San Leandro Unified
Employee Wellness
Newsletter
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Welcome Back to Wellness!
School is underway, we are all learning, growing, and expanding our skills in ways that would have seemed inconceivable just one year ago! Make sure you are taking time for yourself and treating yourself as well as you are serving the needs of others.
Post this calendar where you see it everyday and commit to caring for yourself BEFORE your body and brain start giving you their own reminders!
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SLUSD Health Benefits Open Enrollment
September 21, 2020 through
October 16, 2020
During this time, you can enroll in or change health plans, add eligible dependents, delete dependents, or cancel coverage. Take a moment to examine your rates and decide if you need to make changes to your medical, dental or vision coverage.
CHANGES
Any increase/decrease in your premium amounts will be reflected on your December pay warrant. All new health enrollments or changes in coverage made during open enrollment will be effective on January 1, 2021.
2021 CalPERS Medical Benefit Summary is not yet available through CalPERS. It will be posted on our website as soon as it becomes available and will be sent out on our October newsletter.
For 2021 Benefit Forms and plan information click the links below:
If you have any additional questions please feel free to contact Veronica Sanchez at (510) 667-0537 or [email protected]
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Keep Your Wits About You
How’s your mental stamina? Do you often lose concentration at work or during conversations? Want to reduce brain fog to improve thinking and learning? Faced with information overload and hectic schedules, many people find their focus drifting away from the task at hand.
You can train your brain to process and recall information more effectively. Practice using these everyday brain aids:
Reduce distractions. Identify one task to focus on and when possible ignore everything else, including your phone, email and interruptions. Tackle complex assignments when you’re most alert.
Keep your mind sharp. Enjoy challenging puzzles daily. Develop hobbies or study new subjects so you’re always learning something different. At work, maybe explore advanced training opportunities.
Nurture healthy relationships. Regular interaction with others may provide the best kind of brain exercise.
Routinely relieve mental tension. Studies have linked chronic stress to memory loss.
Choose a brain-boosting diet. That includes fish and other lean protein foods, plus plenty of fruit and vegetables every day. Skip alcohol and avoid saturated fats; steady consumption may raise your risk of dementia and impair concentration and memory.
Get seven to nine hours of sleep daily. Sleep deprivation compromises your memory, creativity, problem-solving abilities, and critical thinking skills.
Choose blood-pumping cardio exercise. What’s good for the heart is good for the brain. Exercise breaks can help you get past mental fatigue and afternoon slumps.
Just as your body needs exercise to stay physically fit, your brain needs focused activity to stay mentally fit.
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Financial Planning & Wellness Information
Are you prepared?
It is never to early or too late to plan for retirement or for the unexpected. We have a list of authorized providers that can assist you with your financial needs and benefits. We have professionals with expertise ranging from pre-taxing your medical, helping you enroll in life insurance, disability insurance, cancer / accident plan, to helping you decide on which retirement plan is best for you, a 403 (b), 457(b) or Roth 403 (b).
Our district has had a long relationship with two representatives from financial firms that do work with a number of SLUSD staff members. While we do not promote or endorse any representative or company, these two contacts frequently make presentations at our new employee orientations. Below is their contact information. You can also choose from the list of authorized investment providers from the link below.
Jim Adgar, PlanMember Services
Allen Perry, American Fidelity
Electronic Employee Educational Materials
For any additional questions please contact, Veronica Sanchez at 510-667-0537 or at [email protected]
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SLUSD Pet of the Month
Meet Porter 9-Volt Ortiz! San Leandro High School teacher Jessica Ortiz adopted Porter at the tender age of 16 weeks. Although he will be 13 years old in February, we think he still has his young man looks.
Porter's life has been riddled by fame and fortune. Once a YouTube sensation, his video graduated to likes of Regis and Kelly, Animal Planet's America's Cutest Dog, and MTV's Ridiculousness. He ran for KOFY TV's Mayor of San Francisco in 2012. He was also a KOFY TV commercial dog.
Don't wait to nominate YOUR best friend! Send those photos in to [email protected] and start building your pet's resume today!
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Preventing Muscle Strains
Know what your limitations are. Warm up and stretch prior to lifting. Check with your doctor regarding stretches which are appropriate for you to do.
- If the load can be broken down into smaller units then do so. It is better to lift smaller loads multiple times versus loads too heavy for you.
- Have a plan. Walk out where you are moving the items. Know which direction to go. Is the path of travel clear of trip and other hazards?
- Lifting Techniques – Everyone should practice lifting techniques. Keep the load close to your body; keep your back straight and lift with your legs, not your back. Chin up when lift. This will help keep the natural curve in your spine. Squat, Lock Lift!
- Get help! If you must lift a heavy item and do not feel you can do it safely by yourself then ask for help.
- Lifting from High Places – Push the item up to check weight. Slide the load if possible. Readjust your grip.
- Lifting from Low Places – Kneel on one knee. Support the load on one knee to reduce the stress on back. Stand up using your legs. Remember…Chin Up!
- Lifting in Awkward Places – Survey the area. Adjust position of body or the load to keep the load close during the lift.
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Savory Summer Hash
This plant-based dish features a variety of summer vegetables
This recipe may look like a hodgepodge of ingredients, but it is a delicious way to use a variety of summer vegetables and add more whole foods to your diet. Served over quinoa, this vegetable hash is a hearty and satisfying meal.
Servings: 6 to 8
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 2 cups quinoa
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 red onion, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 medium red potatoes, scrubbed and then diced into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 cup white wine, divided
- 1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch lengths
- 1/2 pound mushrooms, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of salt, to taste
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 medium tomatoes, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 cobs of corn, kernels cut off the cob
Directions
- In a medium saucepan, add the water and bring to a boil. Add the quinoa, turn the heat down to a simmer, cover, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until the water is absorbed.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium heat. Add the garlic, onions, and potatoes and stir every 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1/3 cup of the wine every 3 minutes to steam the potatoes and form a reduction. After 10 minutes, add the green beans, mushrooms, dried sage, dried oregano, fresh parsley, lemon juice, and salt and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the cornstarch, tomatoes, and corn to the vegetable mixture. Stir and cook until the sauce begins to thicken. Serve the hash over quinoa.
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