Like many of us, Craig Aarons-Martin had a revelation about his health and weight during what seemed like a normal day at work as superintendent of Bridge Boston Charter Schools: “There was just no way that this six-foot-three height inches 'Carinoso' could keep up! he says.
Aarons-Martin, now CEO of CCM Education Group, weighed more than 300 pounds at the time and realized he needed to change his lifestyle to improve his health if he wanted to be able to interact with students. He also decided that he could achieve this goal if he could get others to join him. Additionally, improved physical and mental health across the district could support the social-emotional concerns of both students and educators, many of whom suffered from similar mental health issues.
In the end, Aarons-Martin was able to lose over 100 pounds and, in the process, boost her entire school community.
Starting little by little
Growing up in New Orleans, Aarons-Martin was no stranger to the abundance of good food. “I had gained a significant amount of weight, some of it attributed to the depression I was going through as a queer man struggling with his identity, but also as someone who was trying to figure out how to become more agile and fit in mentally and physically to the young people I serve,” he says. “I wanted to be able to run, play ball and do all those things, and I need to have a very good mind-heart-body-spirit connection. And I made the decision to go on this journey unapologetically and see what happens.”
Aarons-Martin began her process by being open and vulnerable with her staff and students about her own health and goals, and encouraged others to do the same.
“I told them, 'This is my journey, but I invite you to take whatever part of it resonates with you,'” he says. “Each person defines wellness for themselves, but what we wanted to do was have a wellness plan for the entire school, but I drove it.”
From there, he and his staff started with small, achievable steps, including:
- Creating more opportunities for physical activity
- Moments of mindfulness throughout the day
- Creating peaceful pathways for students
- Provide mobile weight loss equipment.
Aarons-Martin was also constantly looking for opportunities to model healthy habits, such as holding meetings while walking around the block.
As they began to find success, Aarons-Martin and her team expanded their efforts to integrate him into the community by participating in events such as organized walks and 5K runs. They also implemented other actions when possible, such as providing healthy snack alternatives.
To help foster and support a sense of community, as well as reduce absenteeism, event planning focused on scheduling can't-miss events on days when students and families might miss school, such as a Friday. before a holiday weekend. In one school community, absenteeism was reduced from 12% to 7%.
“We found that kids came to school because they didn't want to miss out and that it was going to be fun, active and deeply engaged,” he says. “And we saw that our discipline numbers, our suspension numbers, went down as well. I went from 25 suspensions in one year to five. “We also use restorative justice.”
Five Tips for Implementing a Top-Down Wellness Approach
For other district leaders looking to implement a similar approach, Aarons-Martins offers this advice:
1. Keep it simple to start – Aarons-Martin recommends starting with no more than three new initiatives in a school year. “For school leaders who are trying to figure it out, clarify what are one or two things you can handle school-wide,” she says. “There will be sustainability if you go all the way and make it clear why this is important. Because it shouldn't just be something personal to you.”
At first, for example, Aarons-Martin simply tried to make sure that every morning students were outside and active to start the day. “So before they went into class, he wanted them to do that lap. I want them to oxygenate their bodies,” he says. “And then we would all begin with a promise and a reminder of who we are and what we must do.”
2. Get acceptance and build support – As with any initiative, acceptance from students, teachers and the community is essential. “You need staff members and students to champion it and you need to show them how to execute it,” Aarons-Martin says. “They're going to manage the work with you so that if you go to a meeting or conference, they continue with the practices because 'This is what we always do.'”
3. Advertise small victories – Highlighting and showcasing success stories through social media can help generate a sense of momentum, says Aarons-Martin. “I always tried to find people who were a little hesitant and apprehensive to stand out,” she says. “For example, if you saw that they actually had a child do a mindfulness moment and lead it, even though they didn't believe in it themselves, they still had a student doing it. “I know it may seem like, 'Oh, that's a little silly,' but they were trying.”
Social media is also where students are, and when certain stories about the district's efforts went viral or reached a broader audience, it fueled positivity. “The kids loved the fact that we became the school we always said we were when we said we were one of the best schools in Boston,” Aarons-Martins says. “They saw themselves in places outside of school and people talking about it to the point where they felt a sense of pride that said, 'Yes, this is our school.'”
4. Don't be afraid to share your challenges – “I was very vulnerable and honest with the community about where I was on my journey,” says Aarons-Martin. “Like, 'I'm dropping the ball' and 'Here's why I didn't do x.' And people said, 'Hey, Mr. Martin, well, let's get back to it.'
Aarons-Martin adds that sharing his failures helped humanize him to students and also provided an opportunity for the community to hold him accountable.
5. Remember, it's a team effort – Aarons-Martin said that while he benefited from many of the initiatives and decisions, he had to maintain a broader focus. “If you're doing something because it's for you and not for the community, then you need to rethink what you're doing and why,” he says. “I wanted to make sure that the people who chose the trip with me also found resonance as a school and as a community at large.”
This all started with a few small steps.
“I never said, 'We're going to have a weight loss challenge,'” Aarons-Martin says. “I just tried to say, 'Hey, can we be more active for 30 minutes?' Do you know this week? Can. I can figure it out.' Ultimately, I want everyone to prosper!”
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