Upcoming Meetings.....

Staff, Students, and Parents are always welcome to join any committee meeting to ask questions or to join in supporting and creating a healthier school environment for both students and staff.

Tuesday April 7th from 3:45-4:45 in the District Office School Board
      Centennial Resource Conservation Team (CRCT) meeting is address environmental concerns that our school building and environments face.  Share project, resources, or concerns from your building that promote Green School Activities.

Tuesday April 14th from 3:45-4:45 in the District Office School Board
      Employee Wellness Committee will be meeting to create and implement the Employee Wellness grant and programming.  We will be reviewing resources and projects in place and continue to look at feedback from staff to help them address stress, weight and nutrition, and physical activity needs.

Tuesday April 21th from 3:45-4:45 in the District Office School Board
      Wellness Committee will be meeting to review and update our District Wellness Policy in response to changes in the State and Federal Child Nutrition laws.  

Employee Wellness Resources and Ideas!

·      Stretch at your Desk!

·      Walk and Talk: Another meeting to go to?  Try having it while walking.  Need to take notes?  Use a voice memo app on your smart phone to record ideas, notes, or meeting minutes

·      Set a timer for every hour to just get up and move for 3 minutes.   Try it with your students as well!

Send us your wellness ideas to share and motivate others!!

Lots of people enjoy working on their own wellness on their own!  For ideas and resources that are free for you to access, check out: 

https://www.modahealth.com/members/live_well.shtml

                        https://www.myrbh.com/

Nutrition & Cooking Classes

Have you wondered into the staff lounge just to check if there were snacks on the tables?  Need some supports around how to eat better throughout your busy workday and on the go? Check out these FREE classes! Class will be hosted at Centennial Park School from 4-5pm.  Snacks and taste tests are provided and bring a friend, spouse, or children! RSVP to Julie_mack@centennial.k12.or.us for one or all the classes and space is limited to 30 people for each class!

April 16^th    Feed Your Brain: Nutrition for Concentration and Focus

Is your brain starved for better nutrition? Do you find it hard to concentrate or focus? Do you feel irritable or moody for no discernible reason? Are you absentminded or suffer from periodic brain fog? Then this class is for you. Learn the secrets of a better brain at any age.

April 30^th    Probiotics: Because Whole Body Health Begins in Your Gut

I am your gut bacteria; you might be shocked to hear this, but I influence how every part of your body works: how easily you lose (or gain) weight, how your immune system functions, even your ability to focus. Knowing which supplements are essential for keeping me (and you!) healthy is easy if you attend

this class.

May 7^th      Where to Start to Love Your Heart:

Taking care of your heart doesn’t have to be complicated. Start by uncovering some common heart care myths, and then begin your journey toward heart health with 3 simple dietary strategies and three supplements that will pump up your heart health.

May 14^th     Cooking Demo - Health by Chocolate: Indulge and be well

Hooray! Chocolate can actually be good for us. Taste the quality and learn how to use chocolate to enhance your food ...and your health.

         Cooking Demo - The Primal Smoothie: Healthy and Delicious      

                             Nutrition On the Go

Smoothies are a great way to start your day or provide nutrition on the go. They can also be used to dramatically increase the nutrient density of your diet, every day. Smoothie recipes are easy and only require four easy steps. Supercharge your smoothie for personalized health benefits!

  - An Introductory Self-Defense Workshop

Free Classes offering in our Centennial Community.  For more information or to register https://www.portlandoregon.gov/police/article/61827

Registration opens Tuesday, April 7th @ 9:00 am

Mondays, May 4th, 11th and 18th from 6:00 - 9:15 pm

Centennial Middle School SUN Community School

17650 SE Brooklyn St, Portland 97236

WomenStrength self-defense classes are designed to introduce teenage and adult women to a variety of strategies, including some survival level fighting skills, designed to help defend against sexual assault. The Portland Police Bureau believes that fighting can be an effective response to the threat of sexual assault.

Class activities and discussion are designed to help women identify their risks and evaluate their strengths, and to explore their options for dealing with the threat of sexual violence. Class activities focus on practicing verbal and physical strategies. Discussion topics focus on sexual and domestic violence.

WomenStrength emphasizes that each threat must be assessed quickly. Research on women's experiences indicates that the likelihood of escaping a sexual assault increases with the number of escape strategies employed. Women who choose to fight are encouraged to use the element of surprise to their advantage. Because physical self-defense will be most effective if vulnerable areas of the body are targeted, some of the skills taught include multiple strikes to those areas, as well as escapes from choke holds, body grabs, and wrist grasps, and defense techniques from the ground.

WomenStrength participants are encouraged to maintain their skills by using visualization, practicing, attending refresher classes, and to improve and diversify their skills by pursuing additional training from other self-defense programs.

Healthy Happenings for Employees

      The Employee Wellness Committee has been working hard to create FREE opportunities for ALL Centennial Staff to participate in to support their overall health and wellness supported by the OES Choice Trust Grant!  

      The Employee Wellness Committee has found some really great opportunities to help staff address their three identified wellness concerns: stress, nutrition/weigh supports, and physical activity opportunities.  Our goals for the first year of our employee wellness program are:  

Project Year: Year 1

Long term Goal: Establish a sustainable committee with representation from all job sectors that will create and implement the employee wellness grant, continue the employee wellness program after the grant has ended, and sustain a culture of wellness for employees and for students within Centennial. 

SMART Objective #1: By December 2015, establish the Employee Wellness Committee with OSEA and CEA representatives from each building meeting 6 times per year to create and implement the employee wellness program.

Long term Goal: Create a sustainable communication plan that is accessible for every employee with minimal hassle and employees are able to actively participate within the district-wide communication.

SMART Objective #2:  By December 2015, establish a communication plan that is accessible to all employees with monthly updates and interactive space, with at least 50% of staff being aware of the employee wellness program.

Long term Goal: Create wellness opportunities for all staff to achieve the long-term goals of chronic illness reduction and staff absenteeism through stress management, weight and nutrition support, and increased physical activity.

SMART Objective #3:  By December 2015, offer 5 employee wellness events or classes that address the long-term goals of stress reduction, weight/nutrition management, and physical activity with at least 20% (141) of employees accessing at least event or class.