Arlington Public Schools Wellness Department
About the Department:
The APS Wellness program consists of our Health, Physical Education and Family and Consumer Sciences Departments. We integrate health, physical education, adventure education, career skills, life skills and social emotional learning into our Wellness Curriculum.
Vision:
Our Department vision is to provide an equitable learning experience where all learners feel a sense of belonging and experience growth and joy. Our instructional practices will promote health and wellness on a daily basis. We will work collaboratively with students to improve student’s overall wellness.
Mission:
To create educational experiences to support students’ health, well-being and individual development. We will teach to the whole child, taking into consideration the child’s overall wellness and growth.
Core Values:
The following three core values are what we believe to be essential in building a strong wellness program. There are many values that can build off of these core values. As a department in the Arlington Public School community, it is important to have a set of core values that drive our purpose as a wellness department. These core values will guide us to align with our department’s mission and vision.
Relationships
Building relationships is at the center of what we do in education. We will get to know people first and strive to have open, honest and direct communication with them.
We will model respect and dignity in the way we communicate and treat others. Relationships should always be a work in progress and at the forefront of our work. Positive relationship building will be encouraged throughout the school year.
Equity
It is essential for all students to receive what they need to experience growth and thrive as a student and an individual.
It is important that we work collaboratively to model respect, individuality and flexibility. We want to celebrate diversity and make sure all teachers and students feel that content is relative to them.
Growth
We will allow for individual opportunities to grow both as educators and students. Providing opportunities to grow as an educator will in turn improve our instructional practices in the classroom.
Together as a department we will assess our curricula and make improvements where needed so that student growth opportunities are provided.
Allowing time for professional development opportunities for teachers will allow for teachers to grow professionally with new ideas for content and instructional strategies.
Objectives:
Within the Wellness Curriculum, students will:
Develop a plan for life-long skills that will enhance their overall well-being.
Recognize their personal needs and how to achieve them.
Find appropriate practices that will enhance their social-emotional well being.
Strive to challenge themselves intellectually to develop a growth mindset.
Skills Taught:
Our Wellness Curriculum is designed to develop the social and emotional learning (SEL) of our students. The Wellness Department gives students an opportunity to understand that all components of Wellness are interconnected and of equal importance.
Students acquire a variety of skills including but not limited to:
Themes:
Students experience and learn the impacts of numerous wellness themes through regular physical activity, healthy food and sleep choices, self-care and advocacy, mindfulness, play, career opportunities and many more.
Wellness Model Used:
National Wellness Institute Resource
The National Wellness Institute defines wellness as the active process of becoming aware of and making choices toward a more successful (healthful) existence.
Personal wellness occurs when one commits to a continuous, lifelong process of developing a lifestyle based on healthy attitudes and actions. The wellness process consists of increasing awareness and choosing options that result in growth and balance among six primary areas.
Kim Visco (she/her)
Director of K-12 Wellness
Office located at: Arlington High School
869 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington MA 02476
Tel: (781) 316-3570