The City of St. Charles School District is excited to announce it has been named the St. Louis Business Journal’s “2018 Healthiest Employer.” The award was presented to the District during a ceremony at the Jefferson Ballroom on October 18. The District was one of five businesses/ organizations that were nominated for the award in the 500-1,499 employees category.

“It’s wonderful to receive such a recognition from the St. Louis Business Journal,” said Dr. Jason Sefrit, District superintendent. “The City of St. Charles School District knows that a healthy staff is a happy and productive staff. This award is validation that we are on the right track. It is a great honor.”

When explaining why the District won the award, the St. Louis Business Journal cited the District’s “The Bridge Health Center”, an in-house health clinic available to District employees and their family members, its Health Risk Assessment and Wellness Program and individual building wellness advocates as key factors for winning the award.

The Bridge Health Center and its Health Risk Assessment and Wellness Program is the culmination of years of work by Dr. Charles Brazeale, assistant superintendent of business and technology, and the District's benefits and wellness committee.  

“We needed to find a solution for keeping rising health insurance costs down, while still providing our employees excellent and convenient care,” Brazeale said. “The Bridge Health Center allows us to do both while instituting a proactive wellness initiative that benefits both the District and our employees.”

Since opening at the District’s Lewis & Clark Career Center in January of 2016, the District estimates they save $200,000 annually in health care costs.

“We’re very pleased with how well The Bridge Health Center and our health initiatives have been received by our employees,” Brazeale said. “It’s nice to know that the hard work of a lot of people is benefiting the lives of our employees inside and outside of the workplace.”