Vision: We envision a state where all school community members are intentionally engaged in living a healthy life.
Mission: Foster a school culture that supports individuals to practice healthy lifestyle choices.
Schools are not only places of learning, but they are also worksites. Fostering school employees’ physical and mental health protects school staff and by doing so, helps to support students’ health and academic success. Healthy school employees—including teachers, administrators, bus drivers, cafeteria and custodial staff, and contractors—are more productive and less likely to be absent. They serve as powerful role models for students and may increase their attention to students’ health. Schools can create work environments that support healthy eating, adopt active lifestyles, be tobacco-free, manage stress, and avoid injury and exposure to hazards (e.g., mold, asbestos). A comprehensive school employee wellness approach is a coordinated set of programs, policies, benefits, and environmental supports designed to address multiple risk factors (e.g., lack of physical activity, tobacco use) and health conditions (e.g., diabetes, depression) to meet the health and safety needs of all employees. Partnerships between school districts and their health insurance providers can help offer resources, including personalized health assessments and flu vaccinations. Employee wellness programs and healthy work environments can improve a district’s bottom line by decreasing employee health insurance premiums, reducing employee turnover, and cutting the costs of substitutes.
Professional Learning
Visit our professional learning space to look at past events, see what events we have coming soon, and learn more about our employee health & promotion opportunities
For any resources from the our Winter Wellness summits email the Health Promotion Specialist.
Health Promotion & Wellness Resources
Curated resources to support the health and well-being of school employees and work environments throughout the state
- Wellness Team Action Plans for Success
- Wellness Action Plan Template
- Action Plan Reflection Questions
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Toolkit for School Systems to Advance Comprehensive School Employee Wellness - This toolkit that has organized research-based information and practical tools in a user-friendly format that school systems can use to develop and implement a plan to advance the wellness of all school employees.
- Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) Releases Employee Wellness Toolkit For Schools, A toolkit for supporting the implementation of school employee wellness in districts/schools.
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Staff Lounge in the virtual school on the US CDC Healthy Schools website - Ideas on employee wellness programs.
- US CDC Healthy Schools Program- - School Employee Wellness
- Alliance for A Healthier Generation Staff Well-Being
- Healthy Maine Works – Healthy US Scorecard
- SHAPE America - School-based Employee Wellness
What is a Community of Practice?
Communities of practice are groups of people who share a common concern or a passion for something they do and want to learn how to do it better as they interact regularly with peers and colleagues.
Purpose of the Wellness Wednesday Community of Practice is?
This time is for you! It is an opportunity to connect with state partners and fellow school wellness folks. There will be resource and idea sharing for state and local opportunities.
Why should you care?
Topics are based on what folks have asked to discuss and opportunities for open discussion on present needs. This is a safe space; therefore, it is not recorded.
The Wellness Planning Committee is facilitating this opportunity for YOU!
Fourth Wednesday of every month from 3:15 - 4:15 p.m.
Join via this Zoom link.
Contact
Susan Berry
Health Education & Health Promotion Specialist
Phone: 207-215-1844
Email: susan.berry@maine.gov