As proud recipients of a School Wellness Grant through the Pottstown Area Health & Wellness Foundation, Owen J. Roberts schools use the School Wellness Checklist© --the tool utilized for schools participating in the MUSC BCCW School-Based Wellness Initiative. Schools use the Checklist© as a guide to choose wellness activities and strategies that are implemented and recorded each year. 

In 2020-2021, all seven Owen J. Roberts schools scored high enough on the checklist to win a monetary prize. Schools will use their prize money to promote wellness in the 2021-22 school year. In the past, schools have purchased playground equipment, had speakers and/or programs, offered nutritional programs, or held fun contests. 

Many staff, students and community of Owen J. Roberts School District proudly participated in the 2021 Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds Institute with keynote speaker, Mr. Thom Stecher. Learning sessions were provided in the following tiopic areas:

* Community Voice
* Wellness Action Planning
* Embracing Diversity
* Fostering Equity
* Social Emotional Learning
* Kinesthetic Learning and Fitness Mental Health
* Healthy Tech Habits/Unplugging

We just love all the folks throughout the district who utilize standing desks!

Mrs. Christine Seeley, East Vincent Elementary School Principal, is even mobile!

Want to strengthen your family dynamic? Interested in learning how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders? Below are two valuable programs:

ALSO! YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID COURSE

On January 17, 2019, at a regular district wellness meeting, the Owen J. Roberts wellness council, under the direction of the Director of Pupil Services, Dr. Rich Marchini, completed an assessment of Policy #246, the District Wellness Policy. The committee used the Wellness Policy Assessment tool below:

Wellness Policy Assessment Tool

District Wellness Policy

In 2004 the Wellness Council was developed and a District Wellnes Policy adopted. In 2006, the district-wide wellness campaign, Fit for Life began. Fit for Life projects encourage positive lifestyle adoption for students, staff, and community. Many programs have been made possible through a generous grant from the Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation as part of their mission to educate, engage, and empower individuals to make healthy choices for a lifetime of wellness.

Check out the Owen J. Roberts Wellness policy: Student Wellness Policy number 246

Student Wellness Policy

We invite public input on the wellness policy, which is reviewed each year by the District Wellness Council. Contact JRechtin@ojrsd.com for more information.

Download Flyer

What is HBHM Institute?

Healthy Bodies Healthy Minds is a annual conference hosted by Pottstown Area Health & Wellness Foundation. This is a day for educators, health professionals, and school personnel to gather and learn from top leaders in the wellness community. Discussions revolve around  how to create a more active and healthy learning environment in schools, work spaces, and our community. There are over 25 sessions offered, including the opportunity for Act 48 hours, and specific expert presenters for each area of focus.

When: August 7, 2018

Where: The Sunnybrook
              50 Sunnybrook Road
              Pottstown, Pa, 19464

Cost: Please email JRechtin@ojrsd.com for the registration link and to see if you qualify for paid tuition

East Coventry Elementary is always working on ways to keep their staff and students healthy and active. On Monday, November 27, following the Thanksgiving break, they kicked off a “Burn off the Bird” campaign encouraging more walking to acquire a collaborative 2 Billion steps in a week.

On December 12, as a school community, they tallied 2,021,349 steps completed from November 27- December 1^st!

Principal Oswald doesn’t usually relish being called a turkey, but in this case he was a complete sport and greeted the students complete with “wattles and snood”  on Monday morning.

*The red fleshy bits hanging off turkeys' beaks are called “snoods,” not to be confused with wattles, the fleshy bits under the neck….

This year, when Owen J. Roberts School District learned that Chester County was vying for the title of Healthiest County in America and encouraging residents to collect steps toward the WalkWorks Chesco (http://chesco.org/walkworks) program, schools began working on programs to quantify the amount of steps taken by the students to apply toward Chesco’s Billion step goal. North Coventry Elementary School was the first to hop on board involving 655 students, 85 staff, police and fire officials, and 125 parents and friends, they crashed through a goal of 10 million steps in a week tallying a grand total of 14,037,828 steps. The school was honored by the Chester County Commissioners and Chester County Health Department during a Chester County Commissioners’ Sunshine Meeting on October 3.  East Vincent and West Vincent Elementary Schools PTA’s sponsored walk-a-thon fundraisers giving students walking breaks. French Creek Elementary PTA saw an opportunity to encourage walking extension and purchased all students and staff members a pedometer. During their 30-minute Wildcat Walk, they  measured 2,724,363 steps. They calculated that equated to about 1,090 miles, which could have taken them from French Creek to Disney World (1015 miles). Owen J. Roberts sponsored a public hike in Warwick County Park as part of the designated Chester County Walks Day on September 23 and promoted walking for the county at the Run101 event in November. East Coventry Elementary returned to school with a Burn the Bird walking challenge for students and staff after Thanksgiving break. Any Chester County resident may join the in collecting steps toward the Healthiest County goal by registering at chesco.org/walkworks.

Roberts Education Association held the 5^th safe trick-or-treat night, a great night for little trick-or-treaters and also an abundant night for the Coventry Food Pantry.  The event drew more than 1,100 kids and 700 parents and was hosted by over 400 volunteers. The high school hallways became a beautifully-decorated and safe venue for community children. Owen J. Roberts Wellness Council offered glow-in-the-dark yoga, or GLOWGA, as a healthy activity for children and a way to "de-stress" before transitioning from the event to home. Thank you to our amazing nurses Mrs. Lemma and Mrs. Bailey for helping with the event. Mrs. Lemma is always a good sport in her glowing yoga costume and so patient with the hundreds of little yogi's who come into various poses.