2023 High School Health and Wellness Summit: A Time for Connection and Community

Guest bloggers: Melissa Gartner and Rachel Soifer
Co-Directors, CESJDS Center for Health and Wellness 

Our Jewish value of k’hillah/community teaches us that connecting to one another in care and support is what we are meant to do each day. Our tradition reminds us that r’fu-ah shleimah refers to the need to heal our whole selves, the interconnected physical, mental, and spiritual. This year, guided by these values and our commitment to promote student wellness and connection, we launched the Center for Health and Wellness.  
 
We know that our children are living in a world where they encounter greater stressors and risks to their health than ever before. We believe that it is our collective responsibility to respond to those challenges. We created the Center with the mission to provide education to all students in the core dimensions of health and wellness: social/emotional/mental health, academic balance, physical well-being, digital citizenship, and service/ethics/leadership. 
 
Last week, we came together as a community for our inaugural Health and Wellness Summit. The Summit was designed to reduce stigma and promote emotional well-being practices and support-seeking behaviors in the categories of healthy minds, bodies, decisions, relationships, and sexuality.
 
We began our Summit Week in a parent program with Dr. Joseph Muller ’04, medical director for addiction treatment who educated parents about the fentanyl crisis. Then, Marc Hausman, a friend of our school, shared the personal story about his family’s experience following the tragic death of his son, Landen, due to an accidental fentanyl overdose.
 
On Thursday, students began their Summit day in the keynote session with Mr. Hausman to hear his message and contemplate how the decisions one makes affect those who love them. Students then went to their self-selected workshops to learn about a wide range of topics from The Science of Depression to Mindful Breathing. Assembly-style presentations and small interactive groups encouraged students to make space for difficult conversations, increase their awareness, and move toward fostering healthy habits.
 
We were gratified to have 97% of our high school students participate that day with 74% of them rating their overall experience as very good or excellent. 

Here is some feedback we received:

“I learned it’s okay to talk about some stuff even if it’s uncomfortable” (student)

“I was really impressed by how seriously the students responded- I hope they realize that the topics they explored are amongst the most important that they will ever learn. I am so proud of this school!” (faculty)

“I learned to think about how choices that I make affect not just myself but everyone in my life.” (student)

“I learned that the school cares about our wellness.” (student)

“Students were attentive, engaged, asked great questions and came up to speak to me personally after the presentation. I was so impressed by the students and love this school.” (presenter/parent alum) 

What Made Us Most Proud: 

Our kids are amazing. They were open-minded and they took risks.  They were engaged, interested, and respectful.  

Our community is incredible. Leading experts in their fields donated their time because they support our school, believe in the work we are doing, and want to remind our students that they have adult support all around them.   

Our school is special. Together, administrators, faculty, and students exemplified what it means to embrace health and wellness as a school priority. We could not be prouder.

Our families are like no other. Partnership, transparency, open communication, and trust are central to any healthy community. We invite parents to continue these important conversations at home and with us, so we can achieve our shared goal of keeping our children healthy and safe. 

Please look at the resources available from our speakers and keep up with what’s happening next in Wellness. Let’s keep the connection and community strong!