NEW Gentle Yoga session Starts November 27

Gentle Yoga: Session 2 starts November 27th for WSD employees!

Stephanie Davis is returning for another 4 weeks of yoga! The second session of yoga starts Monday, November 27th and runs for FOUR consecutive weeks (11/27, 12/4, 12/11, 12/18).

Mondays from 3:20-4:20pm
Room 53 (James Pape's classroom)

Please click on this link to add your name to the sign up!

https://docs.google.com/a/winooski.k12.vt.us/document/d/193vh0k7yvmvBIcQRq1z8YvDTUnuKsmjcKY5QFwqXnBw/edit?usp=sharing

Prepay is required on the first day of class.

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This year classes will be $10 each

​, so please be ready with $40 at the first class​

.

2018 PATH Adventure: Free to Be Me

Registration for the 2018 PATH Adventure is now open!

Registration deadline is December 8, 2017.

To register, go online to www.tomypath.com and follow the instructions under "Free To Be Me" link on your dashboard.
You can also register via paper: download this registration form to be completed and handed in to your Adventure Coordinator.*

This year, we celebrate 20 of Vermont's hiking trails while learning to properly fuel our bodies. As always, you get a gift for just registering! Choose from a t-shirt, a reversible fleece beanie, athletic socks, or a lunch cooler. And, you will get your first 10 PATHpoints.

The adventure begins on Monday, January 29, 2018.

Each week you complete, you get 3 more PATHpoints. If you complete all 10 weeks, you will also be entered into a drawing for the Grand Prize of $2500 toward a dream vacation! You could also be drawn for additional prizes including a Garmin Vivomore HR watch or 2018 Vermont State Park vehicle seasons pass.

*If you are not currently enrolled in VEHI's PATH program, contact your Wellness Leader to find out more!

Yoga Anywhere Challenge - Part Two, Three days

I received comments that it was hard to find some of the yoga posters in last month's Yoga Anywhere Challenge. So, it's BACK! And easy to find. :) 

For October 16-18 only, you have an opportunity to earn 10 PATHpoints by doing the Yoga Anywhere Challenge. 

All 13 poses are up in the hallway near the Health Office. Tomorrow, another set of the same poses will be up in the cafeteria.

When can you try a few yoga stretches? Maybe...

...before or after the Healthcare meeting this afternoon?

...while waiting for a flu shot tomorrow in the cafeteria?

...while taking a wellness break before or after our inservice training tomorrow?

​Attached is the Yoga Anywhere Challenge sheet​. Be sure to write your name on the top, and check the yoga pose after you try it. I will also have copies of the sheet at the Healthcare meeting today, at the flu shot tomorrow, and at the training Wednesday afternoon. Return your completed copy of the challenge card to your Wellness Leader.

Stretch. Breathe. Be Well.

Clothing Drive Update

Just a reminder that we are collecting for the clothing drive/giveaway now until October 30th! Please connect with either Grace Holcomb or Jaycie Puttlitz about any and all donations. 

UPDATE: We are in great need of children/youth sized clothing as well as winter jackets, snow pants, boots and mittens for all ages and sizes! We currently do NOT need any women's clothing, please!

HLS Challenge: Week 1 Update

We are just one week in to the Healthy Life Survey Challenge, and already 34 people have taken the survey! THANK YOU WSD Employees!  We only need 66 more completed surveys to reach our goal of 100 participants!

If you take the survey in October, you will earn 60 PATHpoints. As an added incentive, you can chose another gift if you forward me the confirmation note from PATH that shows the 60 points have been awarded. We still have plenty of gifts left including Contigo travel mugs, knit hats, and insulated shopping bags.

About the HLS Challenge

Flu Shot Info - Msg from the Health Office

Message from the Health Office

Tuesday, October 17th will be our flu shot clinic. It will be held from 2:30pm - 4:30pm in the Cafeteria.

This clinic is open to anyone over the age of 18. Please make sure to bring the completed documents (attached below) along with your insurance card to the clinic. Click here for Flu Shot Clinic Sign Up

Please complete these Flu Clinic Documents:

1. 2017-18 Vaccine Administration Screening and Consent Form
2. Hannaford - Certificate of Immunization

This Flu Vaccine Information Statement is attached for your information.

Gentle Yoga - Mondays in October

UPDATED

Gentle Yoga is coming back for WSD employees!

Stephanie Davis is returning to WSD to guide Gentle Yoga classes on Mondays from 3:15-4:15 pm. The dates of the first series will be October 9, October 23 and November 13.

The location is Room 53 (James Pape's classroom). Catherine Lavigne has graciously volunteered again to make sure the room is ready each week.

We need a minimum of 10 people to commit.  Please click here to add your name to the sign up!

Prepay is required on the first day of class.  This year classes will be $10 each , so please be ready with $30 on the first day of class . (This rate is still below the average rate of $15/class in the Burlington area.  Plus you can't beat the convenient location and time!)

If employees are still attending regularly, we will host a 4-week session that runs Nov  27- Dec 18.

FREE GIFT for completing the Healthy Life Survey

The Healthy Life Survey (HLS)* is now OPEN and we are challenging at least 100 employees to complete it!

During October, your wellness leader will be reminding staff to complete the HLS. As soon as we get 100 completed surveys--we promise to stop sending reminder emails! If you complete the survey before October 31st, VEHI will award 60 PATHpoints toward next year's LL Bean gift card. After Oct 31, you will still get 50 points.

​How can you fill out the HLS?​

​1. Log into your VEHI PATH account. ​www.tomypath.com/vehi

Don't have an account? See the attached file "How to Create an Account 2017-18" for help. You can also ask your building wellness leader (see list below).

2. Once you are logged in, scroll down click on "Healthy Life Survey" and complete it 

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Healthy Life Survey

Free gift!

VEHI has graciously donated 100 past Adventure gifts to Winooski School District employees! I have 10 winter hats, 24 travel mugs and dozens of shopping bags to give the first 100 employees that complete the survey.​ It will be first come, first choice served until supplies last. 

How to get a gift: Once you complete the survey, forward me (Jaycie) the email from VEHI PATH confirming that you received your PATHpoints for the survey completion, and tell me which gift you want (see choices below--bear not included!). I'll get the gift to you by the end of each week.

​

For help or for ​more information, contact one of your building Wellness Leaders

​*Why complete the Healthy Life Survey?

Each year, wellness leaders receive data from BCBS that tells us, generally, the district's challenging health cost areas. While this data is useful, it does not tell us what health issues our employees are actually experiencing. That information can help us plan employee wellness initiatives. And that is the importance of the Healthy Life Survey. ​

Last year, only 26% of employees completed the HLS. So, only 26% were representing the health concerns of the whole district. The more surveys that are completed, the more accurate the data becomes for our district. This year, we want a better sampling of data--that is why our goal is at least 100 employees (~55% of employees). We do not get specific employee information--the survey is confidential--but we will see a report of overall concerns.

​Thank you for helping us reach that goal!​

2nd Annual Clothing Drive (and Giveaway)

Good afternoon Winooski Staff,

As you know, and may have been a part of in past years, the clothing drive is coming up. We are hoping to begin collecting and dispersing items earlier than in past years, as it often is quite chilly weeks before Thanksgiving. We will be accepting items now until October 30th. The clothing giveaway will take place from 4:30-6:30pm on November 2nd in coordination with the PTO’s annual WSD Potluck Dinner.

We are specifically looking for school appropriate gently used or new items for fall, winter, and spring (hats, coats, mittens, boots, pants, shirts, etc.), for children under the age of 18. Please no evening wear, costumes or undergarments.

If you know of a specific student in need of particular item, please send the following information to the appropriate school guidance counselor: the student’s name, grade, items needed, and approximate size, if possible.

If you know of any individual or social organization who would like to donate appropriate clothing or funds towards the effort, please give them the contact information provided below. Please do NOT advise these people to bring their donations to the school, rather bring in the donation for them or have them contact Grace to coordinate a pick up.

In addition, if any staff is willing to volunteer to help with the event, please let us know. We are hoping to have ​volunteers to help set up from 3:00-4:30pm, clean up from 6:30-7:00pm, and either four volunteers for the whole event (4:30-6:30) or eight volunteers to split the time (four from 4:30-5:30 and four from 5:30-6:30) to help families find clothing. Thank you in advance, we appreciate any and all help in making this event a success.

If you have any questions or comments to assist in this effort, please feel free to contact Grace Holcomb via email, gholcomb@wsdschools.org, or by phone (383-6139), or Jaycie Puttlitz via email, jputtlitz@wsdschools.org.

Thank you for your continued support!

Grace Holcomb

&

Jaycie Puttlitz

Jazzercise special for Teachers and Staff

Show Your Smile -- NEW! PATHpoints opportunity

A NEW PATH program and point opportunity is available this year!

PATH participants who visit their dental provider for a routine checkup can receive 25 PATHpoints for turning in the Show Your Smile form.
- Obtain a Show Your Smile form from your building's Wellness Leader.
- Ask your dentist to fill out and sign the form at your next visit.
- Return the completed form to your Wellness Leader by June 1st.
Once you have completed the process, you will be awarded the 25 PATHpoints by June 15th.

Health through Oral Wellness

While you are there, ask your dentist about Northeast Delta Dental’s  Health through Oral Wellness (HOW) program (offered at at no additional charge). HOW provides additional preventive benefits to members who are at risk for oral disease, thereby helping them achieve better oral and overall health. Members can register for HOW at www.HealthThroughOralWellness.com to receive information about the oral health topics of their choosing. 

Fingers Crossed (wellness across street)

An employee told me about a new wellness option which has opened up across the street from the schools at 476 Main Street (in the Subway building). Fingers Crossed offers massage, sauna, aromatherapy, yoga and more. It is located in Suite 4. 

The owner, Miranda Woods, also reached out to offer a 10% discount for our school staff members on most services (not including private infrared sauna). To take advantage of the 10% discount, please be sure to show your school picture ID.

Here is her website if you are interested: https://www.fingerscrossedvt.com.

Yoga Anywhere Challenge (by Sept 29)

We are starting the new school year off with our first Wellness Leaders Activity

Yoga Anywhere Challenge!

There are 13 posters with different yoga poses and stretches throughout the halls of WMHS, and an identical set of yoga post posters throughout JFK Elementary hallways. Your challenge is to find the 13 poses and try them by September 29th.

To participate in the Yoga Anywhere Challenge:

1. Download and print the sheet. 

2. Find the yoga poses on the posters throughout the school and try the pose. In the box on the sheet, write down the room number closest to that poster, and the date that you tried the pose. 

3. Once you finish finding all 13 poses and trying them, write your name on the top of the sheet, and return it to one of your building representatives by September 29th:

JFK/Central office: Nan Jonson or Angela Moulton

WMHS: Andi Thibodeau or Becky Savage

Participants that return the sheet on time will earn 10 PATHpoints toward your next L.L.Bean gift card. (www.tomypath.com)

Even after you complete the challenge, keep trying the poses when you need a stretch break. Feel free to have your students try the poses with you.