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Nurturing Wellness
Resources to Support Educator Well-Being
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April 2024
Employee Wellness Spotlight
Showcasing CPS leaders and champions who personally model healthy behaviors and truly believe in creating opportunities for school employees to take better care of themselves!
Mike Denehy - Classroom Aide, Fairview Elementary
Mike constantly makes the wellness choice throughout his days at Fairview! He is an avid bike rider and can regularly be found logging his miles on Strava. He takes his lunch outside at a nearby park to get some fresh air and a mental break. Furthermore, Mike is independently working on a family fun run for Columbia elementary school students and their families. After years of organizing runs and festivals, he was inspired to create this FREE community wide even for students and their families that would support the PTA groups in the different schools. The event is called the PTA Fun Run and is scheduled for April 27 at Cosmo Park. Sign up to not only support our local PTAs, but to support one of our own, Mike!
If you want to nominate an employee to be spotlighted for their wellness efforts, fill out this short Google Survey.
EMOTIONAL WELLNESS
Embracing Nature's Therapy: A Breath of Fresh Air for Stress Management
In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, stress can often feel like an unavoidable companion. However, there's a powerful ally waiting just outside our doors - nature. Embracing the great outdoors has proven to be a transformative stress management tool, offering a plethora of benefits for both our physical and mental well-being.
In honor of Earth Day, here's how reconnecting with nature can be a game-changer for stress relief:
1. Mindful Escapes: Stepping outside and immersing ourselves in nature provides an opportunity to disconnect from pressures. Even a short walk in a nearby park or a moment to enjoy fresh air can offer a mental reset, allowing us to return to our tasks with renewed focus.
2. Natural-Stress Busters: Nature has an innate ability to soothe our minds. The sights and sounds of the outdoors trigger a relaxation response, reducing cortisol levels - the stress hormone. Whether it's the gentle rustle of leaves or the warmth of sunlight, nature provides a natural remedy for stress.
3. Physical Wellness: Outdoor activities, such as walking or hiking, not only contribute to physical fitness but also promote mental well-being. Regular exposure to nature has been linked to improved mood, reduced anxiety, and increased overall happiness.
4. Creativity Boost: Nature stimulates creativity. Taking a break outdoors can spark new ideas and perspectives, fostering a more innovated and solution-oriented mindset when we return to our tasks.
To incorporate the healing power of nature into our work routine, consider:
- Organizing walking meetings in outdoor spaces
- Create designated outdoor break areas
- Take your classes outside for a short lesson during the day
Let's harness the stress-relieving benefits that nature generously offers. By incorporating these simple practices into our work lives, we can cultivate a healthier, more balanced, and resilient district.
Remember, the great outdoors is a readily available sanctuary for stress management - all we need to do is take that step outside.
Best Animal Live Cams
If you read the article above, you will have learned that watching videos on animals and nature has been shown to decrease stress levels by a significant amount! So I wanted to include links to the best Animal Live Feeds that can be found! I urge each of you to play some in your classroom to help students and yourself destress in times of need!
PHYSICAL WELLNESS
The Power of Functional Movement
In a world that often emphasizes high-intensity workouts and complex exercise routines, the concept of functional movement stands out as a holistic and practical approach to physical fitness. So, what exactly is functional movement, and why should we incorporate it into our lives?
Functional movement refers to exercises and activities that mimic real-live movements, engaging multiple muscle groups and joints simultaneously. Unlike isolated exercises that target specific muscles, functional movements focus on enhancing your ability to perform everyday tasks with efficiency and reduced risk of injury.
The beauty of functional movement lies in its relevance to our daily lives. Whether you're bending to pick up groceries, reaching for items on a high shelf, or simply walking up stairs, these movements are ingrained in our routines. By incorporating exercises that mirror these natural motions, we not only improve our physical fitness but also enhance our overall quality of life.
Incorporating functional movement into your fitness routine doesn't require fancy equipment or lengthy workouts. Simple bodyweight exercises like squats, lunges, and planks can form the foundation of a functional fitness regimen. See the graphic below to see how certain exercise movements can benefit our everyday activity and to help you start moving functionally!
OCCUPATIONAL WELLNESS
NUTRITIONAL WELLNESS
FINANCIAL WELLNESS
ITEMS OF CONTINUED INTEREST
Upcoming Wellness Opportunities
Molly's Miles: April 27 @ 8am Don't forget CPS Employees get a discounted entry fee for registering for this event! Sign up for Molly's Miles here using the employee code CPS. This code is only valid for CPS employees.
Headspace for Educators: Headspace offers free access to K-12 teachers and supporting staff in the US. Whether you're feeling inspired to connect more with your students or you're looking for a new way to bring calm to your classroom, Headspace can help students building healthy habits that last a lifetime. Better focus, less stress, and happier thoughts are just a few minutes away. Click here to sign up for your free subscription, making sure to use your school email!
The Happy Teacher Revolution with Danna Thomas: In this episode of the Trauma Informed Education podcast, Danna Thomas from the Happy Teacher Revolution is interviewed. Danna is the founder of the Happy Teacher Revolution network - aimed at organizing support groups for teachers in the field of mental health and wellness to increase teacher happiness, retention, and professional sustainability. When teachers are asked to give so much in terms of time, money, and emotional capacity, the Happy Teacher Revolution network aims to support teachers to strike a balance between excellent teaching and personal sustainability. Visit the episode website to listen today!
Bored Teachers The Struggle Is Real! Comedy Tour: On Friday, August 9, Bored Teachers are BACK with all new material on their "The Struggle is Real!" Comedy Tour. For years, Bored Teachers Studios has brought a sense of humor to teachers around the world to ease their daily struggle in the classroom. They've amassed over a billion views on their viral videos on social media, over 10 million followers, and the #1 ranked teacher-comedy podcast - #6 of all Stand Up Comedy shows on Apple Podcasts. Since 2022, Bored Teachers has been selling out comedy clubs and major theatres across 49 states, bringing laughter to over 150,000 teachers throughout the school year and has become the main event to attend in all of teacher world. Even non-teacher fans have reviewed it as one of the funniest stand up shows they've ever seen! The Bored Teachers Show is a comedy powerhouse that anyone who's ever been in a classroom can relate to. Buy tickets to see them at Missouri Theatre
Columbia Area Earth Day Festival: On April 21 from 12-6:30, visit vendors and organizations with the scoop on carbon during the Earth Day Festival between 7th & 8th on Elm and into Peak Park! For more info, visit the Columbia Area Earth Day Festival website.
Wholeness8 Summit: April 27 at Stoney Creek Hotel. Reaching your health goals is no easy feat, and finding a place to start can be even more daunting. That's what we're here to address at Wholeness8: empowering, renewing, and refocusing what it means to be a healthy person. By joining the Wholness8 Summit, you'll be immersed in a full day of inclusive health and wellness education by numerous experts, designed to help you learn and identify not only how to set and commit to your goals, but finish them - no matter where your starting line is. Go to the website to learn more!
Local Gym Discounts
Below are local gyms that offer educator discounts to CPS Staff. I am working to increase this list, so if you have a gym you would like me to reach out to, please let me know! To download the PDFs, you must open this newsletter in the internet browser by clicking "view in browser" at the top.
Free Counseling Services
Employees who are benefit eligible (working 30 hours or more per week), their spouses, and children age 13 and over are eligible to receive services at the EAP free of charge.
For more information click on the brochure on the right, or to schedule an appointment, contact the EAP at 573-815-6034 or at eap@boone.health.
Boone Health Employee Assistance Program is located at 1605 E. Broadway, Boone Medical Plaza 2, Suite 200, Columbia, MO 65201.
This newsletter is brought to you in collaboration between the following CPS departments:
- Nutrition Services
- Occupational Health
- Physical and Health Education
- Psychological Services (Outreach Counseling & School Psychology)
- School Counseling
- School Nursing