This article is featured in the January 2024 issue of Horizons, SISD's magazine.
Elementary teachers pour their hearts into their students. They give their time, talents, and much more into ensuring Sunnyvale ISD’s littlest Raiders are taken care of and are learning appropriately.
However, there are times when teachers need care and attention, as well.
Enter SES Counselor Lee Ann Hill, who has implemented “Wellness Wednesdays,” a monthly event scheduled to encourage the SES staff to focus on their physical and mental well-being. Staff members are allowed to wear leisure wear on these special days and they participate in a wellness activity and are given a special treat.
“In October, we planned for two massage therapists for the day to visit our campus,” Hill said. “Teachers paid for 15 minute time slots on their breaks. In November, the focus was on gratitude. We ordered gratitude journals for all staff members.”
According to the National Library of Medicine, “...educators are in a profession with a uniquely high level of stress and burnout, suggesting that they would benefit from wellness programming.“ By creating Wellness Wednesdays, the SES administration is supporting the SES staff in ways that only leads to the overall health of the entire campus.
“Every year we focus on the social and emotional well being of our staff and students,” Hill said. “It is a priority because it is all about relationships. We care deeply about our people and want to meet them where they are. If we know that someone is having a rough time we try to step in and help in any way possible.”
The SES administrative team also regularly recognizes staff members who reinforce the concepts of health and wellness on their campus.
“Aside from Wellness Wednesdays we are constantly implementing ways to celebrate our staff so that they feel values,” Hill said. “We also have an award called The Peacemaker Award. This award is for staff members to nominate people on our campus that do wonderful things and help maintain the peace on our campus.”