SPS Monthly Wellness Tips: Three Goals for 2023-2024

People often think about wellness in terms of physical health (nutrition, exercise, weight management, etc.) but it is so much more. Wellness encompasses several different dimensions: physical, intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual, and so forth. Throughout the year, we will be sharing information and resources on movement (physical wellness), connections (social wellness), and work-life balance (emotional wellness). 

Movement: Finding time to stretch or engage in physical activity during the school day can be challenging. However, every little bit counts. Here are a few easy ways to integrate physical activity into your daily routine. 

• When your students are at recess, take advantage of the time to get some steps in for yourself by walking around the playground and taking the long way back to the classroom.

• Have a daily step goal; aim for 8-10k!

• Stand up at the top of every hour and take a fitness break using these fitness break cards. Students can follow along too! 

• Walk with your coworkers before or after the workday.

• Park far away from the entrance to school. 

Connections:  Connecting with others is a great way to help relieve the day to day stress that we all encounter. Whether it is your coworkers, friends, family members, a book club, church group, or whomever you feel connected to, these connections can help you through life’s ups and downs. Social connections can provide distractions and give support, so take the time to take a coffee break with a friend or text a relative. 

Work-Life Balance:
In an effort to promote a healthy work-life balance, we want to model healthy communication expectations with all staff. This means creating a district culture that supports employees’ right to disconnect from work. An “always-on” culture with expectations to monitor and respond to emails during non-work time prevents staff from fully disengaging from work; it can also lead to undue stress and anxiety. 

Practical Tip: As much as possible, try to avoid checking and sending emails outside of work hours. This reduces the pressure that staff or colleagues may feel that they should be working during their time off. If you prefer to work at night or are catching up on things during weekends or evenings, consider sending emails using the “schedule send” setting so they are delivered during work hours. In the event of an emergency or urgent situation, a phone call should be made.

 

Commitment to Safety

As a school district, we are committed to creating and sustaining a comprehensive, coordinated effort to improve the overall safety and well-being of our students and staff.  One way that you can help keep our school community safe, is to let the appropriate people know of individuals who may be a threat to themselves or others. Meaning, if you see or hear something concerning, say something. There are several ways to let someone know of your concerns. Contact an SPS School Resource Officer, School Principal, report your concern through the Oklahoma School Security Institute Tipline, or call 1-855-337-8300. And of course, if there is an emergency or urgent threat: Call 911

 

Staff Wellness: September is Yoga Awareness Month

National Yoga Awareness Month was created to raise awareness and promote both the mental and physical health benefits of yoga. A few ways that yoga can benefit the health of those who work with students: 

• Enhanced overall well-being, physical well-being, and emotional well-being

• Increased energy levels, and ability to positively influence others’ lives

• Increased ability to create a relaxed atmosphere with their students

• Decreased feelings of frustration due to their jobs

• Reduced stress and burnout from work

Join us this month as we celebrate the benefits of yoga! There are several places that offer yoga classes in Stillwater, and some offer discounts to SPS staff. For more information on SPS Fitness discounts, click here. If you would prefer to take a yoga class from the privacy of your own home, OSU “Colvin at Home” has a library of free yoga classes that you can watch online. 

 

September 2023 -  Suicide Prevention Month

September marks Suicide Prevention Month and you can help us spread the facts about suicide and educate others on how we can help those who may be struggling. 

Mental health crisis services are available 24/7 for all adults and children across Oklahoma. If you’re in crisis, help is available and there are options to help you cope. Support is available if someone you know is thinking of suicide or having a mental health crisis. 

 

About 988

People can call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org for themselves or if they are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support. 988 serves as a universal entry point so that no matter where you live in the United States, you can reach a trained crisis counselor who can help.

988 offers 24/7 access to trained crisis counselors who can help people experiencing mental health-related distress. That could be:

• Thoughts of suicide

• Mental health or substance use crises

• Emotional distress

• And other reasons to connect (46 seconds)

Too many people are experiencing suicidal crisis or mental health-related distress without the support and care they need, and sadly, the pandemic only made a bad situation worse when it comes to mental health and wellness in America. There are urgent realities driving the need for crisis service transformation across our country. 

In 2021:

• The U.S. had one death by suicide about every 11 minutes

• For people aged 10–14 and 25–34 years, suicide was the second-leading cause of death

• Suicide rates increased significantly among non-Hispanic Black & American Indian and Alaska Native people

• Nearly 900,000 youth aged 12-17 and 1.7 million adults attempted suicide

• About 107,000 people died from drug overdoses

Yet, there is hope. The 988 Lifeline helps thousands of people struggling to overcome suicidal crises or mental health-related distress every day.

*Information from samhsa.gov

 

Did You Know? 

Employee Assistance Plan (EAP): 

Feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or need someone to talk to? This is a reminder that Stillwater Public Schools provides an EAP for employees. SPS offers a voluntary, employee-focused intervention program with assessment, counseling, referrals and follow-up services to employees who have personal or work-related issues and want assistance to identify solutions at no cost to the employee. Find more information, including how to make a referral, here. 

Free Mental Health App: The Headspace App is free for educators; sign up here. Headspace offers free access to K-12 (primary-secondary) teachers and support staff. 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 build healthy habits that last a lifetime. Better focus, less stress, and happier thoughts are just a few minutes away. Headspace is proven to reduce stress by 14% in just 10 days. It can also help you relax your mind in minutes, improve focus, and get the best sleep ever.

SPS Wellness Innovator Spotlight: MTSS
Contributed by Lindy Zamborsky, MTSS and Prevention Grant Coordinator

Stillwater Public Schools recently received a grant from the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. This grant will target prevention services in the areas of substance use/abuse, psychological distress, and school climate. The first year of the grant will focus on assessment and planning and we will begin to implement targeted services throughout the year. In the 24-25 school year, we will begin a large-scale introduction district wide focusing on wellness and life skills while addressing the areas of substance use, psychological distress and school climate. We are excited to bring more prevention efforts to SPS which will enhance the great work being done in our school communities.

 

Upcoming Events:

• September 1: 6:30-9:30 Annual Appreciation Evening at Lake Carl Blackwell 

  • Join the community at the Lake Carl Blackwell Pavilion. There will be live music by the Val Gladden Band! Bring your chairs, snacks, and drinks and enjoy a fun evening outdoors! 

• September 12: Leon Polk Smith: Affinities in Art & Design

  • Reception from 5pm -7 pm at the OSU Museum of Art 

• September 14: United Way Day of Caring

  • Volunteering is one of the best ways to feel better; it helps you AND others. Stillwater Area United Way's Day of Caring is the perfect opportunity to get together a group of coworkers, friends or family and get involved! If you are interested in volunteering please email: [email protected]

• September 30: Juke Joint Jog

  • The Juke Joint Jog benefits the United Way of Payne County which funds 22 community agencies in the area. Sign up here. 

• September 30: 9:00am-2:00pm GardenFest at the Botanic Garden

  • Join us for GardenFest September 30! Children will enjoy the bounce house, pumpkin painting and a full Mud Kitchen! Vendors, pumpkin and Mum sale, food trucks and more for the adults!