“The back and forth of in-person to virtual learning is a stressor for parents, teachers and students.
Nearly a year into the pandemic, one school district decided to ask its student body what it needed to be successful.
‘I have a choice of, do I need to focus on academics? Is my social and emotional well-being something that doing a fitness class or checking in with my school counselor will benefit from?’ said Dr. Natasha Dirda, the principal at North Allegheny Senior High School.
For two hours every Wednesday, North Allegheny students in grades ninth-12th and staff have the opportunity to take a step back. From fitness to cooking classes or even one-on-one chats, Wellness Wednesday is a student-focused, student-driven initiative.
‘Students are learning and making that connection with our school nurses, having questions answered. Same with our counselors forming a grief group. They are also available to chat about college applications,’ said Erin Crimone, the secondary principal at NA Cyber.
A recent student survey revealed that 79 percent of the North Allegheny student body get stressed as a result of school. This time is meant to help a student decided exactly what they need, whether it’s physical, academic, social or emotional.”
View the whole story here: https://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2021/01/27/north-allegheny-school-district-wellness-wednesday/