Orange Peal - February 2021

February 2021 | Vol. 47, Issue 7

An Orange County Public Schools Employee Publication

ORANGE TECHNICAL COLLEGE: TRAINING FOR ESSENTIAL CAREERS pg. 16 2020-21 STELLAR

WINNERS

pg. 9

BENEFITS

BULLETIN

pg. 20

EDITORS Shayla Cannady Alayna G. Riggins

DESIGN & LAYOUT Eric Mateer Ashley Marrotte

ADVERTISING Adrienne Noel

CONTRIBUTORS Parker Antoine Kimberly Eisenbise To submit your story ideas, email orangepeal@ocps.net.

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SAVE THE DATE Feb. 15

Presidents Day Holiday (Schools Closed/District Offices Open)

On the cover: One can train in culinary arts, an essential skill for our job market, at the OTC Westside campus.

The Orange Peal is a districtwide publication for and about the employees of Orange County Public Schools.

The School Board of Orange County, Florida, does not discriminate in admission or access to, or treatment or employment in its programs and activities, on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, marital status, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other reason prohibited by law. The following individuals at the Ronald Blocker Educational Leadership Center, 445 W. Amelia Street, Orlando, Florida 32801, attend to compliance matters: Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Officer & Title IX Coordinator: Keshara Cowans; Section 504 Coordinator: Tajuana Lee-Wenze.

(407.317.3200) Š2021

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6 TABLE OF CONTENTS

4

You’re The Best

6

District Dispatches

9

2020-21 Stellar Winners

14

Did You Know?

15

Retirement Corner

16

Orange Technical College

20

Benefits Bulletin

Some photos used in this publication were taken prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and do not reflect the current face mask mandate or social distancing guidelines required by Orange County Public Schools.

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You're the Best Dr. Kelly Paudano, Timber Creek High

Awards

Jennifer Buck, Aloma Elementary

Jennifer Buck, resource teacher at Aloma Elementary, will be honored later this month as the 2020 Florida Literacy Association Teacher of the Year. The award is given to an individual who has made significant contributions in the teaching of reading and literacy.

Mario Ford, director of bands at Evans High, received a 2021 Tom Bishop Award from the Florida Bandmasters Association. The award recognizes an FBA member who has turned around a band program and made a significant and positive difference in a short amount of time.

Dr. Kelly Paduano, Timber Creek High School principal, received the 2021 Administrator of the Year Award from the Florida Music Education Association. Paduano has expanded the school’s Performing Arts Department to include 13 certified arts educators and 550 students.

Mario Ford, Evans High

Evan Powers, Avalon Middle

Evan Powers, Avalon Middle School choral director, received the 2021 Exemplary Model Project Award from the Florida Music Education Association for his Songbird Project, which connects seventh- and eighth-grade students to elders living with dementia. Students attend a four-week training program and then are partnered with memory care residents at Encore at Avalon Park, an assisted living facility.

Kim Frye, director of Transportation, was named 2020 Administrator of the Year by School Bus Fleet and profiled in its publication. To view the complete article, visit orangepeal.pub/Feb2101.

Kim Frye, Transportation Services

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OCPS has been named a recipient of the 2020 Cigna Well-being Award for Honorable Culture of Well-Being. The award is given to organizations who are making a difference in the health and well-being of its employees.

Winter Park Girls Cross-country

Sports Winners Congratulations to the following OCPS high schools for winning Florida High School Athletic Association district and/or regional titles:

▶ Lake Nona Girls Golf coached by Janine Mojica ▶ Lake Nona Girls Volleyball coached by Jake Penaloza

▶ Olympia Boys Cross-country coached by

Stephanie Manny+

▶ Olympia Boys Swimming coached by Kathy Zimmerman+

▶ Timber Creek Boys Cross-country coached by

Oscar Salazar

▶ West Orange Girls Cross-country coached by

John Layton

▶ Winter Park Girls Cross-country coached by

Kristin McWilliams+

▶ Windermere Boys Golf coached by Eric Bacon ▶ Windermere Girls Golf coached by Teresa West Orange Girls Cross-country

Windermere Boys Golf

Brown

▶ Windermere Girls Volleyball coached by

Derek Ihnenfeld

+indicates regional title

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2019-20 GRADUATION RATES

97.9% TRADITIONAL HIGH SCHOOLS

90.4% ALL SCHOOLS INCLUDING ALTERNATIVE AND CHARTER SCHOOLS

District Di New Graduation Rates In January, the state released the 2019-20 graduation rates for school districts and high schools. The averages of both all Orange County public schools and our 20 traditional high schools are 2 percentage points higher than last year.

OCPS also continues to outperform the state average of 90%.

New School Names The 2021-22 school year will add three new schools to the district: two high schools and one middle school. The new names approved by the School Board are: ▶ Horizon High School - chosen as a reference to the horizon of opportunities that the school will provide students and reflects the Horizon West community in Winter Garden to relieve Windermere High. ▶ Lake Buena Vista High School - references the known nearby lake and municipality within the attendance zone of the school. The school relieves Dr. Phillips and Freedom high schools. ▶ Water Spring Middle School - will get its own campus adjacent to Water Spring Elementary in August 2023 but will open this August in a wing at Horizon High School. The school relieves Bridgewater and SunRidge middle schools.

Scholarship for Students Orange Technical College received a $2,000 scholarship from resolute tissue for advanced manufacturing students.

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ispatches Fund Established Last fall the District 5 Student Activities Fund was established in honor of former District 5 School Board Member Dr. Kat Gordon’s 51 years of service to public education. The fund consists of contributions from employees and community members, and will provide uniforms, supplies and other necessities for students in District 5 who would not otherwise be able to participate in extracurricular activities. To date, the fund has amassed nearly $6,000.

OCPS Gives Employees from across the district have helped to raise more than $130,000 for this year’s OCPS Gives campaign. The funds are distributed to the Foundation for OCPS; A Gift For Teaching; Heart of Florida United Way; United Arts of Central Florida; and United Negro College Fund. Many of the dollars given to the Foundation are designated by donors to benefit specific schools and programs and nonprofit organizations.

School Honor Maitland Middle School has been named a recipient of a $750 Beanstack BlackVoices Microgrant. The microgrants help the school create reading-related programs to advance social justice and equity initiatives.

Blue Book Last fall OCPS Safety and Emergency Management collaborated with district stakeholders to create the Emergency Procedures Manual for Administrative Sites (“Blue Book”). The “Blue Book” includes the new manual, integration of the manual content into a Canvas course, an accompanying mobile application of the manual, and additional resources to include the Standard Response Protocol for Business.

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OCPS 2020-21 Assistant Principal of the Year

Rebecca Yedvobnick Ridgewood Park Elementary

The best part of the day for Assistant Principal Rebecca Yedvobnick is greeting her Ridgewood Park Elementary students as they start their school day.

“When they walk in the building and they see you, they’re happy to be there and they’re happy to see you – like that’s the best feeling,” said the administrator who has been an assistant principal since coming to the North Learning Community elementary school nearly three years ago.

A parent to her more than 420 “Tiger kids,” Yedvobnick exudes care and concern, and seeks to positively impact their lives.

“I passionately believe children deserve an exceptional educational experience,” said Yedvobnick, who was a Top 3 Teacher of the Year for Gwinnett County Public Schools in Georgia. “My leadership occurs in the trenches with teachers and students. By building capacity within teachers and coaches, I have a greater impact on students. My goal is to transform lives and create opportunities.”

To create equitable opportunities and combat regression due to COVID-19, Yedvobnick used Title I funds to offer summer school for grades K-5 (15 classes/208 students) last year. She also created a weekly parent newsletter for families to help support learning at home for the school’s majority minority student population (69% African American; 26% Hispanic; 25% English Language Learners; and 100% free lunch) with Spanish and Haitian Creole translations.

During her tenure at Ridgewood Park, she has helped the school improve from a very low school grade “C” to a high “C” rating in 2018-19 and make learning gains in each grade level and in subject areas (reading, writing, math and science) of the Florida State Assessment, moving it from the School Transformation Office.

A self-described “coach at heart,” Yedvobnick is a certified instructional coach from the University of Florida and certified mentor and clinical educator. She inspires her colleagues as she collaborates with the school leadership team to mentor and discuss coaching support and needs.

“Ms. Yedvobnick thrives to coach teachers any chance she gets,” said Ridgewood Principal Deborah Coffie. “She lights up when she meets with teachers during feedback conferences to model and provide research-based instructional strategies to enhance pedagogical skills and individual student data.”

The young assistant principal believes she won’t be successful in her career unless she embraces growth. She is excited that as an educator, there’s always more work to do and that she is constantly learning new things about students, teachers and herself.

“My mission is to learn and grow as an educator and leader, so I can help others do the same,” she said. “While I am only one page in the story of Ridgewood Park Elementary School, I intend to leave a legacy where student success, educator growth and continuous improvement are inevitable.”

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OCPS 2020-21 Principal of the Year

Jennifer Bellinger Oak Ridge High

Principal Jennifer Bellinger knows firsthand what it means to be educated in Orange County Public Schools. She can proudly tell her students she is a graduate of this school district, having attended West Orange High. But make no mistake about it, her allegiance is totally to her Oak Ridge Pioneer family.

Leading the high school as principal since 2016, this is her second stint at the District 5 school; she previously served as an assistant principal at Oak Ridge.

“While serving as an assistant principal, I fell in love with the school because of the amazing staff and students,” said Bellinger, who has worked for OCPS for her entire 23-year career in education. “Though many of the students faced challenges, they didn’t allow the challenges to prevent them from trying to reach their potential goals. The remarkable staff worked diligently to support students in any way possible. I vowed if given the opportunity, I wanted to become the principal at Oak Ridge High School.”

Instituting a culture of collaboration with her staff, she began to focus on retaining teachers, increasing student achievement and decreasing discipline infractions. Oak Ridge’s teacher attrition rate decreased by 58% and student achievement increased by 156 points her first year as principal. In two years, the school moved from a “D” rating to a “B.” Through targeted and strategic interventions, the school’s graduation rate reached 99% in school year 2018-19. From 2017-2019, Level 3 discipline infractions decreased by 22% and Level 4 infractions decreased by 51%.

She and the staff also work diligently to instill a culture of positivity among their students.

“One thing that we always do before testing is we have one-on-one conversations with students and we talk to them about their goals and how we’re expecting them to perform,” she said. “And we do little, small mini-conferences with them throughout the year, but we make sure we talk to each and every student.”

Such support also has been recognized outside of the school building. Recalled former Oak Ridge SGA president and Class of 2020 graduate lsui Sopon, Bellinger makes it a point to attend school sporting events to connect with students and parents in a more social setting.

“What was more impressive was her all-hands-on-deck approach to providing support to our most needy students,” he said.

Bellinger also engages the staff and the community to help the school’s less fortunate families. This includes meal donations over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays – she personally bakes turkeys and delivers them herself.

She also makes it a point to be visible on campus, at school activities and has an open-door policy with students.

“I start my day off with breakfast duty at 6:30. If I’m on campus, I’m in the cafeteria,” Bellinger said. “I just want to be everywhere where the kids can see me. They know I am their principal and I’m there to support them in all aspects."

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OCPS 2020-21 Support Person of the Year

Yi-Ping (Lydia) Folks Blankner School

The familiar saying, “treat others the way you want to be treated,” is among the first lessons young children learn in a school setting. In its simplest form, the Golden Rule sits at the core of relationship building (at any level), and is the guiding principle of customer service for Yi-Ping (Lydia) Folks, school secretary and bookkeeper at Blankner School.

“I treat them [parents] the way I want to be treated. That’s what one of my former bosses taught me, and that’s something that I always go by … . I treat others – parents or students – with respect, courtesy and with my smile.”

Folks began her career with Orange County Public Schools nearly 14 years ago. After serving only a half semester at Boone High, she joined the Blankner Bulldog family as a front office clerk and has remained with the school since. She is regarded for her incredible work performance and the amazing level of support she brings to all.

“Students and parents absolutely love Mrs. Folks because they know they will always be greeted with a smile and offer to help,” said Blankner Principal Junella Kreil. “She has an easy, calm presence about her that reassures all. She can be counted on to connect you to the right person who can help, and she follows up to be sure that connection solved the problem.”

Parental involvement has a strong presence at the school. Reducing stress for her families is one of the things she loves most. At times, parents forget their login information which allows them to access forms, get support and schedule meetings. Folks took the initiative to create a spreadsheet with login information for every student, by grade and teacher, and made it easily accessible to all teachers. She also created a similar spreadsheet for students with 504 accommodations to help discuss and address individual student needs.

As a previous two-time, school nominee for Support Person of the Year, Folks attributes her personal success to the support that she provides to others and recognizes that, at times, the smallest interactions can have the greatest impact on someone.

“Happy parents mean a student was successful. Happy students and happy schools mean good grades and good success for the school,” she said. “I feel if they’re all happy, I’m happy. If they’re successful, I’m successful.”

Folks’ dedication to her school community goes without saying. She is an important member of the Blankner family, and her humble nature and work ethic enhances, inspires and molds young lives on a daily basis.

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OCPS 2020-21 Teacher of the Year

Stewart Parker

Winter Park 9th Grade Center

Former U.S. President Barack Obama once said, “The study of geography is about more than just memorizing places on a map. It’s about understanding the complexity of our world, appreciating the diversity of cultures that exists across the continents; and in the end, it’s about using all that knowledge to help bridge divides and bring people together.” This quote eloquently describes Stewart Parker’s passion for teaching history and geography to students at the Winter Park High 9th Grade Center.

Since 2002, Parker has served as a teacher at Winter Park High. Currently serving as the ninth-grade Social Studies department chair, AP Human Geography teacher, and BETA Club and Student Government Association sponsor, for him, watching his students grow is the most rewarding part of his job.

“It’s their first year in high school, so you really get to set the tone for their whole high school career,” he said. “Teaching AP classes, we have a lot of students who come and they want to challenge themselves … . Being able to make them feel that they can be successful is a really big thing for me.”

Parker is an active member of the school, district and national AP and geography communities, and has received recognition for his work improving student outcomes. Among his honors include the National Council of Geographic Education Excellence in Geography Teaching Award, the Theron Trimble Florida High School Social Studies Teacher of the Year and a fellowship to Columbia University with the American Geographic Society. He often can be found presenting at national conferences, representing the district and sharing innovative ways to teach geography and social studies in the classroom.

“He continually seeks ways to infuse into his classes new strategies that resonate with students,” said Paul Wilhite, Ed.D., Winter Park High 9th Grade Center senior administrator. “Mr. Parker combines his care and advocacy for students with high expectations for them to learn and perform.”

With each passing day, he seeks to equip students with knowledge they can use to be successful in school, even if it may have seemed unattainable before.

“If they have potential, we’re going to make them know that they can be successful,” said Parker. “… That’s really what I strive to see; all my students from every racial background, every ethnic group we have on campus, all levels of learners … when they leave, are they better students? Are they better citizens?”

Parker is known for developing excellent relationships with his students and for his eagerness to assist staff with instructional strategies to boost student engagement.

Among families, he is not just an educator, he is a game changer who cares deeply about his students, trains young teachers, supports coworkers, and fosters opportunities to impact our local community and beyond.

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DIGITAL LEARNING

Did You Know

ORANGE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Here are 5 things you may not know about OCPS Digital Learning: 1. To reach our district’s goal of 1:1 digital learning, OCPS has distributed 184,535 laptops, 34,000 ipads and 13,935 hotspots to students.

2. Staff/Teachers can access recorded, upcoming, or one-on-one training and help sessions through the Weekly Ongoing Support icon on Launchpad.

Watch Live for a

3. Students can use their own privately owned laptop, notebook, or tablet computing device for school learning as long as it meets district specifications: http://orangepeal.pub/feb202104

CHANCE TO WIN PRIZES 4. Parents can participate in Tech Tour Watch Parties live on Facebook every Tuesday and Thursday at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. at http://orangepeal.pub/feb202102

January 27, 2021 | StellarAwards.ocps.net 5. Digital tips and resources can be found 24/7 on the internet at:

http://orangepeal.pub/feb202103

SPECIAL OFFER FOR S

CONTACT: @autoclubgroup.aaa.com 14 6 | |Orange OrangePeal Peal

*

(407) 6

*Full dues apply at 1st year renewal. Membership benefits vary with membership levels and are subject to change without notice. Offers, terms, conditions and policies are subject to change without notice. 19-MS-0361

Membership Eligibility:

• •

One year of consecutive service in a benefited position Six days of accumulated sick leave

To enroll or withdraw, complete the form on the website and return it by Feb. 5 by email, fax or courier.

Sick Leave Bank Period Ends Feb. 5 There are just a few days left if you would like to enroll or withdraw from this semester’s Sick Leave Bank. The period ends Friday, Feb. 5.

Joining the bank is an opportunity to ease the financial impact of serious illness, accident or injury for yourself and eligible OCPS employees. During the 2019-20 school year, the Sick Leave Bank helped more than 400 colleagues in time of need by awarding more than 43,000 hours of sick leave.

Current members don’t need to do anything; your membership will continue.

• • •

Email: retirement.services@ocps.net Fax: 407.317.3412 Courier: Retirement Services, RBELC – 1

Upcoming Workshops: Feb. 10, 5-6:30 p.m.

Social Security Planning

Feb. 17, 5-6:30 p.m.

Estate Planning for Busy People!

Feb. 24, 5-7 p.m.

Planning For Your Retirement

To register for the virtual WebEx, please follow the instructions on the bottom of the fliers at www.ocps.net >> Departments >> Retirement Services >> Retirement Workshops >> February 2021 Workshops.

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• 50% off tuition for the first 12-week session toward a degree program for eligible students in FlexPath + 10% on all subsequent sessions.* • $3k-$20k scholarship + 10% tuition discount toward a degree program for eligible students in GuidedPath.

• $20,000 Doctoral scholarship + an additional 10% tuition discount. *Books, supplies, and other fees may apply.

Capella.edu/OCPS Accreditations: Capella University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

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ORANGE TECHNICAL COLLEGE: FOCUSED ON TRAINING FOR ESSENTIAL CAREERS A major way OCPS continues to change lives through education is by providing career and technical training for tens of thousands of students in Central Florida through Orange Technical College. Home to five local postsecondary campuses and dozens of programs across district schools, OTC is more vital than ever in building the area’s workforce pipelines.

During a pandemic and challenging economic conditions, OTC pivoted in 2020, working in partnership with local supporting agencies to offer grant-funded, short-term (a few weeks or more), “skills-based” training programs in some of the region’s most essential career pathways. Provided in parallel to the college’s traditional career certificate and adult education programming, these skills-based programs allow students to acquire relevant technical skills to prepare them for immediate employment with reputable employers. They also encourage students to stack credentials and build core competencies in their field of interest.

This past year also saw Dr. Michael Armbruster's retirement after seven transformative years with the district as associate superintendent for Career and Technical Education. Armbruster’s tenure brought a newfound energy, brand (the big green career button) and resurgence to CTE, creating exciting new opportunities for students and restoring pride to those who have chosen technical education as their path to career success.

In his place is Melanie Stefanowicz, new associate superintendent for Career and Technical Education, who comes to us from the neighboring School District of Osceola County. There she worked as executive director of Secondary and Postsecondary Education and previously served as director of Adult, Alternative and Career Education at the Monroe County Public Schools district. She is passionate about workforce and talent pipeline development and works closely with her team, as well as businesses

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and industries, to ensure all programs are aligned to workforce needs and that students have every opportunity to graduate with the skills needed to enter high-skill, high-wage employment.

“While career and technical education initiatives, as well as adult general education, were a high priority before the pandemic, the resulting shutdown has made their importance crystal clear,” Stefanowicz said. “People need to get back to work, and to do that, they need to be provided with educational opportunities developed by the team at Orange Technical College.”

One student who is taking advantage of OTC's offerings is Danielle Stiles. She is currently enrolled in the Enterprise Network and Server Support Technology program at the OTC – Winter Park campus, "I lost my job as a result of COVID," said the 43 year-old. “This actually pushed me to follow my dreams, find a career I can retire from."

For nearly 90 years, OTC has been home to a diverse array of career certificate training programs, leading directly to an industry certification in a student’s chosen field. The variety of programs offered is staggering: 3D animation; licensed practical nursing; automotive service; building construction; culinary arts; web development; medical assisting; advanced manufacturing; distribution and logistics; and

more. As the largest provider of adult general education programs in Central Florida, OTC also offers classes to help thousands of foreign students learn to speak English each year in ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) programs, and provides more GED training and testing than any other organization in Orlando.

“Students have the opportunity to participate in externships and work-based experiences where they get on-the-job training,” said Denise Wilkie, director of medial programming at the OTC – Winter Park campus. “Then with that training, many affiliate partners hire our students allowing them to start their career.”

OTC also engages local business partners in their program development and evolution. Each career certificate training program has a workforce advisory council in place to ensure industry standards are met in the classroom and to advise in making sure curriculum is aligned with industry specific skills, positioning graduates for immediate employment upon completion of their program.

OCPS students participate in the Inaugural OTC Design Build Challenge.

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Industry partners also are vital in building sustainable talent pipelines from OTC classrooms directly to Orlando’s workforce. Employers, now more than ever, are seeking candidates with

OTC has worked hard to change the perception that the traditional four-year university path is the superior option when it comes to the perceived success of any particular student’s educational journey. OTC believes career and technical education is not lesser than but equal in value to a traditional college degree, dependent on that student’s taste in careers. And with the articulation agreements OTC has in place with local state colleges and partnering institutions, students can have the best of both worlds – college and career.

Associate Superintendent for CTE, Melanie Stefanowicz (pictured second from right), with Inaugural OTC Design Build Challenge student winners and Partners In Education from the Manufacturers Association of Central Florida.

specific skill sets to fill meaningful positions in their organizations – many of which do not require a degree. With the “skills-based hiring” model gaining traction, many of them are turning to OCPS and OTC to help build Central Florida’s skilled workforce.

“My involvement in the architectural drafting program and advisory committee at Orange Technical College gave me a better understanding of what this program is about,” said Jack Williams, senior vice president, Harvard Jolly Architecture.

“I was very impressed with the instructor – his passion, knowledge and capabilities – and was also impressed by the overall training they were providing the students there.”

The college’s goal is to empower every student to pursue their hopes and dreams through career and technical education – whether that is learning to speak English, beginning a whole new career, or simply brushing up on technical skills. With the lowest tuition rates in Central Florida, and fully accepting of all financial aid, most students are able to graduate Orange Technical College programs debt-free. Most career certificate training programs take less than a year to complete, and on average, cost less than $5,000 (including all fees, books, and tuition).

Looking ahead, OTC has ambitious plans for the future. The college’s VISION 2025 plan calls for a comprehensive restructuring and rebuilding plan for the school’s five technical college campuses in an effort to more strategically align campus programs with regional workforce demands by 2025. The plan is built around an “anchor-tenant” model with individual campuses representing schools of specialty in some of the region’s essential industries (construction; health care; advanced manufacturing; transportation; information technology; simulation; and distribution and logistics) as identified by workforce partners like CareerSource of Central Florida.

Throughout 2021, OTC will continue to help students like Danielle Stiles and others get back to work. This will happen by strengthening program initiatives through industry partnerships that add depth and breadth to students’ educational experiences and offering work-based learning experiences to test their competencies in real-world situations. These experiences allow OTC students to showcase their #EssentialPotential, ultimately leading to sustainable, high-skill, highwage careers as we change their lives through education.

OTC'S FIVE CAMPUSES ▶ Avalon

▶ Westside

▶ Mid Florida

▶ Winter Park

▶ Orlando Orange Peal

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Beyond Burnout Stress Solution:

Four Weeks to Overcome Stress, Worry and Burnout Do you feel overwhelmed by constant stress?

Does burnout make it hard to be productive and enjoy your life? Learn how to clear your mind and stress less!

The OCPS Employee Wellness Program and Cigna are sponsoring “Beyond Burnout” and will select 150 OCPS employees* to participate for free.

If you’re interested in this four-week, online course, register at http://OvercomingUCourses.com/ OCPSDrawing by Wednesday, Feb. 10, and your name will be entered into a drawing for a chance to participate!**

Beyond Burnout Objectives: •

Create motivation for change by understanding what stress truly costs.

•

Learn to flow with organizational and personal change.

•

Implement techniques to avoid being depleted by toxic situations and overwhelming people.

•

Prioritize and protect your self-care commitments.

Beyond Burnout Details: •

Eight 20-minute sessions that you can listen to on your own schedule.

•

Learning management system offers sessions, handouts and quizzes.

Register for the drawing by Wednesday, Feb. 10. Course begins Tuesday, Feb. 16. Participants who complete sessions will be entered to win prizes and free health coaching sessions!

Questions?

Please email Support@OvercomingU.com for answers. *All OCPS employees are invited to enter the drawing to participate regardless of insurance coverage. Selected employees will be notified via email. **By entering the drawing, you are committing to completing the four-week course. If selected, your invitation will be nontransferable.

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Reduce Your Risk of a Heart Attack Be smoke free. Get help to quit smoking.

Visit http://tobaccofreeflorida.com for help.

Be physically active. Regular physical activity makes the heart stronger. It helps lower blood pressure and blood cholesterol. It also helps you maintain a healthy weight. Try going for a brisk, 30-minute walk most days of the week.

American Heart Month February is American Heart Month; do you know the symptoms of heart attack and stroke?

Review these symptoms and visit http://heart.org for more information.

Heart Attack Symptoms Chest Discomfort Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.

Discomfort in Other Areas of the Upper Body Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.

Shortness of Breath This can occur with or without chest discomfort.

Eat a healthy diet. Eat foods with less saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. Eat plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grain breads and cereals, and low-fat dairy foods and meats.

Maintain a healthy weight. High blood pressure and high blood cholesterol are more common among people who are overweight. A healthy weight can lower your blood pressure and blood cholesterol.

Limit alcohol intake. If you drink alcohol, drink no more than one or two drinks per day.

Get regular checkups. Your doctor can check your blood pressure, blood cholesterol and weight to make sure they are at healthy levels.

Control your diabetes. Having diabetes increases your chance of having a heart attack. If you have diabetes, follow your doctor’s advice.

Other Signs Include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.

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Spot Stroke Symptoms F.A.S.T.

Face Drooping

Arm Weakness

Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile.

Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?

In the Wake of Unrest, EAP is Here to Help During times of uncertainty, it is important to take care of yourself. The OCPS Employee Assistance Program provided through Cigna is here to help. Find resources related to building resilience, coping with distressing events and self-care after a tragedy on our intranet site at http://insurance.ocps.net, select the Employee Assistance Program page on the left. Remember, all employees and household members have access to five EAP sessions per issue, per year at no cost.*

Call: 1.877.622.4327 Visit: www.myCigna.com Employer ID needed for initial registration: ocps

*Employees and household members do not have to be enrolled in an OCPS medical plan to utilize the EAP benefit. Mental/behavioral health and substance use disorder services are accessible to employees and dependents covered by one of the three OCPS Cigna medical plans.

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Benefits Bulletin is designed to keep O intended to replace professional health

Speech Difficulty

Time to Call 9-1-1

Is speech slurred, are they unable to speak, or are they hard to understand?

Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence, like “the sky is blue.” Is the sentence repeated correctly?

If the person shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 9-1-1 and get him or her to the hospital immediately.

Don’t Delay Preventive Care According to the Health Care Cost Institute, there has been a substantial drop in getting preventive screenings such as colonoscopies, pap smears and mammograms during the pandemic. Across the nation, mammograms and pap smears were down nearly 80%, and colonoscopies were down almost 90% in April 2020 compared to 2019. It appears some are delaying

or declining care they would have otherwise received with potential implications to their long-term health and well-being. Regular primary care and preventive screenings are essential to one’s health. While the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends limiting unnecessary activities and crowds, it is important to stay on top of your health care needs.

OCPS is not immune to the situation. We have seen a slight decrease in these screenings as well. Members covered by one of the three OCPS Cigna plans have preventive screenings covered at 100%, prior to deductible. Ask your primary care physician which preventive screenings and CDCrecommended immunizations are right for you.

February Webcasts This month there are two Cigna Employee Assistance Program webcasts.

You can sign up for a live webcast or listen to an on-demand replay webcast at your convenience.

• •

Feb. 10 – Beating Burnout Feb. 24 – The Power of Purpose

Webcasts take place at 2 p.m.

Presentation slides are available for

download at the registration site.

Replay information is available starting two hours after the live presentation.

Registration information, live webcasts and on-demand replays can be accessed at www.Cigna.com/ EAPwebcasts.

OCPS employees and their families informed about available benefit programs. This information is not h care. See your health care professional for information relevant to your medical history.

Orange Peal

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