FONTANA, CA – Fontana Unified School District was honored with a Bronze Workplace Health Solutions Award by the American Heart Association (AHA) for the District’s dedication to promoting wellness in the workplace in 2018-19. This is the second year in a row the District has received a Bronze recognition.

Fontana Unified joins hundreds of organizations in the country that received a Workplace Health Solution Award – either bronze, silver or gold – based on their AHA Workplace Health Achievement Index scores. The index uses science-based best practices to evaluate the overall wellness, quality and comprehensiveness of workplace wellness programs.

“The Wellness Committee tries to give our Fontana Unified family multiple options and fluid access to healthcare information, based on their individual needs,” said Traci Matuguina, FUSD Coordinator of Fiscal Services and FUSD Wellness Committee member. “We try to select programs that are both effective and fun. Staying healthy and fit are our priorities.”

The District will host its annual Wellness Fair on Oct. 16, providing teachers, staff and administrators with health and wellness information, free medical, dental and vision screenings, massages and information about the open enrollment period.

Twice a year, the District provides its employees with a voluntary wellness challenge. The fall semester program is Health for the Holidays, which allows participants to record healthy behaviors through a mobile app as they collect inches of “snow” to create an animated holiday scene.

Users receive snow for recording 6,000 steps a day, eating healthy and completing a task from their daily gift box. The goal is to reach 90 inches of snow in a six-week period. Employees who reach the goal will be entered into a gift card raffle. More than 300 FUSD employees have signed up for the program so far. The fall challenge will begin on Oct. 21.

Diabetes prevention support is also available through the District’s health plans. Kaiser Permanente members can enroll in the weight management program “Healthy Balance” directly through Kaiser Permanente. Anthem Blue Cross members have access to Solera, which offers programs such as Weight Watchers for those who have been diagnosed as pre-diabetic.

The District is also offering employees discounted rates for gym memberships to Planet Fitness.

Fontana Unified’s Wellness Committee consists of members from the Fontana Teachers Association, United Steelworkers, Police Officers Association and Fontana Management Association, as well as the associate superintendent of business services, administrators from Human Resources, partners from their team at Keenan and Associates, Kaiser Permanente, and Anthem Blue Cross.

“It’s important for our Fontana faculty, staff and administrators to stay healthy and active, which will lead to a more enriching and fulfilling academic experience for our students,” FUSD Superintendent Randal S. Bassett said. “Thank you to our Wellness Committee members, who work tirelessly on behalf of the entire District.”