BPS Wellness

Welcome to the first issue of the BPS Wellness Newsletter, brought to you by the District Wellness Advisory Committee. We hope to keep the BPS community informed about current wellness activities happening around the district, to provide tips and ideas to promote wellness at school and at home, and to engage the community to be active in their own wellness!

Contributors:

Alicia Bryant - Director of Health Services; committee co-chair

Caitlin Dumas - School Nurse, BHS

Susan Fishback - PE/Wellness Teacher, WVES

Kim Sollows - PE/Wellness Teacher, WVES

Ann Agurkis - Float Nurse

The District Wellness Advisory Committee participates in the development, review, updating, and implementation of the Local District Wellness Policy and Wellness Guidelines. The Wellness Committee members include school administration, a school committee representative, school nurses, food services, teachers, members of the community, students and parents.

The committee meets four times a year and develops annual goals to positively impact the health and wellness of the BPS community. This newsletter is one of our goals for this school year to increase communication and share important wellness information and tips with parents, guardians and community.

Co-Chairs:

Alicia Bryant - Director of Health Services

Dave Badot - District Food and Nutritional Director

Enoch Cobb Early Learning Center

BPS' littlest learners are learning about washing their hands using the "Glitter Bug". The students apply a lotion on their hands that disappears and then view their hands under the Glitter Bug (with an ultraviolet light) to see the sparkly lotion appear. They then wash their hands and look under the light again to see how well they washed their hands, removing the glittery lotion! This is a great opportunity for them to learn the importance of hand washing to remove germs that may cause a cold.

The Polished Dental Program visited the school during the Fall to screen students (as requested by their parents). Each student went home with a new toothbrush and were excited to share their sparkling teeth with a BIG smile!

Barnstable Community Innovation School

Health classes

Grades K & 1: students are learning about germs and personal hygiene. With cold season here, they are learning how to protect their bodies from germs by washing their hands the right way, and keeping their entire bodies clean so they can look and feel great!

Grades 2 & 3: students are learning about bullying. Specifically, on understanding what needs to happen in order for someone to be called a bully, and how to recognize, refuse, and report it.

Phys. Ed.

Students are practicing underhand and overhand throwing.

Clusters

In January, students will be participating in self-selected enrichment programs every Friday morning. Some activities include going to the HYCC for basketball, flag football, pickle ball, ice skating and a running program.

Barnstable West-Barnstable Elementary

In PE, students used scooters and the traverse wall. In January, we will be starting hockey skills and games, followed by bowling. In February, BWB will be participating in the Kid's Heart Challenge to raise money and awareness for the American Heart Association.

Centerville Elementary

Nurses Colleen and Paige have been busy harvesting the hydroponic garden in the cafeteria. After students harvest the produce, it is given to the cafeteria staff to put into the school lunches!

Hyannis West Elementary

The HWE PE program received a Cape Cod 5 mini grant to pay for the Brewster Bayside skippers to come do a demo and workshop on Friday, February 28 at Hyannis West Elementary. The PTO will be present. This evening is to promote health and wellness and to encourage family engagement. We are also wrapping up a heart challenge with the students.

West Villages Elementary

Health classes

Third grade and first grade health classes are starting a new health curriculum pilot program by Health Smart. Third grade is starting with a safety unit, and first grade will be starting with a unit on how tobacco and its smoke can hurt the body.

Phys Ed.

Phys. Ed. classes were introduced to the Traverse Wall and various locomotor and strength stations.

Enrichment Nights

Health/PE teachers will be hosting an Enrichment night for WVES families the first week of March. Contact Ms. Sollows or Ms. Fishback for information!

March 4: Kindergarten-1st grade students & families

March 6: 2nd and 3rd grade students & families

Barnstable United Elementary

Health classes

Students just finished learning about stress and practicing de-stressing techniques like flexibility training and guided imagery. 5th grade students are piloting the Health Smart Curriculum and learning all about nutrition! 4th grade students learned CPR basics and how to help a person who is choking.

Phys. Ed.

4th graders are learning Chinese jump rope and creating their own games. All classes are warming up for Health by completing a fitness circuit compromising of TRX, core stability, resistance training, and boxing.

Students have been focusing on improving their cardiovascular endurance by training for and taking the FitnessGram PACER Test. PACER stands for Progressive, Aerobic, Cardiovascular, Endurance, Run. Our next unit will focus on Team-Building challenges. Small groups of students will be given various items that they will use to complete different challenges. Students look forward to this Unit each year and it is great to see them work together to complete the challenges.

Barnstable Intermediate School

Grade 6 health students have been learning about the harmful effects of vaping. Before vacation, they worked collaboratively to research the effects of e-cigarette use on body organs and created a life size poster to display their facts for each.

Grade 7 students are starting a new health curriculum pilot in January. They will be starting with a bullying prevention unit from HealthSmart. PE students have been working hard and enjoying a volleyball unit in the gym.

Barnstable High School

8th, 9th and 11th grade classes are participating in the health curriculum pilot.

PE Classes are engaged in different units including volleyball, floor hockey, and strength training and fitness.

Culinary classes are in their protein unit and are cooking chicken stir fry and chicken piccata. They are also learning about allergens and hospitality facility management and the Bistro is open to staff throughout the week for food & coffee.

Child Development classes are participating in a literacy unit promoting a love for reading with our early learners and infant development. Child Development Interns are working with classes throughout the district at 6 different schools.

The colder temperatures during the winter mean that we are staying inside more and usually in closer proximity to others. This can lead to contracting viruses that cause the common cold, influenza, Covid-19, RSV, pneumonia and others. Additionally, the dryness that winter brings weakens mucous barriers in the nose, mouth, and lungs, where viruses can enter the body. There are several steps we can take to help keep ourselves healthy during the winter months and hopefully avoid illness.

Prevent the Spread - Practicing good hand hygiene is one of the most important things we can do to prevent the spread of illness.

🫧 Wash your hands frequently; use soap and water and wash for at least 20 seconds; or use hand sanitizer when soap is not available.

🤧 Cover your coughs or sneezes by using a tissue or the inside of your elbow. Avoid touching your face, especially your eyes, nose and mouth.

🧽 Wipe down commonly touched surfaces frequently with sanitizing cleaners.

😷 Keep distance from those who may be sick around you. Stay home if you are sick!

📱 Clean your phone! Phones can carry many germs and are one of the dirtiest surfaces we touch. Use alcohol wipes, a vinegar/water mix or a UV light sanitizing case to disinfect your phone regularly. Avoid using your phone in the bathroom, and wash or sanitize your hands after handling your phone.

Eat nutritious foods and stay hydrated

🥗 Eating a healthy well-balanced diet with fruits, vegetables, protein and whole grains will help your body stay healthy and fight illness.

🫗 Staying well hydrated with water will help flush toxins out of your system.

Get enough sleep and stay active

🛌 Getting adequate sleep will help your immune system stay strong; it also contributes to an overall sense of well-being.

🤸 Staying active and getting plenty of exercise is difficult with shorter and colder days, but no less important. Physical activity helps you maintain or lose weight, reduces anxiety, lowers blood pressure and improves your quality of sleep.

Dress warmly and limit time in the cold

🧤 Make sure to wear adequate layers if you will be outside; protect your hands, face and head from the cold temperatures.

Protect yourself

💉 Annual flu vaccines are recommended for everyone 6 months of age and older. Getting the flu shot every year will help protect you from the current circulating strains of the virus. Vaccines can help lessen symptoms and prevent transmission. Discuss with your doctor if other vaccines are recommended for your age group, including Covid-19, RSV and pneumonia.

Stuck inside?

🏠Play the Floor is Lava

🏠Build a fort

🏠Create an obstacle course

Get Active!

🏃🏻‍♂️Take a Family Walk

🏃🏻‍♂️Enjoy the HYCC

🏃🏻‍♂️Try a new playground

Did it snow?!

⛄Build a snowman

⛄Make snow angels

⛄Go for a walk

⛄Build a snow fort

⛄Make and throw snowballs (safely!)

Children and adolescents spend a lot of time watching screens, including smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, TVs, and computers. On average, children ages 8-12 in the United States spend 4-6 hours a day watching or using screens, and teens spend up to 9 hours.

The negative effects of excessive screen time and social media use are becoming widely known, and include:

• Sleep problems
• Lower grades in school
• Reading fewer books
• Less time with family and friends
• Not enough outdoor or physical activity
• Weight problems
• Mood problems
• Poor self-image and body image issues
• Fear of missing out
• Less time learning other ways to relax and have fun

It can be very hard to try to change habits, especially when it comes to taking a break from screens, and particularly in the winter when the weather is cold and it gets dark very early. Here are some tips on developing healthier screen-time habits:

• Familiarize yourself with programming to make sure it is age-appropriate.
• Talk to your child about what they are seeing. Point out good behavior, such as cooperation, friendship, and concern for others. Make connections to meaningful events or places of interest.
• Be aware of advertising and how it influences choices.
• Encourage your child to learn other activities such as sports, music, art, and hobbies that do not involve screens.
• Set a good example with your own safe and healthy screen habits.
• Teach children about online privacy and safety.
• Actively decide when your child is ready for a personal device.
• Encourage using screens in ways that build creativity and connection with family and friends.
• Consider your child or teen’s maturity and habits. The right plan for one family may not be a good fit for another.

Reference: American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

Breakfast gives the body the energy it needs to start the day well. Research supports a positive link between eating breakfast and cognitive and academic performance. More specifically, students who eat breakfast have better focus, problem-solving ability, and improved memory. A 2019 study found students who frequently ate breakfast scored higher in academic performance than students who skipped breakfast.

Breakfast can help children feel more active and have more energy. For kids who play sports after school, eating breakfast helps keep energy levels high and improves sport-related skills.

A 2019 review of studies in the journal Nutrients found that children and adolescents who don't eat breakfast are more likely to be or become overweight or obese. This may be partly because many kids who skip breakfast tend to eat unhealthy foods later in the day.

Many students visit the School Nurse with complaints of headaches and stomach aches during the late morning hours. There is a direct correlation between skipping breakfast and the occurrence of headaches, especially with female students. (Science Direct 2021)

Skipping breakfast can often lead to stomach aches because when your stomach is empty for a prolonged period, it produces excess gastric acid, which can irritate the stomach lining and cause discomfort.

Please check with your child's school before sending in food for any type of celebration. We encourage non-food celebrations for the safety, wellness and equity of all of our students.