- Virtual Learning Academy
- Virtual Learning Academy
Wellness and Joy at Frank Porter Graham Bilingue
On a recent Wednesday afternoon at Frank Porter Graham Bilingüe (FPGB), when the students had dispersed to buses, cars and after-school programs, the staff assembled in the cafeteria and settled in for an hour of watercolor painting and music from the "FPG Bops" playlist.
The month of November can be a tough time for classroom teachers and school staff in general, with interrupted schedules and an often accelerating spread of viruses among children and adults alike. But the administration and School Support Team at FPGB is proactive, innovative – and insistent – when it comes to prioritizing Wellness throughout their community. With the addition of “Gratitude” as the monthly Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) theme, November at FPGB has provided a quiet showcase for strengthening wellness practices throughout their building, as a pervasive and powerful reminder of the Strategic Plan 2027 Core Value of Wellness and the Key Priority: Creating a Culture of Safety and Wellness.
Positive Behavior Intervention and Support Specialist, Kristin Baillie, says FPGB is a tremendously family oriented community where feelings of safety are elevated, and she notes it begins with Principal Karen Galassi-Ferrer. “Karen walks the walk. She’s not one to say, ‘Okay, let’s focus on wellness and here’s your 200 things to do this week.’ She told us, ‘The district is focusing on Joy and Wellness and we’re going to bring that into our building.’”
At the beginning of the school year, Galassi-Ferrer gave each staff member a handout of the Six Dimensions of Wellness and asked them to create a Personal Development Plan (PDP) with individual wellness goals. The tone was set, and the bar was raised.
Next came the introduction of Wellness Wednesday staff meetings, held every other week in rotation with traditional, “working” staff meetings. The FPGB Leadership Team developed a new system which allows the staff to pursue health and self-care in groups or individually. The first Wellness Wednesday for the staff took place at the Carrboro Farmers’ Market, where areas had been reserved for a special salsa tasting, capoeira demonstration and an art activity presented by Galassi-Ferrer and Data Manager, Kathy Glosson. An October Wellness Wednesday offered a varied menu of choices for activities, including zumba, healthy nutrition, brain games and mindfulness in the Zen Den (more about this incredible space of quiet positivity later).
The most recent Wellness Wednesday linked to the theme of Gratitude, with a simple but powerful invitation: draw a colleague’s name from a glass bowl and then design a card with a message of affirmation for them. Baillie said, “We realized after talking with staff that many people go the extra mile for each other but forget to acknowledge and thank them. Too often people feel unappreciated. This event was beautiful.”
The cards are also beautiful, and now fill the walls of the Zen Den, a space set aside for staff to spend two minutes, or 15, listening to soothing music under a weighted blanket and now surrounded by community-made art.
Wellness staff meetings are also now scheduled for teacher assistants, who too often feel isolated in their more contained roles. "Intentionally holding space for our teacher assistants to gather and celebrate one another was intended to demonstrate our sincere appreciation for the enthusiasm and commitment they display daily," Baillie said.
And the students? They have focused on Gratitude every day in November. Each student received their own gratitude journal, and from 7:50-8:15 a.m. (“El Gathering”), each class drew or wrote in response to a collection of gratitude prompts, with examples like, “Something money can not buy that I am grateful for” and “What is one thing that happened at school this week that you are grateful for.”
CHCCS District Headlines stories are written on a regular basis by the CHCCS Division of Communications, with assistance from a network of school-based “storytellers” who share tips and ideas throughout the school year. The goal is to share real-world examples of the CHCCS Strategic Plan in action. Know about a story worth telling from your school? Contact the CHCCS Communications team at communications@chccs.k12.nc.us