Wellness

“Between stimulus and response there is space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom. -Viktor E. Frankl

Social and emotional well-being have a close correlation with academic success. Research shows that programs that support students’ development in communicating effectively, negotiating conflict, practicing empathy, understanding their own skills and abilities, managing their emotions and behavior, and other social and emotional skills can lead to better academic and life outcomes.

At Pressman Academy, we encourage each student to achieve the maximum of their potential, academically, socially, and spiritually; our whole-child approach to education includes social and emotional learning. While classroom teachers address certain topics in class, our life skills class, Kesher, takes a very personal look at human behavior. The fundamental goal of life skills education is to enable individuals to use knowledge and develop skills that permit them to grow healthy habits. Students are supported in their efforts to apply knowledge, attitudes and behaviors toward achieving wellness and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. It is worth noting that the Portrait of a Pressman Graduate aspires for our graduates to be “health literate individuals who are critical thinkers and problem solvers, responsible and productive citizens, self directed learners, and effective communicators.”

Elementary School Kesher Curriculum

Students in kindergarten are introduced to life skills class 30 minutes/week, and classroom teachers integrate health education into the classroom as well. Students in kindergarten are introduced to units on health, growth and development, and emotional development. By the end of kindergarten, students will have studied:

Health and Prevention: 

  • I know to wash my hands to stay healthy, to cover my mouth when coughing or sneezing, to stay home when I am sick, and to properly treat common illnesses.

Growth and Development: 

  • I know that living things grow and mature. 
  • I know the parts of my body, my five senses, that my body will change and grow, how to take care of my body through healthy eating, exercise, fresh air, rest,  relaxation, and good hygiene.  
  • I identify trusted adults who promote healthy growth and development (like my doctor and my dentist). 
  • I know my body is different from, and similar to, others’ bodies.  
  • I have developed a  list of vocabulary words that describe various feelings in my body, and I know how to use a personal resource to relax and calm my body and return to my OK Zone when I am bumped out.

Injury Prevention and Safety: 

  • I identify emergency situations as well as safety rules for my home, my school, and the community. 
  • I distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate touching, I know that everyone has the right to tell others not to touch their body, and I know the word “consent” means asking for permission.
  • I know the school rules about getting along with others. 
  • I demonstrate how to ask trusted adults for help. 

Mental, Emotional, and Social Health: 

  • I am able to name a variety of emotions, and I am learning to express my emotions appropriately. 
  • I describe the characteristics of families and the characteristics of individuals that make them unique.
  • I identify ways family and friends help promote well-being.
  • I describe and practice situations when it is appropriate to use “Please,” “Thank you,” “Excuse me,” and “I’m sorry.” 
  • I am learning how to express personal needs and wants appropriately, and I can cooperate and share with others. 
  • I am learning that I can be friends with people who are different from me, and I can have friends from many different kinds of families. 
  • I am learning how some words and actions can hurt friends and build barriers to friendships, and identify other words and actions that can build and strengthen friendships.
  • I am learning ways that friendships require respect for personal boundaries. 
  • I recognize that we all want happiness and kindness. I exhibit kindness based on the class agreements, I have developed my own definition of kindness, and I am able to provide examples of actions that might seem unkind, but are really kind, and vice versa. 

Students in first grade are introduced to life skills class 45 minutes/week, and classroom teachers integrate health education into the classroom as well. First graders see how physical growth and change occur over time and explore the relationship between behavior and healthy development. By the end of first grade, students will have studied:

Health and Prevention: 

  • I know to wash my hands to stay healthy, to cover my mouth when coughing or sneezing, to stay home when I am sick, and to properly treat common illnesses.

Growth and Development: 

  • I describe how things grow and mature. 
  • I identify anatomical names of major internal and external body parts and name my five senses.
  • I identify a variety of behaviors that promote healthy growth and development. 
  • I explain why sleep and rest are important for proper growth and good health. 
  • I recognize trusted adults as resources for information about growth and development. 
  • I have developed a  list of vocabulary words that describe various feelings and sensations in my body, and I know how to use a personal resource to relax and calm my body and return to my OK Zone when I am bumped out.

Injury Prevention and Safety:  

  • I describe characteristics of safe and unsafe places. 
  • I understand the importance of telling an adult if someone is in danger or being bullied. 
  • I distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate touching and identify ways to report inappropriate touching.  
  • I define simple conflict resolution techniques. 
  • I identify refusal skills when in personal-safety situations (e.g., use a clear “no” statement, walk or run away, change subject, delay) and identify the benefits of using nonviolent means to resolve conflicts. 
  • I list people to go to for help if feeling unsafe or threatened and describe how to report dangerous situations. 
  • I practice emergency, fire, and safety plans at home and at school.  
  • I encourage others to practice safe behaviors in the classroom and on the playground and I can analyze steps to take in emergency or potentially dangerous situations.

Mental, Emotional, and Social Health:

  • I identify a variety of emotions. 
  • I describe the characteristics of families and describe characteristics that make each individual unique. 
  • I identify trusted adults at home and at school. 
  • I describe and practice situations when it is appropriate to use “Please,” “Thank you,” “Excuse me,” and “I’m sorry.” 
  • I am learning that I can be friends with people who are different from me, and I can have friends from many different kinds of families. 
  • I am learning how some words and actions can hurt friends and build barriers to friendships,  and identify other words and actions that can build and strengthen friendships. 
  • I am learning ways that friendships require respect for personal boundaries. 
  • I recognize that we all want happiness and kindness. I exhibit kindness based on the class agreements, I have my own definition of kindness, and I am able to provide examples of actions that might seem unkind, but are really kind, and vice versa. 

Students in second grade engage in life skills class 45 minutes/week, and classroom teachers integrate health education into the classroom as well. The main theme in second grade is developing a safety plan for healthy living. By the end of second grade, students will have studied:

Health and Prevention: 

  • I know to wash my hands to stay healthy, to cover my mouth when coughing or sneezing, to stay home when I am sick, and to properly treat common illnesses. 
  • I identify common health problems, and I know how they can be prevented, detected and treated.

Growth and Development: 

  • I describe how things grow and mature. 
  • I identify anatomical names of major internal and external body parts and name my five senses.
  • I identify a variety of behaviors that promote healthy growth and development. 
  • I explain why sleep and rest are important for proper growth and good health. 
  • I recognize trusted adults as resources for information about growth and development. 
  • I have developed a  list of vocabulary words that describe various feelings and sensations in my body, and I know how to use a personal resource to relax and calm my body and return to my OK Zone when I am bumped out.

Injury Prevention and Safety:

  • I describe characteristics of safe and unsafe places. 
  • I understand the importance of telling an adult if someone is in danger or being bullied. 
  • I distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate touching and identify ways to report inappropriate touching.  
  • I define simple conflict resolution techniques. 
  • I identify refusal skills when in personal-safety situations (e.g., use a clear “no” statement, walk or run away, change subject, delay) and identify the benefits of using nonviolent means to resolve conflicts. 
  • I am able to list people to go to for help if I feel unsafe or threatened, and I describe how to report dangerous situations. 
  • I practice emergency, fire, and safety plans at home and at school.  
  • I encourage others to practice safe behaviors in the classroom and on the playground and I analyze steps to take in emergency or potentially dangerous situations.

Mental, Emotional, and Social Health:

  • I identify a variety of emotions and learn how to manage emotions appropriately in a variety of situations. 
  • I explain what it means to be emotionally or mentally healthy and the importance of talking with parents or trusted adults about feelings. 
  • I identify  changes that occur within families and describe the characteristics of a responsible family member. 
  • I identify feelings and emotions associated with loss or grief. 
  • I discuss how to show respect for similarities and differences between and among individuals and groups. 
  • I list healthy ways to express affection, love, friendship, and concern. 
  • I identify positive and negative ways of dealing with stress. 
  • I describe how to work and play cooperatively. 
  • I describe the characteristics of a trusted friend and adult. 
  • I identify people in the community who are caring, supportive, and trustworthy. 
  • I identify and demonstrate ways to express needs and wants appropriately. 
  • I use a decision-making process for solving problems with peers and family members. 
  • I describe how to make a commitment to be a good friend, understand that friends can be any gender, identify that we can have friends from many different kinds of families, learn how some words and actions can hurt friends and build barriers to friendships, and identify other words and actions that can build and strengthen friendships. 
  • I know that there are different ways that friendships require respect for personal boundaries. 
  • I am learning how to object appropriately to teasing of peers that is based on personal characteristics and support peers in school and community activities.
  • I recognize that we all want happiness and kindness. I exhibit kindness based on the class agreements, have developed my own definition of kindness, and I can provide examples of actions that might seem unkind, but are really kind, and vice versa. 

Students in third grade engage in life skills class 45 minutes/week, and classroom teachers integrate health education into the classroom as well. The main theme in third grade is to identify responsible health behaviors and demonstrate strategies to improve or maintain personal health. By the end of third grade, students will have studied:

Health and Prevention: 

  • I know the aspects of good personal hygiene.
  • I understand that germs and disease can spread through nose picking or through coughing and sneezing.

Growth and Development: 

  • I describe the cycle of birth, growth, aging, and death in living things and recognize that there are individual differences in growth and development. 
  • I identify major internal and external body parts and their functions.
  • I identify parents, guardians, and trusted adults with whom one can discuss the cycle of birth, growth, aging, and death in living things. 
  • I explain how individual behaviors and one’s family and school influence growth and development. 
  • I understand how to show respect for individual differences and encourage my peers to show respect for others regardless of differences in growth and development. 
  • I explain why a variety of behaviors promote healthy growth and development. 
  • I know how to use a personal resource to relax and calm my body, have developed greater skill in identifying and tracking sensations in my body, and I know how to return to my resilience zone. 
  • I describe sensations and how they tell me most directly about the state of my nervous system so I can regulate my body and emotions.
  • I examine how gender stereotypes can be limiting and discuss how we support people who look or feel different than I do. 

Mental, Emotional, and Social Health: 

  • I describe examples of healthy social behaviors (e.g., helping others, being respectful of others, cooperation, consideration). 
  • I describe the importance of assuming responsibility within the family and community and explain the benefits of having positive relationships with family and friends. 
  • I discuss the importance of setting (and ways to set) personal boundaries for privacy, safety, and expression of emotions and demonstrate how to communicate directly, respectfully, and assertively regarding personal boundaries. 
  • I describe internal and external factors that affect friendships and family relationships and promote a positive and respectful school environment. 
  • I know how to access trusted adults at home, at school, and in the community who can help with mental, emotional, and social health concerns. 
  • I describe effective strategies to cope with changes within the family and  can evaluate effective strategies to cope with fear, stress, anger, loss, and grief in oneself and others. 
  • I object appropriately to the teasing of peers and family members that is based on personal characteristics, and I demonstrate the ability to support and respect people with differences. 
  • I know that friendships require honesty, kindness, shared interests, respect for differences  and for boundaries, humor and communication. I know that friends share feelings, sometimes get angry with each other, and forgive each other and help one another be their best selves. 
  • I am learning that friendships require good communication skills, i.e. listening without interrupting,  assertiveness, negotiation.
  • I recognize that we all want happiness and kindness. I exhibit kindness based on the class agreements, have developed my own definition of kindness, and I can provide examples of actions that might seem unkind, but are really kind, and vice versa. 
  • I recognize the distinction between real (inner, genuine) kindness and apparent kindness and develop my own definition of kindness. 
  • I recognize acts of kindness in my day. 

Students in fourth grade participate in life skills class 45 minutes/week, and classroom teachers integrate health education into the classroom as well. The main theme in fourth grade is to recognize that needs change as growth and development occurs. By the end of fourth grade, students will have studied:

Health and Prevention: 

  • I know some simple first aid, such as keeping a wound clean and covered and learning proper use of over the counter preparations.

Growth and Development: 

  • I know a range of foods and outdoor and physical activities that build my body’s health. 
  • I know about the physical and emotional changes of puberty, range of normalcy for the changes experienced during puberty, strategies for coping with the changes of puberty, and the hygiene practices and products used beginning in puberty. 
  • I know the correct names and functions for sexual and reproductive body parts. 
  • I know how to use a personal resource to relax and calm my body, have developed greater skill in identifying and tracking sensations in my body, and know how to return to my resilience zone. 
  • I examine how gender stereotypes can be limiting and discuss how we support people who look or feel different than I do. 
  • I understand that some people feel they are a gender that is different from the gender they were assigned at birth.

Injury Prevention and Safety: 

  • I identify behaviors that may lead to conflict with others, describe the different types of conflict, bullying and harassment, and examine the effects of bullying and harassment on others. 
  • I describe ways to seek assistance if worried, abused, or threatened. 
  • I explain how courtesy, compassion, and respect toward others reduce conflict and promote nonviolent behavior. 
  • I analyze how emotions contribute to both safe and violent behaviors, explain that most young people do not use violence to deal with problems, and identify safe people and places to go to if feeling unsafe or threatened (e.g., school counselor, police department, fire department). 
  • I demonstrate the ability to use refusal skills in risky situations, practice effective conflict resolution techniques with others, report bullying, harassment, and other dangerous situations, demonstrate what to say and do when witnessing bullying and analyze the benefits of using nonviolent means to resolve conflicts.

Mental, Emotional, and Social Health: 

  • I offer friendship and support to someone who is/was bullied. 
  • I demonstrate the ability to support and respect people with differences. 
  • I am able to identify values of friendships: kindness, shared interests, respect for differences and for boundaries, humor and communication. I know that friends share feelings and sometimes get angry with each other, and forgive each other. I understand that friends help one another be their best selves and identify good communication skills, i.e. listening without interrupting,  assertiveness, negotiation. 
  • I recognize that we all want happiness and kindness and I am able to see the relationship between kindness and happiness. I exhibit kindness based on the class agreements and apply my understanding of kindness in concrete individual and collective actions. 
  • I recognize the distinction between real (inner, genuine) kindness and apparent kindness and develop my own definition of kindness. 
  • I recognize acts of kindness in my day. 
  • I describe sensations and how they tell me most directly about the state of my nervous system so I can regulate my body and emotions.

Students in fifth grade engage in life skills class 45 minutes/week, and classroom teachers integrate health education into the classroom as well. The main theme in fifth grade is how to access resources in the home, school and community to assist with health problems.  By the end of fifth grade, students will have studied:

Health and Prevention: 

  • I have an understanding of immunizations and vaccinations as well as the proper use of drugs.

Growth and Development:  

  • I describe the human cycle of reproduction, birth, growth, aging, and death and explain the structure, function, and major parts of the human reproductive system.
  • I identify the physical, social, and emotional changes that occur during puberty, understand that puberty and physical development can vary considerably and still be normal, identify personal hygiene practices and health and safety issues related to puberty (e.g., showering, use of sanitary products, deodorant, and athletic supporters), and develop plans to maintain personal hygiene during puberty. I know that heredity influences growth and development and that changes during puberty affect thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. 
  • I recognize that there are individual differences in growth and development, physical appearance, and gender roles and that everyone has the right to establish personal boundaries. 
  • I differentiate between reliable and unreliable sources of information about puberty, recognize parents, guardians, and other trusted adults as resources for information about puberty and use effective communication skills to discuss with parents, guardians, and other trusted adults the changes that occur during puberty. 
  • I know how to use a personal resource to relax and calm my body, have developed greater skill in identifying and tracking sensations in my body, and know how to return to my resilience zone. 
  • I recognize that friendship, attraction, and affection can be expressed in different ways. 
  • I demonstrate refusal skills to protect personal boundaries. 
  • I understand how culture, media, and other factors influence perceptions about body image, gender roles, and attractiveness, and I use healthy and respectful ways to express friendship, attraction, and affection. 
  • I identify steps to achieve and maintain a healthy and accurate body image and engage in behaviors that promote healthy growth and development during puberty.

Injury Prevention and Safety: 

  • I identify behaviors that may lead to conflict with others, describe the different types of conflict, bullying and harassment, and examine the effects of bullying and harassment on others. 
  • I describe ways to seek assistance if worried, abused, or threatened. 
  • I understand how courtesy, compassion, and respect toward others reduce conflict and promote nonviolent behavior. 
  • I analyze how emotions contribute to both safe and violent behaviors, explain that most young people do not use violence to deal with problems and identify safe people and places to go to if feeling unsafe or threatened (e.g., school counselor, police department, fire department). 
  • I demonstrate the ability to use refusal skills in risky situations, practice effective conflict resolution techniques with others, report bullying, harassment, and other dangerous situations, demonstrate what to say and do when witnessing bullying and analyze the benefits of using nonviolent means to resolve conflicts.

Mental, Emotional, and Social Health:

  • I encourage specific measures to improve home or school safety. 
  • I offer friendship and support to someone who was/is bullied and demonstrate the ability to support and respect people with differences. 
  • I know the values of friendships: honesty, kindness, shared interests, respect for differences and for boundaries, humor and communication, understand that friends share feelings, sometimes get angry with each other and forgive each other, and know that friends help one another be their best selves. 
  • I use good communication skills, i.e. listening without interrupting, assertiveness, negotiation. 
  • I recognize that we all want happiness and kindness and I am able to see the relationship between kindness and happiness. I exhibit kindness based on the class agreements and apply my understanding of kindness in concrete individual and collective actions. 
  • I recognize the distinction between real (inner, genuine) kindness and apparent kindness, have developed my own definition of kindness, and recognize acts of kindness in my day. 
  • I can describe sensations and how they tell me most directly about the state of my nervous system so I can regulate my body and emotions.

Middle School Kesher Curriculum

The overall goal of the Health Education Curriculum at Pressman Academy Middle School is for students to gain a greater awareness about what constitutes their physical, mental and social well being. Our mission is to provide the knowledge and skills that will enable students to make responsible decisions and maintain a healthy lifestyle, which benefits adolescents in all aspects of their growth and learning.

Students attend weekly Kesher class and the curriculum spirals through each grade level (that is, it builds on previous instruction) with a variety of age-appropriate topics that correlate with the California and National Standards for Health Education while also addressing specific needs of the Pressman community. Therefore, in addition to the curriculum outline, classes will often examine topics taken from current events and community experience. The school counselor benefits from a partnership with various community outreach workers and centers who visit the class and facilitate discussions on community and mental health issues.

Self Awareness: 

  • I identify the feelings and needs for myself and for others.
  • I examine factors that influence the development of a healthy self-esteem.

Healthy Friendships: 

  • I identify the elements of healthy friendships.
  • I know the basic skills in using non violent communication to address conflict. 

Internet Safety:

  • I am beginning to develop strategies to avoid Internet dangers such as cyber-bullying. 

Substance Abuse Prevention (Tobacco and Alcohol): 

  • I understand the short and long-term effects of tobacco and alcohol on physical, mental/emotional and social health, and on the developing adolescent brain.

Understanding Puberty as a Natural Part of Adolescent Development: 

  • I understand how and why the physical, emotional and social changes of puberty are a normal and natural part of life.

Body Image:

  • I am critical of cultural messages around bodies and exploring avenues to protect and care for our bodies.

Council: 

  • I sit in Council and authentically express my own stories while also listening to the stories of my classmates. 

The overall goal of the Health Education Curriculum at Pressman Academy Middle School is for students to gain a greater awareness about what constitutes their physical, mental and social well being. Our mission is to provide the knowledge and skills that will enable students to make responsible decisions and maintain a healthy lifestyle, which benefits adolescents in all aspects of their growth and learning.

Students attend weekly Kesher class and the curriculum spirals through each grade level (that is, it builds on previous instruction) with a variety of age-appropriate topics that correlate with the California and National Standards for Health Education while also addressing specific needs of the Pressman community. Therefore, in addition to the curriculum outline, classes will often examine topics taken from current events and community experience. The school counselor benefits from a partnership with various community outreach workers and centers who visit the class and facilitate discussions on community and mental health issues.

Intrapersonal Awareness:

  • I more deeply understand the origin of feelings.
  • I know how to regulate risky emotions. 

Interpersonal:

  • I practice mindful listening and empathy. 

Conflict Resolution:

  • I have self-awareness about decision-making.
  • I have deepening skills around conflict resolution. 
  • I am able to advocate for myself using “I messages” and use assertive communication. 

Social and Relationship Health:

  • I recognize healthy vs. unhealthy relationships (with a specific emphasis on assertive communication and preventing sexual harassment).  

Bullying Prevention/Empathy Development:

  • I recognize different types of bullying (causes and effects).
  • I know how to respond to bullying situations to create a safe school environment.

Human Sexuality:

  • I understand sexuality across the lifespan, which includes the human reproductive system, gender, sexualized media, sexual orientation, pornography and, prevention of pregnancy and STDs.

Physical Health and Nutrition:

  • I work for positive body image and self-acceptance, even though I am going through a time of rapid growth and change.
  • I understand desirable weight and body composition, and I connect physical activity and well-being.

Council:

  • I sit in Council and authentically express my own stories while also listening to the stories of my classmates. 

The overall goal of the Health Education Curriculum at Pressman Academy Middle School is for students to gain a greater awareness about what constitutes their physical, mental and social well being. Our mission is to provide the knowledge and skills that will enable students to make responsible decisions and maintain a healthy lifestyle, which benefits adolescents in all aspects of their growth and learning.

Students attend weekly Kesher class and the curriculum spirals through each grade level (that is, it builds on previous instruction) with a variety of age-appropriate topics that correlate with the California and National Standards for Health Education while also addressing specific needs of the Pressman community. Therefore, in addition to the curriculum outline, classes will often examine topics taken from current events and community experience. The school counselor benefits from a partnership with various community outreach workers and centers who visit the class and facilitate discussions on community and mental health issues.

Mental and Emotional Health:

  • I analyze teen dilemmas, decision-making styles and healthful actions vs. risky behaviors.
  • I know how to manage stress. 
  • I understand depression, including intervention and getting help from trusted adults in the community.
  • I know suicide warning signs and where to go for help. I can define self-injury and eating disorders as other examples of unhealthy behaviors.
  • I have skills to bounce back from stress and disappointments. 

Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs:

  • I know harm reduction methods for preventing substance abuse and avoiding risky behaviors.  

Consumer and Community Health:

  • I examine media messages concerning body image to analyze the impact of societal messages and obesity rates on physical appearance and body image;
  • I recognize examples of nutritional quackery and misleading advertisements

Growth and Development:

  • I understand human sexuality, including feelings associated with moving towards male and female reproductive maturity, and know the Jewish values in order to resist pressure to become sexually active. 
  • I understand consent.

Changing Relationships:

  • I recognize changes in myself and in my relationships during the transition into adolescence. 

Council:

  • I sit in Council and authentically express my own stories while also listening to the stories of my classmates.