December 2017

This time of year is crazy- lots of lists and details.  In order to not get buried in it all and enjoy the amazing things happening around us, we need to pause.  Taking a purposeful pause each and every day means intentionally pausing throughout the day to center ourselves.  It's not difficult and allows us to reconnect with our breath and the present moment. As a way to remember, maybe set a reminder on our phones every 2 hours or use expected moments during the day (such as a red light, copy machine visit, or a meal) to try a purposeful pause. Once the moment arises, take 3-5 minutes to focus on breath, check in with the body or utilize senses to be present in the moment.   More information on Purposeful Pauses with Janice Marturano

Colorado Healthy Schools Champions Applications are open!! Due 1/19/18

The Colorado Education Initiative recognizes schools that have "excelled at creating health and wellness programs that support student learning" through the Healthy School Champions Recognition program. 40 Colorado schools will be chosen to receive an award valued at $500 to $7500. Your school must complete the Colorado Smart Source survey by Jan 19, 2018 to be eligible. Champion awards are due February 22, 2018. Reach out to Laurie LaComb at lllacomb@dcsdk12.org for any support.

Schools must submit Smart Source by December 15, 2017 to be entered in the $1000 raffle. This deadline is only two weeks away so, if possible, please know we are here to help you in any way!  Link to Smart Source

Brain Boosting Strategy

A study at Stanford University had students think about their thinking, by reviewing their study plans before an exam.  The students who actually reviewed their study resources before actually used them performed better and had less stress. This study outlines five steps to make this happen in your classroom.  

1. Think about and list your options before you study.

2. Make a plan.

3. Set & get those goals.

4. Know that you can.

5. Through infinity.

Read the article for more details

What does Medicaid do in DCSD?

This amazing federal program is responsible for supporting the majority of the Healthy Schools work in DCSD.  Here is a little information about Medicaid...

Our DCSD Healthy Schools Program is supported by the Medicaid Reimbursement Program.  Special Education service providers throughout the District document their services for our IEP students which enables the District to receive partial reimbursement for the costs involved in providing those services.  

Staff also receives Random Moment Time Studies from the State via email.  The email contains a link to the survey which consists of five questions.  The survey should be answered promptly after the assigned "moment" occurs, keeping in mind the health-related aspect of your moment to obtain maximum credit for the response.  These surveys take less than five minutes to answer.  For more information on the Random Moment Time Study, please visit our Google Site:  medicaidreimbursement.dcsdk12.org   On the Site you will find examples to assist in answering your Random Moment Time Study quickly and efficiently.  The Site also contains useful information on all aspects of the Medicaid Reimbursement Program.

The funds reimbursed to the District are used to promote health, wellness and prevention programs for all DCSD students.  Please support the Medicaid Reimbursement program to allow us to continue providing these much-needed programs.

Training Opportunities

1/23/18- Teaching With The Brain in Mind Part 2—Mindfulness, Meaning, and Mistakes

Get back onto the road of learning while considering the brain and how it operates, thinks, and processes information.  Jump right in and join us as we experience teaching strategies that include neuroplasticity, learning to learn, mindfulness, using mistakes to make meaning, and brain differences (age, stage, gender).  Participants attending this workshop will get a deeper understanding of how the learning brain functions and collect a variety of strategies to implement into planning, content, and the classroom.

Please go to Inspired Ed to register now!

Kim Bevill Workshops

Upcoming 2018 

Winter-Spring Schedule!

Jan 20....Effects of Laughter on the Brain...And What it Means for Mental Illness Now a 2 credit offering!

Feb 10...Music and the Brain Hybrid (1-Day Live +Online Recording)

March 3 & 4...Essentials for Learning - a "MUST TAKE" course!

March 10 & 11...Synchronicity! (a "Life Changer"!)

- Join us for a "Movement Course" Weekend....

April 7 & 8...Complex Moves and the Brain - NEW 2-Credits!

...plus Learning in Motion -  1 credit class (for 3 credit course)

April 21 & 22...Gender and the Brain

May 5...Hands-On Strategies Hybrid (1-Day Live, +Online Recording)

May 19 & 20...Happiness and Gratitude

If you need tuition assistance, utilize DCSD's Tuition Reimbursement Program (It is AWESOME!)

Free Mindfulness Video Trainings- a great resource for teachers and mindful practitioners.

Daily Good Deeds

Carrie Wisehart released her printable December Daily Good Deeds calendar this week.  Print it out and practice kindness every day.  A December Daily Good Deeds calendar would be a fun project for a class!  Daily Good Deeds Calendar

Physical Activity

Please share with your recess supervisors. Positive recess leaders

Save the Date! Staff Wellness Event

Fit Fest - Saturday, February 3, 2018 -Rock Canyon High School. You won't want to miss this FREE wellness event. More details coming soon from staff wellness. 

Nutrition

The ingredients for this veggie tray are pretty simple.  Start by cutting your cauliflower into small bite-size pieces.  Place them on your tray and then arrange into a snowman shape.  You will also need additional veggies to surround your snowman.  We chose carrot sticks for the top portion, because Olaf has a carrot for his nose and it was a cute match!  We used pretzel sticks for his arms and hair.  I broke apart one pretzel stick and used it for his fingers.  For the face, you can even  draw your own on a piece of paper if you are feeling artistic.  You can also use olives for his buttons which would be super cute.  Link to description.


We wish all a wonderful holiday break! Make sure to take a few purposeful pauses to soak up all the wondrous last moments of 2017.

With gratitude,
Laurie & Kimmy 

January 2017

Positivity is a powerful tool that shapes the way we think. Our minds are amazing! If we look at our brain as a garden, there are many different types of seeds within it to tend. We have negative seeds such as anger, anxiety and hate and positive seeds such as love, kindness, and focus.  We have the choice on what to feed! Those seeds that get more attention will grow stronger and have more prevalence in our daily lives than those seeds we ignore. We know that Healthy Schools work at all of our sites has such a positive presence, let's keep that going strong throughout 2017!!! Let's start off the new year feeding the seed of positivity in our minds.

Important Deadlines

The Healthy School Champion Award application is due January 20, 2017. I am happy to come out over the next few weeks to help you complete the application, just let me know when. As a reminder, schools must have completed the Smart Source tool either for the 2015/16 or the 2016/17 school year. Here is the link.

Free All Day Workshop (register by 1/6)

Teaching Health Education in PE: A free workshop

This K-12 workshop focuses on implementing activities and strategies that integrate Health Education into the Physical Education setting through standards-based instruction and best practices. Participants will leave with activities, lessons, and resources to use the next day and need to come ready to be active!

February 8, 2017, 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Lone Tree Recreation Center, Maple Room (10249 Ridgegate Circle, Lone Tree, 80124)

Training Objectives:
• Identify similarities and differences between Health Education and Physical Education skills.

• Identify strategies to overcoming barriers to teaching Health Education in your Physical Education setting.

• Develop activities and strategies that integrate Health Education into Physical Education through standards-based instruction and practices.

Please register by January 6, 2017. Lunch will be provided. Up to 20 subs can be covered on that day by the Healthy Schools Department. Contact lllacomb@dcsdk12.org with any questions. 

Indoor Recess Ideas

Don't let the cold weather keep students from moving! We know that inactive bodies create inactive minds, so get everyone moving! Here are a few ideas/reminders on how to get your students moving during the colder months of the year.

1. Use a pedometer, make a step goal for the group and start walking through the halls (we have a class set that we can loan out to anyone who will use them)

2. Use a deck of cards to create movement opportunities in the classroom  Deck of cards link

3. Yoga! Use this awesome website for ideas and the opportunity to print your own free printables

Yoga in classroom link

4. Use your Fitsticks and other movement cards (needs some, check our DCSD Healthy Schools Lending Library link)

5. Play freeze dance

6. Get out the beach balls and play some volleyball

7. Use GoNoodle and other YouTube videos to get students up and moving

8. Remind students to bundle up and take them out for recess

9. Challenge your fellow teammates to see who can move their students the most in a week- make a prize or a traveling trophy

10. Teach the students a new dance, such as the Electric Slide

New Resources (Healthy Schools Library Link)

We are excited to announce that we have some new resources for you to take advantage of! Recently we acquired Skillastics (picture below) and here is the description link. Please contact Kimberly.romine@dcsdk12.org to set up a month for you to use it with your students.

Playground Stencils

We know that colorful and engaging playgrounds get students to move more during their time outside. DCSD is now the proud owner of a set of the world playground stencils so if your school is planning on painting your playground just let me know and we will escort the set over to you.  If you need creative ideas or resources check out Peaceful Playgrounds link.  We also have copies of the Learning Landscapes Toolkit which includes a plethora of ready to share playground games that can be posted outside. Please contact Laurie LaComb for more details at lllacomb@dcsdk12.org.

Therapeutic Recreation in Highlands Ranch

Highlands Ranch has an extensive therapeutic recreation department. Here is the link
HR Therapeutic Recreation Opportunities Jan.-April link  Contact Summer Aden at 303-471-7043 for more information.

SEL Resource

What is Move This World?

Move This World has trained over 150,000 individuals across school districts and organizations to strengthen their mental, emotional and social wellbeing in order to foster safe and supportive learning environments where effective teaching and learning can occur. This program does require a fee. 

Move This World equips educators and students with tools to to address their social and emotional wellbeing. . http://www.movethisworld.org/education

How?

PreK-12 digital tools to start and end the school day. Each tool is developmentally aligned, maps to the Collaborative of Academic Social and Emotional Learning, and is no longer than 5 minutes.

https://vimeo.com/167465252

If you need any information, you can reach out to:

Caitlin Daly

Education Wellbeing Consultant

Email: cdaly@movethisworld.org

Cell: 201 410 4537

Technology

Mind Yeti was developed by mindfulness and social-emotional learning experts to be an easy way to take a purposeful pause.

• For kids in grades K–5 (and their adults)
• 12 short, free-forever audio sessions
• A growing library of premium content
• Available on any connected device
• Curious about how Mind Yeti can be used with the Second Step program? See the alignment chart.

Mind Yeti link

                                                         

Mind Fuel Daily is a fabulous website for mindfulness activity ideas. For example, one easy way to share mindfulness with your students is to use the ABCs-  Awareness, Balance, Compassion. Maybe your class can make up their ABCs book. Thank you to Megan Balfe for sharing this wonderful website!  Mind Fuel Daily link

School Successes

Cherry Valley built a Gaga Pit this fall using DCSD Healthy Schools mini grant funds. Gaga is a gentle game of dodgeball, played in an octagonal pit that uses a soft foam ball.  The game combines the skills of dodging, striking, running, and jumping, while trying to hit opponents with a ball below the knees. This game can be played by all ages and is a ton of fun! Here are Gaga rules.  Contact Jan Francis at janice.francis@dcsdk12.org for more details on construction and cost.

Take Care of Yourself!

I subscribe to a wonderful website called Be Brain Fit, Be Brain Fit link,  which I highly recommend.  This is an amazing resource that focuses on the foods and vitamins we consume in relation to their effects on brain functioning. Their most recent post focuses on Vitamin B complex.  Use this resource to help support your healthy food and vitamin choices. If you like it, share with others!!

Sleep Resources for High Schools Students

Sleep is essential for optimal brain functioning but getting our teenagers (and ourselves!) to get enough sleep is challenging! Here is a fabulous resource (includes, classroom activities, classroom presentations, free posters, lesson plans, and fact sheet links) for teachers working with  13-18 year old students. Sleep Recharges You Toolkit link. 

Recipe

Healthy Cinnamon Carrot Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 Cup Rolled Oats (gluten free)
• 1/2 Cup Coconut Flour
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• 2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp All Spice
• 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
• 1/8 tsp (1g) salt
• 1/2 Cup melted Coconut Oil
• 2 Eggs (or flax eggs)
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 Cup Maple Syrup/Honey
• 1 Cup Grated Carrots

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180ºC and line baking sheet.
2. Mix together the oats, coconut flour, baking powder, salt,cinnamon, all spice and nutmeg.
3. With the paddle attachment, mix together the coconut oil, vanilla, egg, maple syrup/honey.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and continue to mix.
5. Fold in the carrots.
6. Place batter in the fridge for about 20min.
7. Scoop dough onto baking sheet in 12 round dollops and press flat slightly.
8. Bake for 15min.
9. Allow to cool.
10. Enjoy 

Cookie Recipe Link

Happy New Year and thank you for reading this month's blog! Please share with us your successes and any ideas for future blogs.  Don't forget to leave a comment on the blog to get your name in this month's Reader's Prize raffle.

Have a positive January! 

With gratitude for all that you do,
Laurie LaComb
lllacomb@dcsdk12.org