• Staying Healthy and Safe For the Holidays

• “Do the “Write” Thing” Contest Winners

• Working on Wellness

• Ballroom Dancing

• Spotlight in Wellness

• Benefits Corner

• Employee Assistance Program

• Safety Tip!

• Water Aerobics

I am pleased to announce the winners of the “Do the “Write” Thing” Contest conducted during Red Ribbon Week, October 23-31, 2005. Elementary students composed an essay titled “What does being Healthy mean; and what can I do about it?”  Middle schools wrote about “What is bullying; how has it affected my life; and what can I do about it?"

Alvarez Elementary School fifth grader, Jerika G., is the first place winner in her grade level. In her essay, Jerika speaks about a healthy body and a healthy mind. She reflects on eating the right foods, exercising and maintaining good hygiene. She expands on alcohol, tobacco and other drugs and their negative affects on the body and the mind. She chooses to stand up to negative influences and peer pressure by making wise choices. CONGRATULATIONS JERIKA!

Second place goes to Yulissa C., third grader at Thigpen Elementary. Yulissa’s essay is very comprehensive, discussing eating the proper diet, getting enough sleep and maintaining good hygiene. She discusses a healthy school and even a healthy family. WAY TO GO YULISSA!

Both girls win a $50 gift certificate to the department store of  their choice.

The middle school winner is Sebastian G., from Morris Middle School. His sincere essay about bullying reminds us that bullies come in all shapes and sizes and that bullying is never right. The need to tell an adult is emphasized. CONGRATULATIONS SEBASTIAN; YOU HAVE WON A TRIP TO THE ANNUAL SAFE AND DRUG-FREE SCHOOLS CONFERENCE IN GALVESTION, FEBRUARY 12-14, 2006!

I am so proud of our students and their efforts to maintain and promote healthy lifestyles.

Many staff members have indicated an interest in ballroom dancing lessons. Still others have mentioned a willingness to teach these classes. If you are willing to consider teaching, please call or e-mail Sharon B. Wilkes, at sharon.wilkes@mcallenisd.net as soon as possible so that we may meet before winter break, with the goal of implementation during second semester.

Holiday Safety Tips

The holidays are an exciting time of year for kids, and to help ensure they have a safe holiday season, click here for some Holiday Safety Tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

©  COPYRIGHT AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
http://www.aap.org

Water Aerobics

Wellness...a way of life!

Selecting Safe Toys for Your Child

The holiday season is the time when most of the toys and games are purchased.  Here are some tips from the National Safe Kids Campaign for buying safe toys for children:

• When selecting toys, consider the child’s age, interests and skill level.  Look for quality design and construction, and follow age and safety recommendations on labels.

• Consider purchasing a small parts tester to determine whether small toys may present a choking hazard to children under age 3.  Small parts testers can be purchased at toy or baby specialty stores.

• Toys are frequently recalled for safety reasons.  Check the National Safe Kids Campaign website www.safekids.org for updates and information on recent toy recalls.

• Use mylar balloons instead of latex to eliminate the risk of choking or latex allergy reaction.

• Avoid toys with sharp points or edges, toys that produce loud noises, and projectiles (such as darts)

• Avoid toys with strings, straps or cords longer than 7 inches that may pose a risk for strangulation for young children.

• Avoid electrical toys with heating elements for children under age 8.

• Avoid cap guns that use caps that can be ignited by the slightest friction and can cause serious burns.

Other Tips to Keep Children Safe From Toy-Related Injuries

• Inspect toys regularly for damage and potential hazards such as sharp edges.  Make any necessary repairs immediately, or discard damaged toys out of children’s reach.

• Supervise your children to keep them safe from toy-related injuries.  Get involved and actively play with your children rather than watching from a distance. 

• Make sure toys are used in a safe environment.

• Teach children to put toys away safely after playing.

Source: National Safe Kids Campaign, www.safekids.org. 

Eat Right During the Holidays

The holidays are a wonderful time to celebrate with family, friends, and colleagues. But holiday events pose a special challenge for healthy eating and may have the unwanted result of weight gain. A recent study suggests that most Americans gain about a pound during the winter holiday season. While this might not seem like much, this extra weight can accumulate through the years and contribute to obesity later in life.

This year, whether you are a guest or holding a party yourself, try a new strategy by planning what, when, and how much you eat or serve at holiday events.  

When attending a holiday buffet, select a variety of healthy foods that fit your meal plan.

If you are hosting a holiday gathering, try to offer a variety of low-fat, high-fiber foods. That means fresh fruits and vegetables, grilled or broiled lean meats, fish, and turkey and chicken without the skin. Increase fiber content by serving whole grain breads and crackers, vegetables, fruits and dried fruits, or dishes including beans and legumes. Water and seltzer are both healthy, no-calorie beverages that can quench your thirst and help you feel full.

There are plenty of flavored waters on the market, just read the food label to ensure that it's a no-calorie or low calorie beverage. Seltzer mixed with fruit juices or hot apple cider also makes refreshing and colorful alternatives to other more high calorie holiday beverages.

If you're like most people, no matter how much you've eaten at dinner, there always seems to be room for desserts and sweets. You can still have your favorite holiday dessert, just cut down on the portion size and how often you eat these types of food. Fruit also makes for a great dessert—it tastes delicious, is filling, and provides energy

Increasing your physical activity during the holidays (even if it is in small amounts) can help control weight gain.

Remember, you can still enjoy the holiday season with its festivities and foods while keeping off the extra pounds through informed nutritious choices, controlled portion sizes, and increased physical activity.

Wishing you a happy and healthy holiday season and New Year!

Source:  U.S. Dept. of Agriculture & Dept. of Health and Human Services, http://www.nutrition.gov/

Wellness on Wednesday Sessions, 4:30 – 6:30 p.m.  All sessions held at MISD Staff Development Center, 1009 N. 10th Street.

Wellness on Wednesday Sessions, 12:00 Noon – 1:00 P.M.  All sessions held at MISD Board Room, 2000 N. 23rd Street.

Staff development sessions for time equivalency regarding Wellness topics are now posted on the ERO (Look under Wellness).

Did you know that MISD has its very own marathon runner? Let me introduce you to Paula Long, Special Education Coordinator / Marathon Runner. Paula is truly amazing! She ran the 26.2 mile San Antonio Marathon race on November 13th. Not only did Paula complete all 26.2 miles, but she reached her goal of running it in less than five hours—4 hours, 47 minutes to be exact. What an accomplishment!!!

Paula is in her eighth year with the MISD Special Education Department. She was born and raised in Alabama, joined the Marine Corp at age 18, and served four years as an air traffic controller. After leaving the Marines, she entered  college to study education. Her training and service in the Marine Corp instilled a consciousness of the mind and body. Living a healthy lifestyle is second nature to her.

To train for the San Antonio Marathon, Paula ran with local members of the Correcamino Running Club for 16 weeks. She says she will continue to compete in 5K, 10K and half marathons throughout the year. Her next big goal is to run the Marine Corp Marathon in Arlington, Virginia, in October, 2006, and expects to do it in 4 hours, 30 seconds!

Paula deserves our respect and our recognition for setting such rigorous goals and for working so hard to accomplish them. Congratulations Paula, you’re in the spotlight, (and good luck next year)!

Sharon B. Wilkes, RN, MA, CPS, CCS, Coordinator, Prevention Services

BENEFIT ID CARDS/BENEFIT BOOKS

By now, members should have received a new benefit ID card.  ID cards were mailed to members’ home address from Script Care. The Script Care envelope contains prescription and pharmacy information in addition to the health/dental cards.  If you have not received the ID card, if there are any errors on the card or to request additional cards, contact the Employee Benefits Office. All eligibility data is referenced with the employee members name and social security number, however, for privacy reasons social security numbers are not printed on the ID cards.        

A very limited supply of HealthSmart Preferred Care Provider Directories are available from the Employee Benefit’s Office.  Because providers may be added or deleted throughout the year, members are discouraged from relying on the hard copy version.  For the most up to date provider information, members are encouraged to contact HealthSmart Preferred Care Customer Service at 1-800-687-0500 or log on to www.healthsmart.net to search the online directory.

WEB TOOLS

American Administrative Group offers online access to your claims, eligibility, claim forms and other useful information and resources.  Instructions on how to access your account including a summary of the sites features are available at http://mcallenisd.com/benefits/pdfs/aag_online_benefits_instructions.pdf. Log on through Member Login at www.aagco.com.   

Log on to www.scriptcare.com to access Script Care’s Pharmacy Locator tool to search by Name, City or Distance.  A list of chain and independent pharmacies in McAllen and surrounding communities is also available at http://mcallenisd.com/benefits/pdfs/local_pharmacy_list_11-21-05.pdf.

Visit the MISD Employee Benefits Department web site for up-to-date benefit forms and information.

Mr. Andres Silva is the Director of Employee Benefits/Risk Management