CCS Staff Wellness Initiative

We all know that along with the excitement of the school year starting and being back together again with students and staff comes the potential to spread germs, like the flu. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a yearly flu vaccine as the first and most important action in reducing your risk of flu and its potentially serious outcomes. To learn more about everyday actions you can take to prevent illness, visit the CDC website here.

The Staff Wellness Initiative is offering staff the opportunity to earn a $25 gift card* for receiving a flu vaccine. You can get the flu shot at any location of your choice or find available flu shot clinics near you.

Some locations, like Target, CVS, Giant Eagle, and Walgreens offer extra rewards and coupons for getting a flu shot at their locations. Check out the options for extra rewards here.

After you receive your flu shot, visit the Flu Shot Information tab on the Wellness website and fill out the flu shot form before 12/31/24. If you have questions, email wellness@columbus.k12.oh.us.

This year, let’s all make the commitment to stay healthy and work to keep one another healthy, too.

NOTE: *gift cards are a form of compensation and are subject to employee payroll tax.

When looking for the best nutrition advice, it’s easy to become overwhelmed with all the information available. From supplements to eliminate your health concerns to diet plans designed to meet all your needs, figuring out the best option for you and your health can be a challenge. The good news is that there are specialists in the field of nutrition. A Registered Dietitian, or R.D., is an expert in the field of food and nutrition who can help promote health and manage disease.

With Dietitians on Demand, you can meet one-on-one with a registered dietitian who can provide you with a personalized plan and individualized education. Whether you want to lose weight, better manage a specific medical condition, improve your overall health or boost your athletic performance, a registered dietitian can help. This program is available to anyone, and will be billed to your insurance, with no cost to you!

View the flyer to get started.

Emergency room care is expensive! While it is appropriate to use it for any life-threatening conditions, many non-life-threatening concerns can be addressed elsewhere, saving you both time and money. Dispatch Health treats 95% of the most common ER diagnoses in the comfort of your own home—often at the same cost as an urgent care visit. Dispatch Health care teams can support nearly all non-life-threatening concerns, including those that are serious or chronic. Note* If you believe you are having a life-threatening emergency, dial 911 immediately or go to your nearest emergency room.

Columbus City School employees, covered spouses and dependents now have access to DispatchHealth. They proudly serve the Columbus and Central Ohio community 365 days a year from 8 AM - 10 PM, including weekends and holidays. For more information on DispatchHealth, visit the tab on our website. To request a visit, call (866) 747-4324.

To view appointment availability in your area, click here to enter in your zipcode.

Breast cancer can strike anyone, of any gender and any age, and whether or not there’s a family history of the disease. Other than skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women. It’s important for you to visit your doctor and follow the measures below to stay on top of your health. Getting regular screening tests is the best way to find breast cancer early, when it’s small, hasn't spread, and might be easier to treat.

The American Cancer Society recommends the following for women:

• Women ages 40 to 44 should have the choice to start yearly breast cancer screening with a mammogram (x-ray of the breast) if they wish to do so.
• Women ages 45 to 54 should get a mammogram every year.
• Women 55 and older can switch to a mammogram every 2 years or can continue yearly screening.

Click here to read more information on early detection. For more tools and resources on Breast Cancer Awareness Month, view the American Cancer Society website.

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month. It is a district-wide and international initiative that focuses on educating everyone on online safety and empowers people to protect their data from cybercrime. There are simple, effective ways to be safe online and protect yourself and your family against online threats. This month, please remember to:

• Freeze your credit. This is one of the biggest steps you can take to protect yourself from having identity thieves open accounts in your name. Learn more about it here: consumer.ftc.gov

• Use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) on important online accounts, like banking and social media. MFA makes it harder for an attacker to access your account, even if they know your password. cisa.gov/MFA

• Use a longer password and avoid reusing passwords on multiple accounts. Consider using a password manager for your personal accounts.

Learn more about cybersecurity best practices on the CISA website.

Taking action to protect the community from the recent cyber-attack on the city’s IT infrastructure, the City of Columbus will offer free Experian credit monitoring to all residents and impacted individuals. All Columbus residents and non-residents whose personal information was shared with the city or municipal court will be able to sign up for two years of free Experian monitoring, which includes $1 million of protection against fraud and identity theft. Click here to read notice on the City of Columbus website.

To sign up, individuals can go to www.columbus.gov/cyber by November 29th. Service begins upon enrollment.

It can be extremely stressful to have your identity stolen. Columbus City Schools Employee Assistance Program, Health Advocate has helpful legal, financial and mental health resources that can help you prevent and recover from identity theft. View an article from Health Advocate on preventing identity theft here.

Health Advocate's EAP program provides 24/7, free, confidential assistance for you and your extended family. Call Health Advocate at 866-799-2728 or visit their website at healthadvocate.com/columbuscityschools.

One Pass Select is a subscription-based program that gives you access to gyms, boutique fitness studios, online workouts, and your perks services with one monthly membership. There are 5 membership tiers to choose from - digital, classic, standard, premier, and elite - with the option to change tiers monthly.

Once you choose a membership tier, you will be provided with a membership code. All participating fitness locations will need your One Pass Select member code to identify you as a One Pass Select member and provide you with your membership.

To view the different membership tiers, and to find gyms near you that participate in One Pass Select tiers, click here to learn more. Note: you must have insurance through the district to join One Pass Select.

There's no better time to plan your wellbeing goals with Real Appeal!

Real Appeal®, an online program to spark your weight loss transformation. No expensive gym memberships, extravagant equipment, or fad dieting necessary. Just you and your favorite online device.

Meet with an online coach to create health goals, track your activity, and find new ways to keep your body moving. Real Appeal® is a program on Rally Coach™ available to you and eligible family members at no additional cost as part of your health plan benefits. Note: you must have insurance through the district to participate in Real Appeal.

View the Real Appeal flyer to get started.

Mindfulness & Movement offers a variety of gentle accessible movements, breath practices, restorative postures and body awareness meditations in a 30 minute class over Zoom.

Your Mindfulness and Movement instructors, Jennifer Gebhart and Janine Harris, create a nurturing environment and guide practices that will leave staff feeling rested and valued. They will adapt practices for those joining from work and for those who can only attend part of the class. Please feel free to join the class, even if it's for a few minutes!

View the Mindfulness & Movement class information and schedule here.

Scioto Miles 2025 is here! Our Staff Wellness Initiative is offering FREE registration on a first come, first serve basis. This exciting series features two (2) races on March 2nd and March 23rd, offering participants to challenge themselves with distances of 5K, 10K, or 15K at each event.

Whether you are a seasoned runner or a beginner looking to start your racing journey, this series has something for everyone. Lace up your shoes and join us for an unforgettable racing experience!

For free registration from Wellness, click here to register and use code COLUMBUSCITY25

Our Wellness Initiative is currently hosting free onsite, bike bootcamp and mat pilates classes with CCS alumna, Christina Wilson from CW Wellness by Design! Classes are held at the Fort Hayes Health Science Building, Room 111 Exercise Lab (590 Jack Gibbs Blvd, Columbus, OH 43215).

View the class flyer for more information and the link to register. Spots are limited. You MUST pre-register to attend class. The deadline to sign up for classes is 3pm the day of classes. Due to limited class space, no walk ins are welcome.

You have access to a variety of free virtual classes including Barre, Yoga, Bootcamp, Pilates, Cardio, Zumba and more!

Unable to join the live virtual fitness classes? No worries! Take advantage of the ON-DEMAND fitness class options at your own pace.

View the OhioHealth fitness class schedule, the on-demand link and password to access classes.

Taking a short activity break can improve focus, enhance creativity, and lead to better physical and mental health.

OhioHealth offers free, 10 minute movement breaks on their virtual fitness class schedule. The short activity breaks can be done at your desk or in your classroom with students!

Visit the wellness website for instructions on how to register for 10 minute movement breaks.

Xtreme Hip-Hop is a "step" cardio-based exercise designed to torch calories, elevate your heart rate, and keep you moving to the beat of fantastic music that will make you forget you’re even working out. This class is set in a positive and motivating environment where everyone—no matter your age or fitness level—can feel inspired and empowered. Whether you’re new to fitness or a seasoned pro, Xtreme Hip Hop step class welcomes all skill levels. You'll start with the basics and progressively build your skills as you master each step. As an experienced instructor, Veneicia will guide you through a variety of fun routines, offer modifications, and ensure this workout fits your unique needs. The average caloric burn ranges 400-600 calories.

Requirements: Upon registration, all attendees will be directed to complete a Participation Waiver

Equipment: Aerobic steps are provided (limited quantity), but you can always bring your own!

Music: R&B and Hip-Hop

Cost: $10 per class -OR- you have the option to purchase a 4-class pack at $35

Click here to view more information on Xtreme Hip-Hop with Veneicia and other fitness class discounts for CCS staff.

Help make a difference and give back to the community this holiday season by assisting at the Turkey Drive. We need volunteers to unpack turkeys, load cars with food, break down boxes, and floaters.

Date: November 23, 2024

Set up: 10:00 am

Drive Time: 11:00 am-2:00 pm

Take Down: 2:00 pm-3:00 pm

Location: Fort Hayes Metropolitan Education Center

Attending the recent full day (and free) wellness retreat was an incredibly timely and transformative experience for me. After the recent passing of my father, I almost didn’t attend, but I’m so grateful that I did. The retreat provided me with much-needed space to process my grief in a healthy and supportive environment. One of the activities helped me draft the words I would later share at his funeral—a truly emotional yet therapeutic moment. My father and I shared a love of nature, often going on Saturday morning walks together.

The retreat’s focus on mindfulness and movement in nature reminded me of those walks, helping me reconnect with our special times together and giving me hope that I will be able to enjoy them again in the future. I need to move. I need to feel nature. I need to write. I need to heal and be mindful. This retreat was a reminder of the importance of Soul-Care (Stevenson, 2024), and I encourage everyone to take advantage of the incredible wellness resources our district offers. The work we do is challenging and can be exhausting at times. I've learned it's important to be intentional about my wellness journey—cultivate self-awareness, honor my strengths, and show up each day as the best version of myself.

These were not only my lessons but also shared by a diverse group of attendees from across our district, all from different walks of life, learning together how to heal, grow, and prioritize our well-being. I plan to start walking again on Saturday mornings, carrying the memories of my father and the practical tools from this retreat with me.

Stevenson, D. W. (2024). A month of Sundays: Elevating self-care to soul-care. Davia Williams Stevenson.

Email: wellness@columbus.k12.oh.us

CCS Wellness Website: ccsoh.us/wellness