Kendall Taylor

By Kendall Taylor

In this unparalleled time where our emotional and physical well-being are threatened, staying healthy and maintaining a normalcy has become increasingly challenging.

Its imperative more than ever that we focus on our own health in new and innovate ways to combat both chronic and mental health diseases that we continue to see on the rise.

Valley Schools provides tools for a healthy lifestyle to thousands of employees of school districts around Arizona. Valley Schools is a nonprofit employee benefits group that works with 22 school districts in Arizona.

They work with districts such as Paradise Valley Unified School District, Deer Valley Unified School District and Peoria Unified School District to keep medical insurance costs down by pooling the resources of thousands of employees to provide medical insurance in a cost-effective way.

While many of Arizonas businesses have been forced to close and schools shutting their doors for the remainder of the school year because of coronavirus, it was critical to find ways to continue to support employees.

With a robust health and wellness program, Valley Schools quickly shifted gears and put its content online, providing as many tools to help employees stay physically and mentally fit at home. They now provide online yoga classes, immune boosting recipes, cooking demonstrations, sleep presentations, meditations and other resources to help teachers, school administrators, facilities staff and bus drivers remain healthy and connected.

If health can be improved, not only can the quality of life be enhanced on an individual level, but money can be saved and put back into the classroom. For every dollar a school district saves on medical insurance, thats a dollar that can be put into teacher salaries and the classroom.

Many have experienced new challenges while working from home due to COVID-19, such as unhealthy eating and snacking, stress, inactivity and isolation. Creating a healthy stay-at-home lifestyle is imperative. Valley Schools continues to live by its mission to provide tailored and innovative solutions with a primary focus on improving individual health and well-being to achieve the lowest health care cost.

Valley Schools will continue to stand by those words and by their members to keep them engaged, active and healthy during this trying time.

Editors Note: Kendall Taylor serves as Valley Schools wellness director.

Excerpt from:
Taylor: The link between a healthy life and school dollars - Your Valley