Did you know that the second Saturday in June is Family Health and Fitness Day on June 12th to promote the importance of Parks and recreation to keep communities healthy?

Think of different ways you can celebrate this by going to the parks, beaches and trails that are so close to us. Research studies confirm that community parks and green spaces and being outdoors are critical for creating healthy and active lives.

Throughout the COVID 19 pandemic parks, and outdoors has played a critical role in supporting our mental and physical wellbeing. Living close to parks and nature is consistently related to higher physical activity levels for youth and adults.

Parks and the beaches provide a connection to nature, which studies demonstrate relieves stress, tightens interpersonal relationships, and improves mental and physical

health. A year into the pandemic its' even more clear that it's safer to be outside and the beaches and parks are some of the safest places you can gather.

Hugging a tree

​If you are feeling anxious or sad and want to improve your mood, try hugging a tree and allow her vast amount of grounding energy to assist you. Trees are among the world's greatest givers. Their slow and gentle life cycles provide the world with clean air, their roots filter water and their branches provide shade. Trees give us the gifts of peace.

Hugging or sitting with your spine against the trunk of any tree can ground your body and inspire profound closeness with nature as the energy of the tree connects to you. Making a physical contact with the tree can help you relax, alleviate stress, sleep better, and hold on to more positive energy.

Go to a park a garden or the woods and stand next to the tree and close your eyes. Relax your senses while breathing in the scent of the leaves and bark. Let the tree embrace all your senses and be with that majestic tree.

This week's Social Emotional Learning is about Active Listening. Active Listening is the skill of listening to learn and truly understand what is being talked about. Take a few minutes to look at this lesson and see how this skill can help you with your schooling and personal relationships.

To access Thrively please click on the link below

https://www.thrively.com/login/school/46048

Once prompted, enter your username and password which are the following

Username: Student Id Number (ex:1234567)

Password: qx1fpv

Once you are in you will be prompted to change your password. If you have logged in before, please use the last password you created. Feel free to look around.

Once you are logged in click on the link below.

https://www.thrively.com/dashboard/child/1644834/lesson/131

This activity should take you less than 30 minutes.

Just in case anybody missed this last week....New to PUSD, Oak Valley or Middle School? Wondering what all these different applications and programs are? Take a few minutes to look the following Power Point. This will give you the basics of the different applications we use and how to check on grades, assignments, and contact teachers.