#WATCH week in Fort Bend ISD schools is here and @wellgeeks is ready! Are you? What will you be doing this year? There are so many opportunities to teach about how those healthy habits can keep us going strong, even with the crazy viruses roaming around. Don’t forget to get your students moving this week! If you can, visit the Houston Health Museum this month! It is a great place to visit and see how health impacts our lives, plus they have really cool larger than life organs!
WATCH is a cardiovascular risk awareness program started by Fort Bend Medical Society Alliance over 20 years ago. It was adopted and adapted into the FBISD curriculum as the week before Spring Break and is a fixture in K-5 schools. The acronym originally stood for Weight, Activity, Tobacco, Cholesterol and Hypertension. It was later changed to Water, Activity, Tobacco, Calories and Healthy Habits to better reflect holistic student wellness.
Need some ideas on easy and impactful ways to engage your students? Start by considering what your students face each day and make it a little easier and more fun to show up to school!
Talk ( don’t tell) about healthy habits! Sleep, screen time, hygiene, exercise, getting in the good nutrition first before anything else, brushing teeth, avoiding high sugar foods and drinks- you know, basic life health skills. Ask your students to reflect on their own behavior and make a commitment to try and make a positive change this week and see if it made a difference!
Show team spirit! Find ways to encourage kids to show their school spirit by linking their personal habits like hand washing to the whole school’s health. Explain why immunizations help protect other people they may never meet, how reusable water bottles or avoiding straws and plastic bags can help animals. Other ideas include a walk to save the planet day, recycle day, exercising with a friend for mental health day, or even stress buster dance break. Be creative and make it fun!
Say hello! Mental health is taking a toll on all of our youngsters, whether it is trauma induced, stress related , whatever the reason…students do better when they have friends to talk to. Encourage socialization throughout the school day by having free lunch seating, or extra recess for younger students. For older students, consider creating a “safe” space by using your library or commons for interactive events before or after school.
Don’t forget to share your journey with us at Wellness Geeks on twitter! Use #WATCH or @wellgeeks! We will be looking for some fun and easy ways to engage all age groups to share at our next WELLCON-so make sure you tag us in!
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