KIPP Well is the new KIPP Baltimore staff wellness program. KIPP Well’s purpose is to promote health and wellness within the KIPP Baltimore staff to ensure that you are ready and able to be your best selves every day.
2. KIPP Fit, the KIPP Baltimore weight loss challenge will become a part of KIPP Well. Those that have done the program in the past or that are interested in getting involved this year will still be able to do this. KIPP Well will go beyond weight loss and will focus on activity, nutrition, stress reduction, mindfulness and numerous other wellness related areas.
3. I would like to win the amazing KIPP Well prizes that I keep hearing everyone talking about, how can I win those? Each month there will be a focus for the KIPP Well program and there will be challenges to promote that focus. KIPP Well Challenge participants and monthly winners will earn prizes, including:
• KIPP Well gear (ex., t-shirts, hoodies, water bottles)
• Gift Certificates (ex., Whole Foods, local yoga studies, Under Armor)
• Experiences (ex., cooking class, team lunches)
• Healthy living items (ex., cooking utensils, lunch containers, yoga gear)
4. Okay that stuff sounds fine, but I only play for the big prizes, what do you have for me? The person with the most points at the end of the year will be crowned the overall KIPP Well Challenges winner, and along with the praise, adulation and respect of all your peers will receive an amazing, yet to be determined prize.
5. I thrive on competition, how do the challenges work? Some months will be individual challenges, while others will be team based. Each month you or your team will pick between three challenges. Each week you will record your success toward meeting that challenge and get points for each time you are successful.
6. I don’t believe in ties, what if multiple people are successful at meeting the challenge? You can earn bonus points each week for participating in additional wellness activities that go above and beyond the challenge. For instance, you might earn 5 bonus points for attending an exercise/yoga class one week, or get a bonus point for every time you bring you lunch for a week. Hopefully this will decrease the likelihood of ties, but if there is still a tie, we will just have multiple winners or a Rock Paper Scissor match.
7. I really want to win; can I bribe you to make sure I get the KIPP Well Hoodie? I cannot be bought.
8. What do you mean by personal development opportunities? Personal development opportunities are classes, info sessions and working groups that are focused on improving your personal wellbeing. These will focus on helping you improve your nutrition, fitness and health. Some examples include team and family cooking classes, mindfulness training, and brown bag lunch sessions to discuss how you handle the stress of teaching.
9. When is this getting started? The first set of challenges will start on Monday, October 26, 2015. KIPP Fit will kick off on Monday, November 9, 2015 and will run for 12 weeks. Other staff wellness events will take place on an ongoing basis throughout the year.
