Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/2864
Members seek better health for students – and themselves Class size is not the only thing that is getting bigger these days. School employees notice that students are becoming supersized, reflecting the growing obesity epidemic. As a result, youngsters risk serious health problems like diabetes, high cholesterol and heart problems, previously linked only with adulthood or middle age. But it’s not just students who are at risk — school employees are also susceptible to health problems. Demands of the job make it difficult to exercise regularly, eat nutritious meals and get enough sleep. In the process of caring for others, caregivers put themselves in jeopardy. With the downturn in the economy and a barrage of budget cuts, anxiety levels run high. Combined with the pressures of testing, unreasonable mandates, challenging students and demanding parents, stress levels can become overwhelming and threaten the health of school employees. ness The news is not all grim, however. At some school sites, school employees are making choices that promote wellness rather than illness. They engage in strategies that make physical activity fun for students and encourage healthy eating habits for life, not just lunchtime. At meetings some school employees are serving fruits and vegetables instead of doughnuts. They are exercising. They are making a conscious effort to lead a balanced life and be supportive of one another. The start of the new year is a perfect time to make changes that help you feel better, look better and relate better to others. The following stories offer a few ways to inspire such healthy changes individually as well as schoolwide. >>> DeCeMber 2008 | www.cta.org 7 Stories by Sherry Posnick-Goodwin • Photos by Scott Buschman