DCSD Healthy Schools

November 2019

We are so thankful for all of the amazing people around DCSD who continually work hard to meet the unique needs of our students. You are all rock stars and truly make a difference in so many lives in your community and our DCSD community. Enjoy the week off, time with family and friends, and carve out a little down time for just you! 

Mindfulness

I highly suggest if you want to deepen your understanding and practice about mindfulness consider taking a class with Mindful Schools. DCSD has taken enough courses through this organization that any staff member interested will receive a 50% discount.  You might be able to find funding through either your school or the Human Resources Tuition Reimbursement program. If you are interested in taking a class and have a question, please reach out to Laurie LaComb at lllacomb@dcsdk12.org. 

Hopefully, educators are taking advantage of a free subscription to Stop, Breathe, Think APP. Now you can get families a 30% discount as well. Five teachers who collect the highest number of sign-ups from parents (by 12/15 at midnight), will receive a $100 Amazon gift card for classroom resources and a gift card to our Stop, Breathe & Think shop.

To redeem your 30% discount:

1. Go to https://premium.stopbreathethink.com/plans/promo

2. Copy sbtteacher94 and paste into the VIP textbox.

3. Press validate code.

4. Login or sign-up for an account & receive discount.

5. Follow the prompts for credit card input.

6. Download the Stop, Breathe & Think All Ages or Kids apps (or both!), login and enjoy premium content with your kiddo.

 Tuesday, November 13th, is World Kindness Day!!!

Here are some activities: https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/world-kindness-day

Physical Activity

photo from Yoga4Classrooms- we have these cards in our lending library.

Yoga in the 

Classroom Training

Check this out by November 19th for possible grant funding!

Check out this new resource called Recess Lab and/or visit our good ol' BOKS curriculum resources!

Looking for videos, printables, and other resources to help you make healthy changes at your school? Find them in our new Resources section of HealthierGeneration.org! 

Sort by type, or by most popular. We’ve redesigned our Resources section to make it easier than ever to find free, science-based resources to help you get students and staff active, involved, and eating healthy. 

Go Zen! This amazing online platform has numerous resources for teachers who want to work on anxiety & stress relief, resilience skills, emotional fitness, and more. Healthy Schools has a subscription, so if you would like to try it out, please reach out to Laurie LaComb at lllacomb@dcsdk12.org 

DCSD Homeless Liaison

My name is Jill Savage and I am DCSD’s homeless student liaison. You may already be wondering why our school district has someone working in this capacity since Douglas County is considered one of the wealthiest communities in the US. However, under the McKinney-Vento act and definition of homelessness it may shock some that in the 2017-2018 school year, nearly 700 students were identified and eligible for supports. 

I would love to partner with you and share what homelessness looks like in our county and ways students and schools can help.  My presentation is anywhere from 20-30 minutes, depending on the amount of questions afterward. I understand your time is valuable, therefore I am intentional on making my presentation meaningful and efficient. I look forward to scheduling a time with you in the near future. One of my missions is to bring awareness to the homeless student population within our school district and ways to volunteer in our community.

Thank you,

Jill Savage

McKinney-Vento Services Coordinator

Douglas County School District

303)387-0142

Colorado Education Initiative Resources for Teachers 

Become a test user for Healthy Schools Hub

CDE's Health and Wellness Unit provides schools with assistance  and resources to promote positive health and behavior. The unit, along with other organizations, has been working on a new resource that promotes student wellness.

HealthySchoolsHub.org is an online network designed to strengthen health and wellness efforts in school communities. Volunteers are needed to participate in a series of usability tests and provide feedback on the website. Prizes are available for completing activities, which will begin Tuesday, Oct. 30. Read the program flyer for details (PDF).

The Hub is Managed By:

Colorado Education Initiative
600 17th Street, Suite 1400N

Denver, CO 80202 

Peace of Mind Program

Sustainability

Get your Professional Development credit hours by joining us in our Sustainability Learning Community

Overview of Course: The Sustainability Learning Community will provide Sustainability Champions with networking opportunities, partner resources, and support and guidance for sustainability. Each session will have a different focus theme, a short presentation by a DCSD Sustainability Partner and both structured and unstructured group work time. Groups will be formed by initiatives such as school gardens, outdoor learning, recycling, innovation, chicken coops, conservation and more (as defined by attendees). Locations will vary each session to provide opportunities to see sustainability initiatives in action!

Look for Sustainability Learning Community in InspirED

Nutrition

We have some extra Go, Slow, Whoa! posters in our office. If you are

                                                         interested, please reach out to Laurie LaComb at lllacomb@dcsdk12.org.

CANDIED PECAN, PEAR, & POMEGRANATE SALAD

Ingredients

Candied Pecans

• 1 large egg white
• 2 teaspoons water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup white sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 cups (1 pound) pecan halves

Salad

• 1 bag (6-8 ounces or about 8 cups) fresh spring mix
• 1 cup heaping pomegranate arils
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1 can (15 ounces) pear halves*
• 4 ounces feta cheese

Dressing

• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 5 tablespoons white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard do not use regular
• 1/2 cup frozen raspberries completely thawed
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil canola or olive oil will work
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds

Instructions

For the candied pecans

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a mixing bowl, whip together the egg white, water, and vanilla until frothy. In a separate bowl, mix together sugar, salt, and cinnamon.
3. Add pecans to egg whites, stir to coat the nuts evenly. Remove the nuts, and toss them in the sugar mixture until coated. Spread the nuts out on the prepared baking sheet.
4. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring and tossing every 15 minutes.

For the salad:

1. Thoroughly drain the pear halves and set on a cutting board. Very thinly slice the pears.
2. Toss together the spring mix, pomegranate arils, dried cranberries, pears, and feta cheese.
3. Toss to combine.

For the dressing:

1. Combine all of the ingredients except for the oil and poppy seeds in a blender or food processor. Pulse until the ingredients are well combined. Slowly add in the oil in a steady stream. Blend until emulsified and smooth.
2. Stir in the poppy seeds. This dressing is supposed to be pretty thick -- when you toss it with the salad it does thin out a little with the juices from the salad ingredients.
3. Toss the dressing and candied pecans with the salad. Only dress and add pecans to what you will eat because leftovers don't do so well! You can store the salad, pecans, and dressing separately for delicious leftovers!

Recipe Website

Thanks for reading this month's blog. Please comment and get your name in our drawing.

Joy, peace & gratitude,

Laurie & Kimmy