Health Update: Health Update: Old Rochester Regional Junior High hosts ‘Wellness Morning’ for students – What Experts Say– What Experts Say.
Mental health and wellness took center stage at Old Rochester Regional Junior High School during its first Wellness Morning.
The event, held March 24, focused on fostering resilience and healthy decision-making among students, according to a community announcement. Activities included stress management exercises such as stretching, breathing exercises and social-emotional “recharge stations.”
ORRJH Guidance and Student Services Director Christina Costello Cioffi said the goal was to ensure every student feels seen, supported and connected.
Students rotated through various wellness stations led by school staff. The Connection and Kindness Lab allowed students to create thank-you notes for people who support them, fostering empathy and reflection on positive relationships.
The Creative Expression Station provided a calming space for students to reset through art, focusing on creativity as a healthy way to unwind and express feelings.
Yoga and movement stretches offered a physical reset, encouraging self-regulation and mindfulness.
A Healthy Competition station allowed students to engage in non-technology games, promoting communication, connection, teamwork and good sportsmanship.
Wellness Morning builds on the work of the District Wellness Committee, which assesses and promotes student and staff wellness. The committee meets at least four times a year.
Assistant Principal Kelly Chouinard expressed pride in the inaugural event.
“We’re very proud to be able to hold our inaugural Wellness Morning, showing our students how important it is to cultivate wellness and maintain a healthy mind,” Chouinard said. “This event was spearheaded by our Director of Guidance Christina Costello Cioffi. Without her leadership this event would not have been as successful as it was. We hope this becomes an annual tradition here, providing our students with tools that they can put to use in their daily lives, empowering them to take charge of their mental health and prioritize wellness in what can be such a busy, stressful world.”
The event also included mental health awareness activities. Seventh-grade students participated in an annual SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment) screening facilitated by the nurse’s office and guidance office. Eighth-graders participated in Signs of Suicide, an activity that emphasized help-seeking skills and mental health awareness.
Principal Silas Coellner highlighted the importance of the event in supporting students’ well-being.
“Wellness Morning showed our students that we care about them and their well-being,” he said. “It was such a great event. We look forward to our next Wellness Morning and to otherwise continue stressing the important help-seeking and self-regulation tools that we learned on this day. We want our students to know when to seek help when they feel overwhelmed and that support is available for them.”
Superintendent Michael S. Nelson expressed gratitude to the staff and teachers who contributed to the event’s success.
“This event underscores how seriously we take health and wellness in our school system,” he said. “Thank you to all of our staff and teachers who helped implement and facilitate this event. It was a great success and we look forward to repeating it.”
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