Ferndale Early Education Center Wins Wellness Award

GLEN BURNIE, MD — Ferndale Early Education Center in Glen Burnie, along with Maryland City, Riviera Beach and Waugh Chapel elementary schools, Brooklyn Park and MacArthur middle schools, and Annapolis and Broadneck high school are the 2020 winners of the AACPS Wellness School of Distinction award.

The award, given by the AACPS Wellness Council, recognizes schools within Anne Arundel County Public Schools that demonstrate a high priority for the health and well-being of students, staff and school support­ers by going beyond the curriculum to produce positive outcomes for the entire school community. This year, schools that won the award in 2017 were eligible to apply to maintain their statuses. Maryland City Elementary School earned its third designation while Ferndale Early Education Center and Annapolis High School earned their second.

In order to win the honor, schools must show that its culture encompasses wellness as reflected in the 10 components of the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model. WSCC is a coordinated and collaborative school health approach outlined by the Centers for Disease Control. The components of the WSCC are health education; physical activity; health services; nutrition environment and services; counseling, psychological and social services; social and emotional climate; physical environment; employee wellness; family engagement; and community involvement.

According to the school district, despite the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, these schools "remained steadfast in their efforts to support student and staff wellness," which included monthly fitness challenges for students and staff, and health-focused afterschool clubs.