Who saw Stevie Wonder rolling out on the stage of American Idol to celebrate Steven Tyler’s birthday? Well, there is another big birthday that is not as sexy and flashy as Steven Tyler’s but just as, if not more, significant. This year marks the tenth anniversary of Montclair’s Health and Wellness which was started by a nurse and a Hillside parent to promote healthful education and information to parents and children in our community.
Every school in the district has a Health and Wellness liaison. I am the liaison for Hillside School.
What do we do as liaisons?
We implement programs, materials and workshops in the schools that promote, well, health and wellness. I know, that’s vague, so let me try to break it down.
Basically, we link the schools with community resources, many of which are free, in an attempt to keep our kids healthy, physically and emotionally. Often times there is little room in a school’s curriculum to focus much on health and wellness so we try to make sure that our children’s basic physical and emotional needs are met. This task gets tougher and tougher as there are fewer Social Workers to help kids on a daily basis. Yes, the budget cuts.
The liaisons work very hard to introduce and implement initiatives that will support and educate parents and children in their efforts to function at an optimal level. This can mean many things, including:
- Offering creative programs to help kids reduce stress like learning to play music or do yoga.
- Offering education and programs on disability awareness so all of our children can be included socially.
- Nutritional programs and education for optimal health.
- Sexual development information.
- Anti-bullying information and programs.
- Lice prevention and treatment information.
- Community action opportunities for kids to become empowered.
…to name a few!
One of the ways I would like to congratulate Health and Wellness for 10 years of tireless service to our community is to help create a fundraiser with dedicated parents and Montclair Kids in Action for Japan Relief, with the help of our children.
We invite you to have your child perform for a music recital so that they can make a difference in the lives of others in Japan. Wouldn’t that make all of us feel good and healthy? Maybe we’ll even invite both Stevens to join us! Contact me here to get involved.
Health and Wellness Celebration & Parents Who Rock Japan Relief Fundraiser
When: Sunday, April 3 at 12 pm AND 4 pm (SOLD OUT)
Where: Church Street Catering, Studio 12, Church Street, upstairs
Cost: $20 per adult/$15 per child. Lunch is included at 12 pm show /Dinner is included at 4 pm show (SOLD OUT). Limited seating available. Please RSVP to Alma here.
If you are interested in learning more about the Health and Wellness programs in the Montclair Schools and/or would like to become a volunteer, click here.
Alma Schneider founded Parents Who Rock in order to help parents re-connect with their musical past through organized performances for charity. Alma is also a licensed clinical social worker with a specialization in helping individuals overcome their practical and psychological obstacles to cooking. Think Dr. Phil meets Rachel Ray. Healthy and “everything in moderation” recipes can be found on her blog, Take Back the Kitchen.
