Anne Arundel County Public Schools’ comprehensive commitment to employee wellness has earned the district a Silver level Healthy Business designation from CareFirst.

The Healthy Business program is designed to highlight businesses that design and execute a sustained investment in workplace wellness. The recognition reflects a commitment to supporting employee well-being and fostering a healthier workplace culture through thoughtful programs, resources and workplace practices that promote wellness at work.

“I am very proud of our entire Human Resources Division and especially our Benefits Office for the ongoing, thoughtful approach they take to employee wellness every day,” Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mark Bedell said. “From the excellent benefits package that we are able to offer our employees and retirees to the programs that exist to help keep our workforce healthy, our team focuses every ounce of their efforts on providing our employees with what they need to be in the best position possible to help our students.”

Among the programs offered to employees by AACPS:

·       CareFirst Well-Being Programs such as Real Age assessment that evaluates a person’s lifestyle, medical history, and daily habits to determine the physical age of your body compared to your calendar age; coaching; and a 24/7 nurse line that connects a person connects with a registered nurse to discuss your symptoms, advise on medication, etc.

·       Access to the Noom weight-loss platform.

·       Wellness events at schools during Teacher Appreciation Week.

·       Monthly Slice of Wellness events at Central Office such as a Saving for Retirement seminar and flu vaccine clinics.

·       Wellness Challenge campaigns in the spring and fall.

In addition, the district, with the support of the Board of Education, has taken steps in recent years to provide time for employees to exercise self care. The Tuesday prior to Thanksgiving, for example, is a virtual work day so that employees can complete work but still travel if necessary to see family members for the holiday.

For many years, the district has also operated on a four-day work week for several weeks in the summer to lower transportation costs for employees and the school district, allow employees more options in managing their personal activities, and improve employee morale and retention levels. Employees are required to use leave for those Fridays or otherwise complete their work requirements in four days.