MonroeCounty Coordinated-SchoolHealth welcomes you to participate, in January's "Staff Wellness"! Declutter January

Did you know that over 80% of individuals find themselves grappling with stress and anxiety directly linked in their living spaces. This statistic emphasizes the pervasive impact of clutter on mental well-being. The chaos of an unorganized environment can mirror the chaos in our minds, making it difficult to relax or concentrate. Studies show that just by decluttering can significantly improve ones mood and mental health.

We welcome everyone to participate! Head over to our social media page and simply give a thumbs up, for participation. We'd also love your sharing of pictures in completing, some of these tasks!

A routine is important for kids because it provides stability, helps them know what to expect, builds self-confidence, promotes good sleep habits, and can reduce anxiety by creating a sense of predictability in their day-to-day life; essentially giving them a sense of control and structure in their environment.

Key benefits of a child's routine:

• Reduced anxiety:

  Knowing what comes next in their day helps children feel safe and less anxious about uncertainties.

• Improved self-reliance:

  Routines encourage children to take ownership of their tasks and develop independence.

• Better time management:

  A structured routine helps children learn to manage their time effectively.

• Enhanced emotional regulation:

  Consistent routines can help children learn to manage their emotions better.

• Positive learning environment:

  A predictable routine can create a conducive environment for learning and development.

• Stronger social skills:

  Participating in established routines can foster cooperation and social interaction.

• Healthy habits development:

  Routines can be used to promote good hygiene, eating habits, and sleep patterns

Coordinated School Health (CSH) is a program in Tennessee schools that aims to promote student health and academic achievement by connecting physical, social, and emotional health with education:

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  What it is

  CSH is an evidence-based model developed by the CDC that integrates eight components to improve student health and academic outcomes:

  • Health education

  • Health services

  • Counseling, psychological, and social services

  • Nutrition

  • Physical education/physical activity

  • Healthy school environment

  • Student/parent/community involvement

  • Staff wellness

  
  

  
  

Winter has arrived, bringing the familiar challenges of sniffles, sore throats, and fevers. Now is a great time for our students, staff, and families to review our district’s signs and symptoms chart above. If still unsure, then we welcome you to contact your child's school nurse or the school health supervisor, Jackie Gray.

Keeping students and school staff healthy is a shared goal of schools and families. Many preventive strategies are simple, safe, and effective, allowing school communities and individuals to guard against a variety of illnesses.

Comprehensive Health Education

It's time to start comprehensive health education. We will be offering Scrubby Bear Classes to all Kindergartners. Kindergarten or guidance teachers we welcome you to sign up, for these classes, by e-mailing lacey@monroek12.org

Did you know that handwashing us your best defense against illness?

Why Is Handwashing Important?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Frequent handwashing is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of infectious diseases."

Microbes are everywhere. They are on surfaces in your home, in your school, at your work, as well as on your body, including your hands. While many microbes are not harmful, there are some that can make you sick. These disease-causing microbes, or germs, can cause colds, diarrhea, and serious illnesses such as hepatitis A, meningitis, and the flu. Handwashing helps rid your hands of germs, greatly decreasing the chances of you, or someone else, getting sick.

MonroeCounty Coordinated-SchoolHealth had the best visitor, this afternoon! Meet Chapel Thompson ! Chapel carries ADA certification and was awarded his certification, through intense instruction at Sequoyah K9 Academy/ personalized instruction with his trainer!

Therapy dogs can provide a range of benefits including: reduced anxiety and stress, improved mood, increase social interaction, induced self esteem, lowered blood pressure, pain reduction, better focus for learning, and overall improved well-being.

Studies show benefits for students/staff

Improved Well-being - by helping children feel more confident, reduce anxiety, and increase their overall well being.

Better learning outcomes- They can help children focus and learn better, which can improve reading and writing skills.

Enhanced Social Skills- Therapy dogs can help children improve their social skills and build better relationships with their peers and teachers.

Reduced Negative Behaviors- Such as, aggression and task advance.

Increased School Attendance- Therapy dogs can increase student attendance.

Improved Morale for Staff- Therapy dogs can help boost the morale of staff members by relieving stress and anxiety.

It’s our hope that Chapel will get acclomatted enough for opportunities, in our schools/district

We wanted to take a moment to applaud the work of our very own, School Health Supervisor Ms. Jackie Gray and her assistant Ms. Lisa Teague. Their efforts/hard work are a result of our teacher calming spaces. If you're a staff member, then please take time to thank them, for their efforts. Ms. Gray has shared this via e-mail and will be making an update, in Monday Memo. However, I think their efforts are worthy to be documented/praised, in our newsletter, too! Below is what Ms. Gray has shared on the project, with a picture included :)

Ms. Gray shared:

I am excited to share that during the break, Lisa and I successfully set up calming rooms for faculty and staff at several schools where space was available. These schools include VES, TPJH, VMS, TPHS, MCVS, and MIS; they are pictured above. Many thanks to Mr. Carroll and the maintenance team for delivering and assembling the recliners and tables. (We persuaded Mr. Swanson to take the time for a quick picture for us😉)

The Volunteer Behavioral Health Infrastructure Grant provided each space with a heated massage recliner, table(s), cozy throw and pillow, multi-colored lamp, sound machine, yoga mats, book for coloring, colored pencils, and the 8x10 area rug. Additionally, you will receive a tabletop prop with a QR code to access deep breathing exercises or relaxing activities to use while you take advantage of your new calming space.

We are excited to assist the remaining schools in setting up their calming rooms as soon as possible. Please email me when your space is ready for the setup. This area should not be a busy area used by students, such as a library or computer lab. The pictures above can be used as a reference for the space needed for the setup.

Important note about the keyless entry door locks: As many of you know, I inherited this grant at the end of the year, last year, when the items were ready for pickup. Since that time our team has been working diligently to carry it out effectively, however, I need to inform you that the keyless door locks that were ordered for optional use are not compatible with standard maintenance requirements. I apologize for this. Please return the locks to my office at your earliest convenience by taking them to the clinic for pick up. You may contact me with any questions. Thank you for your understanding.

If you wish to participate in February's staff wellness, then simply follow the directions/link provided above. There will be 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prize winners. The first three to submit the completed month, are our winners. In the case of a tie, there will be creative tie breaking questions. Best of Luck 🤩

Submit a real or funny picture of your day's completed tasks! You're welcome to submit by e-mail, with your link to lacey@monroek12.org