May 13, 2026

On two spring afternoons at Rochester City School District’s Dr. Iris J. Bannister School 33, the cafeteria transformed from a lunchroom into an adult learning hub—filled with giant sticky notes, small-group stations, and lively conversation. Gym teachers, kitchen managers, and other school professionals—about 40 to 50 per workshop—moved through a hands-on professional development experience designed to spark reflection, build practical skills, and strengthen support for students.

Hosted by Healthi Kids in collaboration with RCSD’s Department of Health, Physical Education and Athletics, the Healthi Connections Professional Development Series brought educators together for two interactive, two-hour workshops. Both sessions were part of our work with Creating Healthy School and Communities (CHSC), a New York State Department of Health-funded program targeting high-need areas to reduce obesity and chronic disease that works to promote healthy behaviors by improving nutrition, increasing physical activity, and implementing policy changes in schools, early care settings, and communities. 

Workshop 1: Kid-Approved Nutrition in the Classroom

In the first session, facilitator Laurencé Walker of Cornell Cooperative Extension invited participants to think about nutrition as something they can support through small, realistic shifts—especially around snacks and the everyday food choices students encounter.

To kick things off, Richter used a visual analogy with paper, sticks, and a log to show how different foods fuel the body. Paper stood in for ultra-processed foods—quick to burn and quick to fade. Sticks represented minimally processed foods like oatmeal, applesauce, and yogurt, offering steadier energy. Burning the longest, the log reflected whole foods such as apples, carrots, and whole milk that provide more lasting fuel.

Participants moved between stations, compared nutrition labels side-by-side, digging into serving sizes, identifying added sugars, and practicing using the food label as a tool. They also talked candidly about what’s easy, what’s hard, and what foods students are actually bringing into school.  

Mike Bulger, director of whole child health at Common Ground Health, highlighted “look-alike snacks”—items served at school that resemble convenience-store snacks but are reformulated to meet school nutrition guidelines. When students and families see similar packaging, it can blur the line between what’s offered at school and what’s sold elsewhere, shaping perceptions of what is “healthy.”

That resonated with Clint Riegle, a gym teacher at School 35, who was interested to learn about how to motivate kids to eat better. “We see them in the hallways, and they've got bags of Takis and cans of Pringles and Kit Kat bars, and that's basically what they're used to. And so I think it comes more from home life, but I don't know,” he said. “Some kids may not understand that they’ve got a bad habit.”

Participants discussed real barriers that can make healthy choices harder at school, including limited time to eat, inconsistent access, and the reality that many students bring snacks from home that may be less nutritious.

The session also addressed nutrition concepts in practical terms educators could carry with them: how carbohydrates can be helpful when they’re tied to fiber, how added sugars can contribute to energy spikes and crashes, and how fats that stay liquid at room temperature are healthier than those that solidify. The workshop also introduced MyPlate.gov as a helpful, easy-to-grasp visual for balanced meals and snack planning—an option many saw as a helpful conversation starter with colleagues and students.

First grade teacher Lisa Oliver had some clear takeaways from the session. “Learning to read those labels, is very, very important. I think our children could benefit from something like this,” she said, especially as they get older. Oliver also saw things she could bring to her younger students. “I love the visual of that little plate. Because I think that would be very easy for my kids to understand, showing that the vegetables should be the most on your plate.”

Workshop 2: Ready… Set… Discipline? Why Our Youth Need Play Even in Times of Discipline

A week later, educators returned to the cafeteria for a different topic. Led by Devin Malik Anglin of Sankofa Leadership Associates, the second workshop invited participants to examine the punitive habits adults are often trained to use and instead explore positive, restorative approaches that build skills and strengthen relationships.

From the start, the session emphasized a guiding question: What shifts when we center play? The conversation moved quickly from theory to practice. Participants discussed how play and movement can help lower stress levels, provide a healthy distraction, support emotional regulation, and create opportunities to practice skills, not just give consequences.

When the facilitator asked, “Who in this room can regulate their emotions easily during stressful times?” not one person raised their hand. The point was clear: if adults struggle to regulate under stress, it makes sense that young people need coaching, practice, and supportive strategies—not just punishment.

Like the nutrition session, this workshop was built around small-group stations and active participation. Educators rotated through activities that prompted reflection, shared stories, and generated practical ideas to try in real situations. Strategies centered on getting to the root of the behavior included:

  • When a student doesn’t want to participate, try offering another meaningful role or job rather than punishment.
  • Asking the student to assist in creating a plan to address the behavior helps to build personal responsibility.
  • Partnering with families without “telling on” a child allows educators to share strategies caregivers can practice at home.
  • Moving away from a “three strikes” approach and toward ongoing coaching, builds skills and facilitates repair.

The session also named something educators don’t always get to discuss: the cost of losing play opportunities. When play is removed as a punishment, students can miss out on chances to develop imagination, creativity, and the very human skills that support learning and relationships.

Across both two-hour workshops participants weren’t passive listeners, but active participants, learning from presenters and from one another. In the cafeteria setting, the series created space for the kinds of conversations that rarely fit into a busy school day: what students are experiencing, what’s getting in the way, and what small shifts could make a difference tomorrow.

“It's a good way to get people thinking and talking,” said Anglin. “That's why I'm having people define play, define positive discipline. Because if you can't define it, then you can't use it.”

That made sense to Bethany Lockhart, a social worker at RCSD School 15, who came to the session looking for lessons—and language—she could bring back to her colleagues. “I supervise for my project, which is all child-led, play-based learning, and I want to be able to tell teachers more because I believe all this stuff but don’t always have the words to tell them. I want to be able to advocate for kids.”

Delaina Carraway Blair, a special education teacher of first and second graders, came away with a new way of thinking. “When I think of discipline and I think of play, I think of them as being polar opposites,” she said. “It seems kind of foreign, but at the same time, it really isn’t. It’s just about building a system.”

What Educators Say They Need Next

In response to a brief survey, educators emphasized how effective the hands-on, station-based learning was for building understanding and sparking ideas they could take back to schools. But participants also made clear that sustaining the work requires support beyond a single session.

When asked what would help bring this learning into classrooms, 41% identified a need for additional resources, materials, or funding, while 35% emphasized the importance of stronger district-level support. The feedback reinforced a consistent message: RCSD professionals are ready to apply what they learned—and they want the tools, systems, and support to make it stick.