Healthy Resilient Staff Are Your Educational Advantage
Making a difference in Oregon Schools: Voices from the field
Amazing Panel Members Rainier School District Michael Carter, Superintendent Portland Public Schools Whitney Ellersick, Senior Director, Nutrition Services David Douglas School District Joanne Maki, PE Teacher & Wellness Coordinator Corvallis School District, Gigi Sims, District Wellness Coordinator
Rainier School District Gaining active leadership support
PPS Nutrition Services Engaging hard to reach employees
A Case Study of the David Douglas School District Portland, Oregon Successes and Challenges Joanne Maki Physical Educator, Ron Russell Middle School District Wellness Co-Coordinator, David Douglas School District joanne_maki@ddsd40.org
Our “Why’s” for Educators 1) Retention rate for teachers a) Constant high levels of stress b) Lack of respect for your profession c) Every person thinks they can do your job d) Burnout e) Money 2) Obesity rate 3) Absenteeism 4) Support system 5) Teachers are first responders
Other “Why’s” for Wellness Working to create healthy schools in David Douglas Our big reasons: 1) To be your best at anything , you must take care of yourself. 2) School employees tend to put others before themselves. Often this leads to a lack of wellness in their own lives. 3) We want to teach/model for students how to be physically active, about healthy food choices, and how to deal with stress.
Key Elements of Success Representation at the district level ● This is who people will listen to ○ (have a chair at the meetings) Superintendent buy-in and support ● Partnership with the union ● Ex: getting rid of cake at an annual kick-off event ○ Partner with culinary class at the high school ●
Key Elements of Success Partner with Kaiser ● Activity at the kick off event (start of school) ● District Admin model for principals what they ● could/ should do with their staff during meetings Developed a Wellness Council ● District Challenges/ Building Challenges ● Monthly Newsletter ●
What we would do differently Build Administration support first ● Meeting with all Site Directors and ○ Principals this year Lead with mental health ● Hard-to-reach employees ● Classified employees ○ Other sites ○ Wellness policy presented to all ● staff at the beginning of the year Be passionate, but don’t take it ● personally
What we would do differently That Scary “W” word ● Wellness ○ Experience resistance because it’s associated ○ with exercise and eating That Taboo Topic ● Mental Health ○ Mindfulness (has some negative associations) ○ Meet people where they are ●
1 Thing You Are Still Wondering About! 3 2 1
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