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    Titus Creek culvert project to close Broad St.
    Breaking News
    Titus Creek culvert project to close Broad St.
    Kellen Quigley 
    July 8, 2025
    SALAMANCA — A section of Broad Street in the city of Salamanca is to close between Hancock and Swan streets for the state Department of Transportation...
    {"daily-headlines-newsletter":"Daily Headlines", "newsletters":"Newsletters", "to-print":"To Print", "website":"Website"}
    Home Health
    Hilton High School’s wellness corner lets faculty relax
    Health
    Karen Marley  
    March 23, 2017

    Hilton High School’s wellness corner lets faculty relax

    Staff members now have a designated spot to exercise, stretch and unwind

    Hilton is one of Rochester’s largest central school districts: Five schools; more than 360 teachers; administrative, food services, janitorial, and maintenance staff; and 4,500 students. That impressive footprint makes one thing clear: You can positively impact any large group when health and wellness are your priorities.

    But where should you begin?

    Hilton Central School District Wellness coordinators Mike Ellicott, Eileen Mendoza and Alyssa Eisenhauer are tasked with providing more opportunities to improve staff health and wellness. From brainstorming sessions with Principal Marco Damico came the idea to create a designated space where staff members, at least in the high school, could find a respite from the day to decompress and rejuvenate.

    The idea originated with Ellicott, a health and sports science teacher and soccer coach. Ellicott transformed his classroom into a pleasant learning environment.

    “People work best in relaxed, comfortable spaces,” Ellicott says. “Over the last three years I’ve phased chairs and desks out of my room.”

    Ellicott’s room is filled with couches, seat cubes, standing desks, exercise balls and bean bag chairs. Students use clipboards and lap boards designed for Chromebooks, and foam rollers and massage balls are also available.

    Ellicott reports that students are eager to come to his class now. Even Damico and other teachers often stop by to use the foam rollers or take a break in a bean bag chair.

    Inspired by Ellicott’s success, the co-coordinators decided to replicate his classroom on a smaller scale. They opted to use a corner in the faculty lounge because of its central location and accessibility.

    Dubbed the Wellness Corner, the space is portable and offers some privacy provided by white-board partitions. Padded floor mats covered with foam rollers, massage and exercise balls and yoga blocks invite staff to do light stretching and exercises. The front half is decorated with posters describing simple exercises and stretches, and a weekly affirmation, such as, “My day is going to be amazing,” is posted by the door.

    “I post the affirmations by the door in hopes they will read it on the way out and take the message with them as they return to the classroom or office,” Mendoza says.

    The back half reflects a monthly theme. Ellicott tasks his class to decide a theme and create a display. November was “Happy Planksgiving.” Students displayed healthy Thanksgiving recipes and a list of easy-to-do activities — Plymouth plank, Squanto squats and pilgrim pushups, for example. Staff members could enter their names at the turkey display for a chance to win the monthly drawing.

    Ellicott and Mendoza report the response from staff members has been very positive. Mendoza points out the Wellness Corner is near a copy machine that routinely breaks down, causing lots of frustration. “Teachers can go to the Wellness Corner and take a deep breath,” she laughs.

    Eventually, everyone hopes to have a dedicated wellness room. “It’s a work in progress,” Ellicott says.

    In addition to the Wellness Corner, the Wellness coordinators arranged to provide free chair massages in December from Integrated Chiropractic and Massage Therapy as yet another way to help staff unwind and relax.

    “We are just trying to give people a break and a different space for a positive experience,” Mendoza says.

    Tags:

    building industry chair desk education eileen mendoza mike ellicott roller school sport teacher wellness
    {"website":"Website"}

    Salamanca Press

    Local & Social
    Latest news for you
    Titus Creek culvert project to close Broad St.
    Breaking News, Featured, Local News, ...
    Titus Creek culvert project to close Broad St.
    Kellen Quigley 
    July 8, 2025
    SALAMANCA — A section of Broad Street in the city of Salamanca is to close between Hancock and Swan streets for the state Department of Transportation...
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    {"daily-headlines-newsletter":"Daily Headlines", "newsletters":"Newsletters", "to-print":"To Print", "website":"Website"}
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    8-10 Salamanca softball all stars eliminated in Fillmore loss
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    July 8, 2025
    SALAMANCA — The 8-10 Salamanca softball all stars got knocked out of their district tournament on July 3 with a 10-3 loss to Fillmore. Salamanca got o...
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    Connor Jackson 
    July 8, 2025
    LITTLE VALLEY — Over the last two weeks, Joe Myers emphasized three words above all others to his 11-12 all-stars: Never give up. And for the duration...
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    {"sports-newsletter":"Sports", "to-print":"To Print", "website":"Website"}
    Local Sports, Sports
    Franklinville’s Dave Gaeta Memorial softball league results
    Connor Jackson 
    July 8, 2025
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    {"sports-newsletter":"Sports", "to-print":"To Print", "website":"Website"}
    Cattaraugus County Source
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    Cattaraugus County Source 07-03-2025
    Cattaraugus County Source, Special Sections
    Cattaraugus County Source 07-03-2025
    mkeim@oleantimesherald.com 
    July 3, 2025
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