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Exos, the industry-leading performance coaching company, and Wellness in the Schools (WITS) have partnered with New York City Public School’s Office of School Wellness Programs (OSWP) to launch a first-of-its-kind Coach Council. The three organizations will work together to develop professional leadership events and opportunities for New York City’s (NYC) public school physical education (PE) teachers and coaches, including virtual education and a Coaches’ Continuing Education Summit, expanding opportunities for accessible health and wellness for staff and students alike.
Following the successful launch of the city’s Chef Council and Exos x WITS' daily fitness breaks at NYC public schools, the organizations saw a critical need to rejuvenate and support NYC's PE teachers and coaches who have been hit especially hard by burnout. To compound issues for PE teachers and coaches, kids are 20% less active than they were pre-pandemic, making their role of motivating and getting kids moving especially vital.
Incorporating key foundations of mindset, nutrition, movement and recovery with professional learning practices for NYC public school coaches and physical education teachers, the Coach Council will support physical activity role models to be their best as they teach, coach, and inspire NYC students towards healthy habits. Exos and WITS will host continuing education for PE teachers and coaches, lifting up the priority this administration places on inclusive, inspiring and accessible health and wellness for staff and students.
Mission
The Coach Council's mission is to provide high-quality professional learning and leadership education to middle school physical education teachers, coaches, and wellness champions to invest in their futures as coaches, leaders and humans.
Goal
The program's goal is to provide NYC PE teachers and coaches with resources to take better care of themselves and learn how to empower their fellow teachers and students to do the same, creating a sustainable cycle of wellbeing for NYC students and educators.
Coach Council Members
The Coach Council will be comprised of elite coaches and wellness programming leaders including:
- Errol Jones - Senior Program Manager, Wellness in the Schools
- Jason Garrett - NBC Correspondent, Former NFL player & NY Giants coach
- Jenna Wolfe - TV Journalist & Elite Personal Trainer
- Liz McSpedon - NYC Office of School Wellness
- Mark Verstegen - Exos President & Founder, Elite Training Coach
Coach Council Summit
Exos and the Coach Council will also partner with WITS and the NYC Public Schools to host the first-ever Coaches Summit in honor of National Coaches Day on October 6, 2023, incorporating key foundations of mindset, nutrition, movement and recovery with professional learning practices for NYC public schools. PE teachers from all 32 NYC districts with middle schools will be invited to attend as research has shown that physical activity has dropped off in middle school. The coaches will learn directly from the Coach Council and Exos' performance coaches, and be empowered to share what they’ve learned with their colleagues to increase wellness activities in daily school programming, including the recently launched Exos x WITS' daily fitness breaks. Each coach will also receive CTLE New York State Continuing Teacher and Leader Education (CTLE) as appointed by the NYC Department of Education.
About Exos
For almost 25 years, Exos has been dedicated to getting people ready for the moments that matter by promoting a holistic approach to health. As an elite coaching company, Exos applies its evidence-based methodology to programming designed to unlock the potential in everyone from elite athletes to corporate employees, first responders, military operators, and beyond. This personalized, results-driving approach is why nearly 25% of the Fortune 100 companies trust Exos as their workplace well-being partner. Exos’ 4K+ team members impact 300K+ lives in 400+ facilities in over 60 countries.
About Coach for Good
For over 23 years, Exos has focused on human-centered coaching and wellness programming designed to help employees, athletes, military operators, and more to show up and be their best each and every day. Exos’ signature social impact program, Coach for Good, is powered by their coaches (2,000+ strong) and tasked to serve their core beneficiary communities of youth, female athletes, and the military. The program funds, supports, and enables access to helping these communities get ready for the moments that matter most in their lives.
About Wellness in the Schools
Wellness in the Schools is a national nonprofit that teaches children healthy habits to learn and live better. Through public-private partnerships, we work with schools to provide healthy, scratch-cooked meals, active recess periods, and fitness and nutrition education. Trained culinary graduates partner with cafeteria staff to feed kids real food, and fitness coaches encourage schools to let kids play. Our partnership approach drives systemic, long-term change, shifting the entire culture of schools and ultimately fighting the childhood obesity epidemic.
About Office of School Wellness Programs
The New York City Department of Education’s Office of School Wellness Programs, empowers students to take care of their minds, bodies and others around them to build a foundation for lifelong learning. The Office has partnered with WITS for more than 12 years, and works with districts and schools to create opportunities for health and physical education, and other wellness-related programming to meet the vision of the DOE’s Citywide Wellness Policy.