ATM: Wellness and Well-Being (Part I)
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The next few A Thoughtful Moments will be covering the integration of Wellness and Well-Being, and how they are paramount to our community.
Wellness and Well-Being in Foothills School Division
Wellness and well-being are the foundation of a flourishing community. Foothills School Division is committed to supporting the wellness and well-being of our staff and students. We do this by working together to create welcoming, safe, caring, inclusive and respectful environments that are trauma informed and responsive to the needs of students and staff. In FSD, we see staff wellness and student well-being as equally important, and essential components of our flourishing community.
The anchor of FSD’s vision for wellness and well-being is a visual developed by Learning Services that incorporates the Circle of Courage. The Circle of Courage1 imagery, developed by Dr. Martin Brokenleg of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe, Dr. Larry K. Brendtro, and Dr. Steve Van Brockern is based on the ancient Indigenous teachings of the Medicine Wheel. From the teachings, the 4 essential elements, or needs, of all humans are: belonging, mastery, independence, and generosity. Within the FSD visual are two hands, representing our collaborative work of ensuring our staff and students have the skills, support, and resources to best meet these needs, which in turn supports all of our wellness and well-being.
To action the goal of balance within the 4 essential elements of the Circle of Courage, the common frameworks we are focusing on as a division to support wellness and well-being for students and staff are Social Emotional Learning, Comprehensive School Health, Foothills’ Continuum of Supports, and Heartcare. Over the coming weeks leading to summer break, we will share a bit more about each framework and how they will support us in our wellness and well-being work.
Yours in learning,
Chris Fuzessy
Superintendent of Schools
Monica Crane
Principal, Cameron Crossing School
Division Coordinator, Outreach Services; Student and Staff Well-Being
1 Brendtro, L.K., Brokenleg, M., Van Bockern, S. (2013). The Circle of Courage: Developing resilience and capacity in youth. International Journal for Talent Development and Creativity, 1(1), 67-74. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1301374.pdf
