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Promoting Wellbeing
in the Workplace
Connecting with colleagues through movement
Sunny skies and fall colors set the stage for FIS Run Club members
Running clubs are growing at FISO and FISW as colleagues continue to commit to maintaining their physical and mental
wellbeing by getting out running or walking in the stunning nature surrounding our campuses. Run Club at FISO, which has been coordinated by Grade 4 teacher Gill Koeniger since September of this year, is open to all FIS employees from the Oberursel campus. Similarly, Middle School teacher Christina Bachl has been organizing the Run and Walk Club at FISW.
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, a teacher based in the United Kingdom, Daniel Chaplen, started an online group called “Teachers’ Run Club.” He was amazed at the response when teachers connected with each other on this virtual platform from all over the world.“Teachers’ Run Club” uses social media to connect and to motivate teachers to reach their physical and mental health goals.
As lockdown measures eased, the chance for colleagues to meet again in person inspired the start of Run Club at FIS. Many of our colleagues have already discovered their love for running, as witnessed by the size of groups that represent FIS in local races such as the JP Morgan Lauf, the Oberursel Zimmersmühlenlauf or the Frankfurt Marathon Relay Event. But it quickly became clear that many people also wanted to join who preferred to be walkers, so the group merged into a walk/run group. Upper School teacher Mahima Gurtu has been organizing regular walks for colleagues for years and had already recruited a fun and enthusiastic group.
The Run Club meets weekly after school, with the purpose of encouraging and supporting walkers and runners to stay active, thereby promoting physical and mental health. The value of spending time in nature has been widely acknowledged to promote wellbeing, and at FIS we are certainly spoiled by the stunning forests that surround both our campuses. Research shows that there
4 FIS World November 2022