What is the ETWR-ED Recognition Program
The ETWR-Ed Recognition Program acknowledges East Tennessee schools that demonstrate excellence in delivering wellness to school educators. Launched in 2022, ETWR-Ed is now a three-tier program that evaluates efforts a school has made to improve educator health, such as evidence-based built environment and policy changes. To receive recognition, worksites must have a supportive wellness infrastructure and must meet a certain number of criteria related to disease monitoring and prevention, physical activity, nutrition, mental health, substance abuse and tobacco use and prevention.
Who can Apply for ETWR-Ed Recognition?
We encourage all elementary schools to apply. Elementary schools outside of Knox County will be eligible for ETWR Recognition and example policies and procedures, but only Knox County schools will be eligible for resources purchased with grant funding.
The Three Tiers of ETWR-Ed Recognition
ETWR Bronze recognizes schools that demonstrate a solid foundation for incorporating wellness into their employee culture. An example may be a healthy vending policy or a specified area for educators to go when on break.
ETWR Gold recognizes schools that demonstrate excellence in worksite wellness and have implemented evidence-based strategies to achieve a culture of health in their workplace.
ETWR Platinum is awarded to worksite that have maintained ETWR Gold status for at least one year, demonstrate sustainability and prioritize quality improvement around employee wellness. These schools have become the standard for successful educator wellness. To achieve this recognition, they will complete a comprehensive on-site visit with the ETWR Chair to discuss current wellness initiatives.
Click here to see the program criteria.
The Knox County Health Department (KCHD) has received grant funding to help Knox County Schools create cultures of health with evidence-based strategies. KCHD uses this money to purchase wellness items for ETWR Recognized schools.
Schools can describe areas where they could use additional resources to start new wellness initiatives or improve upon existing initiatives.
Below is a list of some of the available resources and incentives that Knox County Schools can request:
- Signs to identify walking routes
- Bike Racks
- Healthy vending toolkit and vending compliance calculator
- Window decals and ETWR certificates of recognition
- Drug-free workplace trainings
- Scales and blood pressure cuffs for monitoring employee health
- View a printable list of available ETWR-Ed Resources
Questions?
Click Here for frequently asked questions. If you have further questions, please contact Julia Nieforth at Julia.nieforth@knoxcounty.org
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