SLUSD Employee Wellness Newsletter January 2020 (Photo courtesy of Educational Services Senior Director Joanne Clark...in action!)

Happy 2020! Apologies for the delay - better late than never! Click on the image above for a printable version.

SPOTLIGHT ON SITE: Madison Mustangs The SLUSD Beach Ball Volleyball Challenge that was issued to all site administrators back in June, 2019 was finally answered by those mighty Madison staffers! The DO was soundly trounced by the 'Stangs with a score of 10-2, but the real workout came from the laughter shared by all. This was a perfect warm up for the 2nd Annual SLUSD Beach Ball Volleyball tournament coming at lunchtime at our March 29 Professional Development Day, so if any schools would like a warm-up session prior to that date, reach out to your site administrator to get scheduled.

More Me Time Life has ups and downs, and self-care can help you  manage stress , build resilience, and feel mentally and emotionally strong. It doesn’t really matter what you do — just that you do it for yourself. Since it’s a brand new year, now’s a perfect time to make self-care part of your healthy routine. The  mind-body  benefits are real, and you deserve it. Read more HERE .

Take a Minute at the Meeting Here’s a fun, healthy idea, which takes just 5 minutes and can impact your own physical, mental, and social well-being and the well-being of your colleagues. Employees who move together are happier together, so let’s take 5 to stretch and move! To get started, print this document to make easy physical activity cards. Then, halfway through your next meeting, ask five people to select one card each. Everyone can do an activity together for one minute each. Source: Alliance for a Healthier Generation

Financial Wellness: 20 Financial Resolutions for 2020 Have you made any resolutions for New Year’s? One of the most common topics for resolutions is money. If you need some ideas, here are twenty to consider: 20 Financial Resolutions for 2020 Source: Forbes

January Wellness Wisdom Winner This month's WWW (Wellness Wisdom Winner) is John Muir Middle School's Reina Guzman, who will receive a $25 gift certificate from Amazon for sharing suggestions on staying recharged between breaks: Read a book Visit with a friend Try a new activity, Take time to be in nature Treat yourself to something nice, Spend time in a quiet place. This month's challenge is to share your strategies staying committed to your New Year's resolutions. Respondents will be entered into a drawing for a $25 gift certificate from Amazon . Entries are due by Friday, January 31 at 3pm. The winner will be announced in the February Employee Wellness Newsletter. Share your brilliance and get your chance to go shopping!

SLUSD Pet of the Month January brought this little ball of adorableness into the SLUSD family...meet Duke Leandro Duncan! District Office classified payroll expert Zaira Duncan became a new mom AND a soon-to-be new grandmother! Found abandoned near the San Leandro Marina, this sweet soul has one of the best new homes any dog could hope for. Congratulations to the Duncan family and remember, if you have a furry loved one at home who would like special San Leandro Unified treats, send those photos in to communications@slusd.us.

Build Your Own Meals  Looking for a way to plan tasty, nutritious meals? Then  CLICK HERE   for an interactive booklet that teaches you how   to   build a healthy plate that follows USDA nutrition and portion guidelines. It's fun, it's easy, it's balanced...just like we hope your lives are! Source: Kaiser Permanente

Quinoa and Red Pepper Chili A winter classic! Ingredients 2 red bell peppers 2 poblano chilis 4 teaspoons olive oil 3 cups chopped zucchini 1 1/2 cups chopped onion 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika 1/2 cup water 1/3 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained 1 15-ounce can no-salt-added pinto beans, rinsed and drained 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth 1 avocado Instructions Preheat broiler. Cut bell peppers and chilis in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place bell pepper and chili halves, skin side up, on a foil-lined baking sheet and flatten with hand. Broil 10 minutes or until blackened. Place in a paper bag and fold to close tightly. Let stand 10 minutes, then remove, peel, and coarsely chop. For quicker cook time, skip this step and sauté peppers with zucchini, onion, and garlic in step 4. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add zucchini, onion, and garlic; sauté 4 minutes. Stir in chili powder, cumin, and paprika; sauté for 30 seconds. Add roasted peppers and chilis, 1/2 cup water, quinoa, salt, tomatoes, beans, and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until quinoa is tender. Serve topped with chopped avocado. 4 Servings

Vegan Potato Broccoli Soup You won't believe it's vegan! Ingredients 1/2 cup raw cashews 4 cups vegetable broth 2 large white potatoes 1 large white onion, diced 3 stalks celery, diced 1/2 cup white wine or water 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon dried thyme Sea salt, to taste White pepper, to taste 1/4 cup nutritional yeast 3 cups broccoli florets, about 1/2 inch Chives, for garnish Smoked paprika, for garnish Instructions Soak the cashews in enough water to cover them for at least an hour before blending into cashew cream in step 5. Pour vegetable broth into a stock pot and bring to a simmer. Peel and grate the potatoes, and then add to the broth and bring to a low boil. Stir often so the potatoes don’t stick to the pot. In another large stockpot, add the diced onion and celery, the white wine or water, the dried thyme and oregano, salt, and a few dashes of white pepper. Allow the onions and celery to soften and turn translucent (about 10 minutes) while the potatoes continue to cook separately in the broth. Stir frequently, then turn off and set aside when vegetables are soft. While the pots are bubbling away, drain the cashews and add them to a blender with about 1/2 cup water, and blend until smooth. Then pour this cashew cream into the large pot with the cooked onions and celery. Transfer the broth and potatoes into the large pot at this point, along with about 1/4 cup nutritional yeast. Give this 4 to 5 minutes to simmer until all the vegetables are quite soft. Take off the heat and use an immersion or stick blender to blend until smooth. (If you don’t have one, carefully blend in batches in a blender.) Once blended, return to the pot and add broccoli florets. Simmer for another 15 minutes until the broccoli softens and the potatoes become fully cooked. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and herbs. Serve in bowls with a sprinkling of smoked paprika and diced chives. 6 Servings

San Leandro Unified School District | communications@slusd.us | www.slusd.us