Where Girls Practice Self-Care
Coach dreams of our students living healthy, happy lives
Making space for student well-being a priority
A Place to Foster Physical and Mental Health
There are so many things that factor into a student’s well-being: exercise, nutrition, caring relationships, self-esteem, and healthy sleep. Our new Wellness Space will be the home to our Health and PE program, providing a large, open space for activities alongside traditional classroom instruction. While WSG will still have access to the full-size gym at the Boys and Girls Club, the majority of Health and PE activities will be able to take place in the Wellness Space. This will be particularly exciting for our Health/PE teacher, Coach Lawhorne, who has not only divided her time between the two campuses, but also has never had her own dedicated classroom space.
WSG takes a whole-child approach to education, meaning that we recognize learning is impacted by a wide variety of factors. Students learn best when their needs are met. Physical health, especially nutrition and physical activity, has been shown time and time again to have a positive effect on cognitive development and academic learning. Mental health, and particularly, adequate mental health support systems, has also been shown to be an important factor in academic outcomes for the 1 in 6 students who experience mental health conditions. Research shows that early detection and support improves long-term academic outcomes.
In addition to the Wellness Space, the new building will also have a private, comfortable counseling office. Unification of our two campuses also means that the School Counselor will be available to all students on all days for regular sessions or crisis care. Our new cafeteria and lunch room will be home to our healthy nutrition program, and our administrative office area will include a private wellness lounge for students who fall ill during the school day.
