Pamplin Media Group – Gervais Elementary named Blue Ribbon Wellness School

GES one of two schools in the state to earn the award for the 2019-20 school year

If you teach it, live it.

That’s the kind of mantra that put Gervais Elementary School on the map for the 2019-20 school year by being one of just two schools in the state to be recognized as a National Blue Ribbon Wellness School.

The Gervais School District announced the prestigious distinction in November, which honors the efforts in creating a healthy atmosphere not just among its students, but the staff who teaches and works with them as well.

“To be honored as one of those schools is terrific to hear, but I think there’s something special when it comes to a school like Gervais,” GES Principal Creighton Helms said. “We’re tucked in there between Salem-Keizer and Woodburn, just this little bedroom community off I-5.”

Helms credits the honor to the staff at GES, which has worked to build a culture of wellness that permeates through the school each day. While teachers are busy instructing students on health, wellness, fitness and proper eating habits, so too are they living by those lessons in between classes. Music and choir teacher Courtney Karns serves as the school’s wellness representative, helping to promote healthy habits among the staff.

“Courtney has done a lot of work in doing wellness things for our staff. A wellness relaxation room and setting up Yoga and pilates options for staff members,” Helms said. “Walker challenges. Awards during staff meetings for just moral — things like that to help the staff.”

It turn, when students see adults practicing healthy habits and encouraging each other, it fosters an atmosphere that makes it easier for children to pick up those habits, whether consciously or subconsciously. “I think that whatever we’re asking of our students, we as the adults need to model it to them,” Helms said. “If we’re trying to teach them social-emotional learning and healthy eating and to go exercise, we as staff whenever possible need to be doing the same thing.”

Helms said the practice goes hand in hand with creating a positive environment for both the students and staff members. “Students first” is not an uncommon rule among school districts, but Helms said that having a student-first mentality doesn’t mean that it has to come at the expense of staff members. Schools can support staff and students equally, and often doing so together helps each other — a rising tide lifts all boats mentality.

“You can have a student first mentality and a staff first mentality,” Helms said. “Those are not diametrically opposed. You can put both of those groups as your No. 1 priority and do them both very well.”

The recognition comes with a $2,500 award, which Helms said will be put back into wellness opportunities for students and staff. It also comes with a large banner and plaque to display in the school, along with recognition at the annual Oregon Department of Education Wellness Conference

“It’s kind of neat to be able to put a big banner up to say we’re one of the beacon wellness schools in the state of Oregon,” he said.

The cash award is one of several that Helms announced via the school’s social media accounts in November, including a $5,000 Portland-Metro STEM Hub grant and a grant from Oregon State Credit Union to help build the school’s indoor gardening zone.

Gervais Elementary has put increased emphasis STEM curriculum that includes robotics, horticulture, coding and more over the past five years, and the two grants will help continue to fund those efforts. The Portland-Metro grant will pay for online learning tools that teachers are using this year to teach STEM curriculum remotely, while the OSCU grant expands the school’s successful agriculture education for when students are allowed to return to classrooms.

“We’re doing our best to support learning digitally and virtually, but at the same time, I think that we’re recognizing that some work does not have to slow down,” Helms said. “We can still look to be making improvements around the school and do things in unique ways. Whenever students do come back to in person learning, we’re still going to have this vibrant school community.”