Page 76 - FY21 Wellness Promotion Policy Annual Report

STUDENTS
Physical Education
& Physical Activity Environment &
Nutrition
Community
Social & Emotional Climate EMPLOYEES Engagement Family Physical COORDINATING POLICY, PROCESS, AND PRACTICE Counseling, Social & FAMILIES
Involvement
Services
Psychological
Services
HEALTHY SAFE
CHALLENGED SUPPORTED ENGAGED
Social &
Environment
Employee IMPROVING LEARNING AND HEALTH Health Emotional Climate
Wellness Education
Health
Services
COMMUNITY

The Garden of Dreams program began in 2018 with Omni Middle, followed by Howell L. Watkins
and Don Estridge High Tech Middle. The intention of the program is to provide a green space for
middle school students so that they have a place to power down, recharge, regroup and just be.

In addition to the beautiful space for them to connect with nature, to support our District’s Social
and Emotional Learning (SEL) initiatives, students are introduced to different thinking modalities to
help them expand their self-awareness, effectively manage their own behavior, and to provide tools
and strategies to assist them with their decision making process.

Woodlands Middle and Polo Park Middle
In FY21, we were fortunate to receive funding for two additional schools. On February 4, 2021, Dr.
Enrique Vela, the Principal at Woodlands Middle, onboarded the program and Jeannette Alfaro,
their Drama teacher, along with Kayla Irby, their Behavioral Health Professional are spearheading
the program there.

On March 26, 2021, we launched Polo Park Middle, led by Principal Michael Aronson. Leading the
charge there is Chelsea Solorzano, their Behavioral Health Professional and Brittny Kirik, their School
Counselor.

Community Funding for this program came from:

Keep Palm Beach County Beautiful, Inc. - Garden Benefactor
Lourdes Ferris, the Executive Director has been a phenomenal community partner. It is her
willingness to support green spaces in the District’s schools that made the Garden of Dreams
possible on all five (5) campuses.

Native Choice Nursery and Green Thumb, Inc.
Jeff Nurge from Native Choice Nursery and Janine Griffiths from Green Thumb, Inc. are
responsible for each of these beautiful garden designs and installations.

District’s Wellness Promotion Task Force
Provided the Digital Display at Woodlands Middle which allowed the students there to display
their artwork campus-wide.

76 FY21 Wellness Promotion Policy (WPP) Annual Report BACK to Menu