Red Deer Catholic is using a $27,500 grant to promote health and wellness in their teachers.

They've received the grant from the Alberta Healthy School Community Wellness Fund through the University of Alberta in the past but have never before used it in the direction of the teachers.

They believe however that providing healthier options creates a healthier atmosphere in general.

Char Andrew Health and Wellness Coordinator explain that they are glad to shift up the focus from the students for a change.

“We're talking about mental wellness, self-care, bringing in some guest speakers to talk to the staff about their own personal wellness,” she explains. “Wellness means something different to everybody, it doesn’t always have to be about active living or nutrition, it could be about mental health as well.”

Andrew says by helping out the teachers, they are creating positive role models and habits which in turn helps the students too.

“We asked our staff what kind of stuff they wanted to use the money for and a lot of the stuff involved mental wellness.”

Andrew hopes that the grant will provide staff with support for health and wellness of staff by offering a variety of fitness classes, sessions on nutrition, mindfulness and self-care.

“It could be used for a number of things physical activity, nutrition, heart health, anything that entails total body wellness.”

Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools serves over 10,000 students in 21 schools in Red Deer, Sylvan Lake, Rocky Mountain House, Innisfail, Blackfalds and Olds.