Educator Wellbeing Initiative
A national movement to address low wellbeing in US school systems
A widespread teacher shortage in America is now a national crisis as K-12 schools are struggling to hire and retain teachers and essential staff as school employees are experiencing burnout, financial stress and low morale.
What’s behind this crisis?
An epidemic of low wellbeing, notably poor mental health, financial stress and workplace demands. In the United States, 44% of teachers in K-12 education said they very often or always feel burned out at work, and 55 percent of educators are considering leaving the profession earlier than planned.
“I have never seen it this bad,” said Dan Domenech, executive director of the School Superintendents Association. “Right now it’s number one on the list of issues that are concerning school districts … and hard-pressed districts are going to have to come up with some solutions.”
School officials everywhere are scrambling to ensure that, as students return to classrooms, someone will be there to educate them.
Low staff wellbeing lowers teaching effectiveness and student achievement. And with skyrocketing health insurance costs, schools may be forced to cut student programs and salaries which will exacerbate staffing shortages.
The Solution: Whole Person Wellbeing
Low educator wellbeing portends serious implications for students, schools and society and can widen achievement gaps, increase classroom management issues, and negatively impact social emotional learning, all of which impacts on students, families, communities.
The solution: improve school staff wellbeing
According to the CDC, fostering the physical and mental health of school staff supports students’ health and academic success. By improving staff wellbeing in US schools, school staff can give their best because they feel their best.
But this requires that schools follow evidence-based models that take a whole person approach to health, which includes physical, mental and financial wellbeing. By creating caring cultures that support teacher wellbeing it can bring benefits that cascade into classrooms.
Wellbeing initiatives can help schools attract and retain talent, reduce absenteeism, and improve student test scores. They can lower healthcare costs by helping staff bring their best selves to work.
Join The Movement
Returns On Wellbeing Institute is launching a national initiative to improve wellbeing in K-12 schools. This initiative will include a school-focused wellbeing curriculum and other resources that help schools create wellness programs that adhere to our research-based 6 Best Practices Model ©.
Anchor School Partner: Sun Prairie Area School District (SPASD)
We are collaborating with Sun Prairie Area School District, in Greater Madison Area, WI, as an anchor school partner. SPASD will draw from its award winning wellness program, and serves as a beta test site for new school-focused wellbeing programs based on our 6 Best Practices Model.
Wellbeing Strategy Plans
Because leadership support is key for launching and sustaining wellbeing initiatives, this initiative will arm schools with the evidence and strategies they need to convince their leadership teams to fund and support school wellbeing programming.
School Wellbeing Curriculum
This initiative will center on helping K-12 schools understand the core tenets of effective wellbeing strategies. The curriculum will be designed around our 6 Best Practices Model, help school administrators and grasp the basics of effective wellbeing planning.
K-12 Wellbeing Network
This project will create a network for K-12 wellness program implementers to share insights via a national community. We are also assembling a network of wellbeing experts to support K-12 schools, contribute insights and offer affordable programs and tools.
Join The Movement
We seek partners who can help us address the crisis in US school systems by creating healthier schools for staff, teachers and students and cultivating environments that promote educator wellbeing. Are you…
A K-12 HR or wellness professional?
A K-12 principal or superintendent?
A K-12 education sector membership association
A wellness vendor who can or has worked with K-12 schools?
A company that wants to learn about sponsoring this initiative?