation takes time, so be patient, get clarity on what really matters, and that dumpster fire will be extinguished before you know it!

Ever heard the phrase “shop the perimeter”? We all probably spend a lot of unnecessary time (and money) strolling the center aisles of the grocery store, eyeing foods that we want but don’t really need. Chips, cookies, candy…all so hard to pass up as you’re walking by. I encourage you this National Nutrition Month to focus more of your shopping on the perimeter of the grocery store. This is where you will find the freshest, whole food ingredients without the extra processing and additives. Foods that don’t have added preservatives tend to need to be kept refrigerated in order to keep fresh. When shopping outside the aisles, focus on more lean meats, low fat dairy products and whole grains.

While the purpose of shopping the perimeter is to minimize processed foods, it’s not to say that some aisles don’t have some good items too! Items like healthy oils, canned or frozen vegetables, oatmeals, and herbs are all good options to choose from in the aisles, especially for those days when there’s not a lot of time to cook. Our bodies function best when we prioritize what we are fueling them with! Sticking to foods that have minimal preservatives and contain whole, fresh nutrients is always the best choice.

This week's recipe comes from A Couple Cooks and features a hearty breakfast option. To view, CLICK HERE.

The winners of this week's FREE salad bar coupon goes to Missy Moon (RCES) and Michele Fincham (RCHS).

RCPS Teachers-- As a friendly reminder, we have a massive database of brain breaks (PreK-12) and movement games/activities with SOL and content integration ideas (PK-5). CLICK HERE to view the Teacher Resource page. If you prefer, the C2BF team would be happy to come to your classroom and lead a brain break, activity, or even a mindful minute. Email c2bf@rappahannockschools.us to schedule a push-in.