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Staff Wellness Survey

January, 2013

January, 2013
This survey was developed by CPSC parent Katharine Cannon (mom of 2nd grade Brianna). Katharine is Director of a Head Start/Early Head Start program in Hillsborough. It was reviewed and edited by Alex, Alicia, Kerry, Scott E, Erin Luben, Sumi Kim and Michelle Rockwell. The survey was administered online (google forms/docs) and circulated via emails from Alex. Hard copy responses were also accepted.

Brief Snapshot

This survey elicited LOTS of interesting information and feedback. Below are a few of highlights that stood out to me

Skipping breakfast, not achieving daily physical activity goals (>60 min/day) and getting enough sleep were rated as less of a problem than research-reported averages for elementary age kids BUT we have many opportunities for positive impact:
Nutritional Habits:
Almost 70% rated some or almost all of their students as not reaching their full potential in school due to inadequate nutrition

Nutrition Education:
50% rated some (as opposed to almost all or all) as having an age-appropriate understanding of nutrition 65% reported that they never or almost never teach nutrition within their curriculum/ lessons BUT 75% regularly cook and 60% regularly work in gardens (the hard part is already happening!) Only 18% reported being prepared or extremely prepared to incorporate basic wellness topics into their curriculum. 20% feel not at all prepared.

Recess:
About 60% rated some (as opposed to almost all or all) as being physically active during ASR

Which grade level do you teach?


25 Total Survey Responders

N/A K-2nd

3rd-5th

Of students in your class this year, how many would you say regularly eat breakfast?
80

Of students in your class this year, how many would you say regularly eat a sufficient and appropriate breakfast?
40

% 16
0 0 4

%
0

28 6

26

None
Some Almost All All Unable to Answer

None
Some Almost All All Unable to Answer

Of students in your class this year, how many would you say regularly bring or receive school-provided snacks and/or lunches that are balanced and healthy?
60

Of students in your class this year, how many would you say regularly bring or receive school-provided snacks and/or lunches that contain foods of little or no nutritional quality?
89

%
0

24 6 11

%
0 6 0 6

None
Some Almost All All Unable to Answer

None
Some Almost All All Unable to Answer

Of students in your class this year, how many would you say regularly bring food to school that they dont consume?
None 80 Some Almost All 67 All Unable to Answer

70
60

50
% 40

30
20 10 0 6

22 6

Of students in your class this year, how many would you say have an age-appropriate understanding of nutrition?
None 60 50 40 % 30 20 11 10 0 0 50 Some Almost All All Unable to Answer

39

Of students in your class this year, how many would you say arent reaching their full potential at school because of inadequate nutrition?
None 60 50 40 % 30 20 12 10 0 20 14 Some Almost All 55 All Unable to Answer

Of students in your class this year, how many would you say are overweight?
None 70 61 60 50 40 % 30 20 11 10 0 0 28 Some Almost All All Unable to Answer

Of students in your class this year, how many would you say have been teased or bullied about their weight?
55 28

Of students in your class this year, how many would you say have a body image that is a source of problems?
50 33

17
0 0

17 0 0

None
Some Almost All All Unable to Answer

None
Some Almost All All Unable to Answer

Of students in your class this year, how many would you say regularly get the amount of physical activity recommended at their age (60 minutes/day)?
None 60 50 40 % 30 20 11 10 0 0 50 Some Almost All All Unable to Answer

33

Of students in your class this year, how many would you say usually participate in active physical play during All-School Recess?
None 70 61 60 50 40 % 30 20 10 0 0 6 6 27 Some Almost All All Unable to Answer

72

None Some Almost All All Unable to Answer

How many are limited in ASR due to SOCIAL challenges?

22 0 67 0 6

How many are limited in ASR due to SENSORY challenges?


How many are limited in ASR due to PHYSICAL challenges?

28 0 0 6

50
%

44

Of students in your class this year, how many would you say struggle to keep up during class activities that require sustained physical activity?
None 70 61 60 50 40 % 30 20 10 0 0 0 17 22 Some Almost All All Unable to Answer

Of students in your class this year, how many would you say might benefit from one-on-one work with a volunteer Physical Therapist?
None 70 61 60 50 40 % 30 20 11 10 0 0 0 28 Some Almost All All Unable to Answer

Of students in your class this year, how many would you say seem to be participating in regular physical activity (organized or not) outside of school?
None 50 45 40 35 30 % 25 20 15 10 5 0 Some Almost All 44 33 All Unable to Answer

11
0

11

Of students in your class this year, how many would you say regularly come to school seeming well-rested from a good nights sleep?
None 90 80 70 60 % Some Almost All 84 All Unable to Answer

50
40 30 20 10 0 0 6 4 6

Of students in your class this year, how many would you say school experience is affected or limited by chronic physical health conditions (whether diagnosed/managed or not)?
61 % 28 11 0 0

Of students in your class this year, how many would you say experience challenges related to mental health issues (students themselves or in their families)?
72

%
11 17 0 0

None
Some Almost All All Unable to Answer

None
Some Almost All All Unable to Answer

Never or Almost Never Occasionally 66 Regularly N/A 15 11 75 8

How often do you teach nutrition within your lessons/curriculum?

How often does your class do food or cooking projects?

% 5

12
58

How often does your class % work in a garden?

12

22 8

How often do you provide guidance to parents and students about the type of foods/drinks to pack for snack and lunch?
Never or Almost Never 80 68 Occasionally Regularly N/A

70
60

50
% 40

30
20 10 0 0 15 17

How often does your class have opportunities to be physically active outside of recess?
74

How often do you take walking field trips?

66

% 20 0 6

16

12

Never or Almost Never Occasionally Regularly N/A

Never or Almost Never Occasionally Regularly N/A

How often do you incorporate aspects of mental health into your lessons/curriculum?
Never or Almost Never 60 50 40 % 30 20 10 0 20 12 Occasionally Regularly N/A

54

How prepared (in terms of knowledge and skills) do you feel to incorporate basic wellness topics into your curriculum?
Not at all prepared Somewhat prepared Prepared Extremely prepared

4% 14% 20%

62%

Rate the overall effectiveness of the following in achieving Physical Education goals:
60 50

40
30 20 10 0 Aikido Dance Games Yoga

Not Effective
Somewhat Effective Effective Extremely Effective Unable to Comment

Would you like to share any feedback about the current Physical Education program?
We need to have coordinator or actual PE teacher available on staff daily because part of the job is not just teaching, but overall programming. They could also help with recess. I would like to see a PE Teacher or director to maintain some of our current specials (Aikido, dance) but also integrate more movement and physiology. Our physical education program honors the Arts, but does not challenge the children appropriately in a cardiovascular fashion Format changes needed in yoga I am proud of our program! I have a student in my class who cannot participate in yoga or aikido. Thats half of our PE programinstead she goes to art or the media center. Lacking in aerobic movement Our families need to understand the program better

Better than any school Ive been in. Jason is super!

K has a more traditional PE class instead of cooperative games and it was good
I thought teachers were supposed to stay in movement classes with their kids I love the variety! I love the chance for both genders to be involved in activities they might not get to experience otherwise. I love the teachers and how they approach their part of the PE program with the kids. I think it is a super program that helps kids be strong both physically and mentally. We need to be able to integrate this type of wonderful movement style better in our classrooms. I do not have these skills. The goals are not explicit to children. Adults and teachers seem to benefit more from the activities than the students. I feel that our offerings in this area are uniformly strong. All the teachers are skilled practitioners of their various specialties and the different classes appeal to different strengths in our students.

Yoga is not at all popular with my students. They come back frustrated and in need of running around.
I like the overall structure of the movement program and think that it gives students many different opportunities to think about how to move and control their bodies.

Not having an actual coordinator for PE hurts the program even though the classes are excellent. I can name 10 instances this year where we needed someone. Wellness and physical goals are at the forefront of this school but we do not honor them by even having a teacher in that area. Why not? If there is any way that our students could take the classes more often throughout the year it would benefit their skill development. Like with all of the specials, our next challenge is assisting classroom teachers integrate the skills and attitudes taught in the PE program. Its great!

Its hard to know because I dont stay with my class during that time.
As much as I need TIME, I feel we should go to specials with kids. I do not go to dance so could not respond. I rarely attend yoga and have a student who doesnt, but the kids complain that it is boring and they seem disengaged.

If the school were to adopt curricular goals related to wellness, which of these resources would you use to support the intentional inclusion of wellness topics into your curriculum?
(answer as many as you want)
No additional resources/ Can or am doing it already Curriculum materials/ lesson plans Parent/ community volunteers or experts presenting special lessons

22

14 Number of Responses 21

Consultant/ resource teacher to assist teachers in integrating info into existing curriculum
Consultant/ resource teacher to bring info directly to students Staff development/ training 0 5 12 10 15 14

20

25

Which method of family outreach/support around wellness topics would you like to see the school implement assuming grant or additional funding was available? Consider demographic changes in CPSC population. (answer as many as you want)
Other No additional parent support necessary Offering school lunch service to all students 1

18 Number of Responses 17

Provision of school-based health resources such as health educator or school nurse


Teacher-directed, individualized parent outreach Additional parent education through written materials/ website/ speakers/ support groups 0 5 10 5

22 15 20 25

Guidelines for birthday, holiday and other special occasion treats/snacks should be determined by:
overall school policy each individual teacher each grade level other

33%

34%

0% 33%

If a free or very low cost exercise program for staff was offered at CPSC, would you participate?
No

Maybe

% Yes, during lunch Yes, after school

Yes, before school 0 10 20 30 40 50

Please list any wellness-related staff training or continuing education you would like to see offered at CPSC:
Nutrition for kids Real life and practical nutrition issues

Please train us in the 4 movement specials


How to teach kids and families about nutrition in a culturally sensitive way Incorporating mindfulness into our classrooms The difference in nutrition around vegetarians/ vegans/ dietary supplements/ allergies Sensitivity about talking about body weight Stop telling us what to teach Peaceful schools training led by mental health professionals Meditation for children Give me a toolbox of nutrition knowledge that is age-appropriate and researchbased and Ill filter it into my lessons. I do not have that now. I would also like more guidance on stress management for children. We need advanced training as we are experienced educators. Please make good use of staff training days.

Incorporating movement and nutrition education into project work

What wellness-related ideas do you have for enhancing the school community?
Monthly classroom healthy meals with a focus on a food group, kids could prepare and then share what they learn with guests over lunch Coordinated school gardening program I like the idea Michelle had for a garden coordinator who is paid part-time to enable us to successfully incorporate more and better quality gardening on a regular basis Hire a wellness coordinator to manage all of this. We do not have access to county services like public schools do (i.e. dietician, health educators) Bring back some of the all-school nutrition education we used to have Tuck peaceful schools program in as part of wellness. Body, mind, and spirit go together. Keep on doing what you are doing! We have needed this for years! School-wide nutrition education

Add a PE teacher position or wellness coordinator

Write grants for nutritionists or gardeners to work with us on a fulltime basis as a regular part of our staff.
Nutrition could be a special like music and Art if staffed correctly Establish a pool of expert resources from parents and community to work with on various topics related to health We need to be prepared for many, many greater and different issues we are about to face in upcoming years as our demographics change. You could hire a wellness coordinator

The staff cannot be well because we have meeting after meeting after meeting with no breaks and this impacts our work
Suggest adding staff of a wellness coordinator Enable teachers to be more well by having adequate time which will benefit children in turn

Do you lead or participate in any unique projects or programs regarding nutrition, physical activity, or other wellness topics within your classroom?
Creative movement/ dance

Last year we did a class project where we had our own vegan-gluten free restaurantwe also grew some of the veggies and herbs in our garden/cold frames
In the past I have done a health walk with fourth grade. We have also make a physical goal of accomplishing a timed mile run/walk Last Spring Aaron and I ran a weekly approximately 30 minute running club. I hope to do that again with the third grade team this Spring No Nutrition is a science topic that is taught each year in 4th grade I am exhausted just trying to accomplish what is required at this point, so no, but would like to see it offered for my students and the staff for that matter We are physical/outside for the first 45 minutes of afterschool and then offer outdoor sports as an option. We provide a fruit/grain as a snack each day. We do boatloads of cooking and gardening and we walk all over the place. I need help tying nutrition and related sciences into this as these are not my expertise areas. I would like to see a staff person hired (maybe a grant?) for that sole purpose

Other comments:
How about healthy lunches for teachers?

How about getting grant $ to have a gardener-teacher that could help folks grow good food> Its amazing how much kids will try if they grow it themselvesand they get exercise while working in the garden!
Thank you for starting a Wellness program! Most of this is not even new but no one shares their projects or plans It would be extremely beneficial to offer lunch for teachers. We could have a chef-garden farm to table thing going on here at school that would be pretty visionary. This would be the place to make it happen! Thank you for already having an impact at our school. My kids talk about jumping rope all the time and its on the minds of our staff. You have made a difference and we so appreciate it. Have you ever thought of teaming up with chefs from local restaurants?

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