Episode 803: Educator Wellness: How Care and Connection Transform Culture

Ashley Mengwasser:

The success of Georgia students is proportionate to a driving quality they cannot see. The overall feeling of productivity and well-being experienced by their educators. Behind the professional who educates and guides their class is a person requiring balance, rest and support. This episode reveals a definite flex better than your local gym membership, a program designed expressly for teacher wellness. You're going to love it. Let's warm up.

Hello, Georgia teachers. Your platform for teacher talk starts now. You're listening to Classroom Conversations, season eight, the platform for Georgia's teachers. I'm your fitness instructor host, Ashley Mengwasser, asking you to stretch those ears for a more limber listening experience. How's that for vigor? The Classroom Conversation Series is a beautiful team effort by two essentially workout buddies, the Georgia Department of Education and Georgia Public Broadcasting, both on a mission to make strong educational media to serve Georgia's K-12 teachers and students. So, let's go for another rep, shall we?

We often talk about supporting students on this podcast series, but what makes a staff fit for the challenge of educating Georgia's K-12 students? In this state's 159 counties across a 180-day school year? Well, it takes peak teacher health, mental and emotional fortitude, space for socialization, and a protected sense of efficacy on the job. There's a really cool wellness program afoot to secure thriving staff and thriving schools in our state. It's called Wellness in Action. Over the coming months, Georgia DOE's Educator Support and Development Division invites you to participate in collaborative sessions with your local RESAs to explore practical strategies that support educator well-being.

We'll talk more about GaDOE's Wellness in Action sessions at the end of the podcast. But first, let's study teacher wellness with a couple of wellness gurus. Here on the pod is Classroom Conversations’ long-timer, Dr. Maisha Otway, principal of College Park Elementary School in Fulton County. And she's joined by Classroom Conversations’ newbie, Jetanne Dugger. As the school's Front Desk Receptionist, Jetannealso naturally took on the title of Wellness Ambassador for the school. Dr. Otway, Jetanne, hello. Welcome to the pod.

Jetanne Dugger:

Hello.

Dr. Maisha Otway:

Hello.

Jetanne Dugger:

Hello.

Ashley Mengwasser:

How are you? Are you both well? That feels like the right question.

Dr. Maisha Otway:

We are.

Jetanne Dugger:

We are well. Yes.

Dr. Maisha Otway:

We are. We are well.

Ashley Mengwasser:

You are well. Dr. Otway, guess who's back? Shady’s back! Back again! You were on with season six rather to talk to us about asthma.

Dr. Maisha Otway:

Asthma. Mm-hmm.

Ashley Mengwasser:

Okay. Well, we hope we can upgrade that experience for you. And you're still also the coolest principal I've ever known because I am following you probably far too closely on the ‘Gram.

Jetanne Dugger:

On the ‘Gram, yes.

Ashley Mengwasser:

On the ‘Gram. What's new at College Park Elementary these days?

Dr. Maisha Otway:

What's new at College Park Elementary? Well, it's mid-year. We just came back and we're trying to make sure everyone's safe for cold and flu. We're looking great with our academics at this time of year, so we're just in the building, running around, making sure that we're enjoying ourselves and keeping well.

Ashley Mengwasser:

All right. Thanks, Dr. Otway. And with Jetanne here, how long have you two worked together?

Jetanne Dugger:

Oh...

Dr. Maisha Otway:

Seven years.

Jetanne Dugger:

She hired me from downstairs. I was a para-.

Ashley Mengwasser:

Ah.

Jetanne Dugger:

And so, I interviewed to be at the front desk and guess what? She said yes.

Ashley Mengwasser:

She said yes.

Jetanne Dugger:

She did, yes, yes.

Ashley Mengwasser:

One thing that I love is that when we first spoke Jetanne, you told me your name is pronounced like the word baton.

Jetanne Dugger:

Correct.

Ashley Mengwasser:

And the baton of wellness was passed to you.

Jetanne Dugger:

It was.

Ashley Mengwasser:

Because you were the Front Desk Receptionist and are, but now you also have become the school's Wellness Ambassador. How did that role switcheroo happen for you?

Jetanne Dugger:

Well, we talked about it. I had started something small, a morning meditation on Mondays. And from there we went on, just picked up the wellness baton and it really worked. And now it's a part of my goals for the year.

Ashley Mengwasser:

And this is something that you support in the school daily as part of your position, or multiple times a week in different...

Jetanne Dugger:

It's every Wednesday and then on Mondays is morning meditation.

Ashley Mengwasser:

Okay. Well, we're going to get into these exact programs and initiatives that you encompass here. Dr. Otway, what is it about College Park Elementary in particular and the school culture and the staff there that makes new initiatives like this flourish?

Dr. Maisha Otway:

What makes new initiatives like this flourish is definitely connected to the target conversations that we have around culture and the needs of our staff. And we always are talking about our students. And so, we focus around how we can connect and how we can be well, because the news doesn't need to come and tell us that our job is stressful, but it's also fun. And then how do we do things that keep us well and work hard and work well? So, we know they all go hand in hand and it's a special place to be because culture is at the forefront and we know that if we are not connecting and we're not having fun and we're not going to make the outcomes that we need. And so, it becomes a part of every conversation.

We keep the kids in front of the room and in the front every time, knowing that we want them to be leaders and direct their own learning. And then how are we supporting and being leaders of our own health and wellness? And so, it's a special place to be.

Ashley Mengwasser:

When you both reflect on the phrase educator wellness, sounds kind of loaded, right? What does it look like in a real day-to-day school environment from your perspective?

Dr. Maisha Otway:

From my perspective, educators need an opportunity to connect. They need an opportunity to be clear around what their goals are, what the vision and the mission is, and celebrated when we meet those goals and we have space to do that. And so, we look at all of the pillars, of course, they're pillars for wellness, but how do we create space to make it happen intentionally in the schedule? And it's one of those things where people would say, "Oh, we have to be together every day. I want to go home." But it really impacts, everyone leaves the activities feeling connected and that's the goal. They have to be connected.

Ashley Mengwasser:

Absolutely. That connection is so key. And Jetanne, from your perspective at the front desk, you're interacting with staff, students, teachers, all day long.

Jetanne Dugger:

All day long. Uh-huh.

Ashley Mengwasser:

So, I imagine you observe what teacher wellness looks like when it's going well, right?

Jetanne Dugger:

Yes, yes.

Ashley Mengwasser:

How would you describe that quality?

Jetanne Dugger:

When it's going well, I can honestly say that they really enjoy a lot of the activities that we have every Wednesday. Like I said, last Wednesday, we came back to a reset. That's what I called it a reset. Just reset as in drinking your water, which we all know we need to hydrate.

Ashley Mengwasser:

Hydrate or die-drate!

Jetanne Dugger:

And walking. And so, we started with hydrating. And it was just a simple case of water.

Dr. Maisha Otway:

Three gallons.

Jetanne Dugger:

And when I tell you, everybody stopped by my desk, but you have to pledge that you're going to drink more water. So, they'll say, I take the pledge and they put their names in the Lord, in the bucket and you would think it was a million dollars.

Ashley Mengwasser:

Really?

Jetanne Dugger:

And Dr. Otway gets to choose out of the bucket, of course.

Ashley Mengwasser:

Who wins the case of water?

Jetanne Dugger:

Who wins the case of water.

Ashley Mengwasser:

So, it was a water raffle. Yes.

Jetanne Dugger:

A water raffle.

Ashley Mengwasser:

And they thought it was a million bucks.

Jetanne Dugger:

A million bucks.

Dr. Maisha Otway:

Yes.

Jetanne Dugger:

Yes.

Ashley Mengwasser:

So, who won?

Jetanne Dugger:

Dr. Mills.

Dr. Maisha Otway:

Actually, this time was our assistant principal.

Jetanne Dugger:

Yes, yes, she won and she was so excited.

Ashley Mengwasser:

And she took the water pledge?

Jetanne Dugger:

She did, she did.

Ashley Mengwasser:

These are such great ideas and we're going to go piece by piece into some other ones that you have. But I am curious about how you go from vision to implementation. So, how do you begin rolling out a program like the Wellness Ambassadors Program at your school? Where does it start? What are those first few steps when you decide you want to do this?

Dr. Maisha Otway:

Actually, we initially went to the Georgia Metro RESA training around wellness in schools. And so, when we attended that training, we learned that these are activities and things that you can do inside your building, but you need someone who's going to be the core or the key person to leveraging it. And at College Park, it was really a marriage between some things that Jetanne was already doing and then what we were trying to complete and everything can't fall under the administrators or the principal. And it was things that she was naturally doing.

So, it came to how do we make this systemic or how do we make it in a place that everybody can engage with this all day long and consistently with some of these themes. And when we said we needed the ambassador role, the district started giving out grants and money for schools that applied. Well, who are you going to go ask to do it? You need a person. It was a marriage between Jetanne's natural desire and activities that she was putting together just here or there. Now let's put some structure to it. And then now we have opportunities to align with the district and they're going to offer grant money to do certain wellness things in your building.

That's how it went from basically we have the ideas here. Now how do we put structure and implementation and then align with some of the things that we learned at the Metro RESA training.

Ashley Mengwasser:

So, you needed your poster woman and that's you, Jetanne.

Jetanne Dugger:

That's me. I'm here.

Dr. Maisha Otway:

There she is.

Ashley Mengwasser:

Here she is in this flesh.

Dr. Maisha Otway:

She is even this for families. When the parents come in upset or the parents come in excited, she's able to be that person for them.

Ashley Mengwasser:

So, you needed a person, which we have. How did you go about determining what the initiatives would be? Were you pulling your staff or the ideas?

Jetanne Dugger:

Well, I did some research. It really started simple. I'm going back to thinking about how it started even with mints. Remember before we even had this.

Ashley Mengwasser:

Mints.

Jetanne Dugger:

You go past my desk and you look a little peakish, you might need a mint. Okay? And so, we started about Dr. Otway bought mints. You go back there and get your mint. And then I was like, "Oh, this is something." So, it all kind of worked together. It's just interesting. You started with the mints and then Dr. Otway called me in her office and we discussed it and we came up with a plan because she's big on plans.

Ashley Mengwasser:

Respect, respect Dr. Otway.

Jetanne Dugger:

You got to have a plan. At first I was like, "We don't need a plan, I could..." No, but once you sit down and see the plan and see the structure, it really works. It really works.

Ashley Mengwasser:

And it's still working for you guys. You said it's been about five years since you first decided to chase this thing. And I'm glad you guys took your RESA up on the opportunity because that's what we're promoting today. But in terms of the programs, you mentioned just the case of water that you raffled. You found out right away teachers were thirsty for this support, right?

Jetanne Dugger:

Yes, yes, yes, yes.

Ashley Mengwasser:

They were going to soak it up. So, take us through some of the programs and practices you offer under the teacher wellness umbrella. You mentioned the water giveaway. Another one that you talked about that I'm curious about is walking club. Who would like to tell me about walking club?

Jetanne Dugger:

Let Dr. Otway tell you about that walking club.

Dr. Maisha Otway:

Yeah. So, we initially learned about the five pillars when it's wellness with health, your spiritual wellness. We looked at all of the pillars. Jetanne jumped on and said, "Okay, each month I'm going to choose one and see who I can get in the community or how can I elevate that just as a water and the health, massage therapy, all of the things, mints."

Ashley Mengwasser:

Massage therapy?

Dr. Maisha Otway:

Right, yeah.

Ashley Mengwasser:

Just with collaborations with partners in the community?

Dr. Maisha Otway:

Uh-huh.

Ashley Mengwasser:

Oh, cool.

Dr. Maisha Otway:

And so, she'll have different themes, but every Wednesday will be the opportunity where it's executed. Health and walking was one of them. And so, we said, "All right. We had a group of maybe four of us." And every day, that January, maybe three years ago, four years ago, we started walking in the building. We were walking in the building. Then it went from walking in the building to walking outside. Then we said, "We could do a 5K." And I said, "The hot chocolate run is a fun one." Four years ago, we started the hot chocolate run, which is hosted right here in Atlanta, Georgia. We walk, we clock our minutes, we get our 10,000 steps a day or 6,000 or eight where people fall. And then together we collaboratively go on this walking club run, we’re the Wellness Walkers. That's what we're called.

Ashley Mengwasser:

The wellness walk?

Dr. Maisha Otway:

Yes. And we've even won challenges.

Ashley Mengwasser:

Really?

Dr. Maisha Otway:

So, the district, some of your insurance companies will have walking challenges. And at College Park, our custodian has won an Amazon gift card. I've won an Amazon gift card, but we all count our steps in an app and we've won challenges inside our school and outside our school from that walking club. And February 1st will be once again.

Jetanne Dugger:

Hot chocolate run again.

Ashley Mengwasser:

Okay. So, when you say walking club, you're talking about your teachers and staff are participating in this?

Jetanne Dugger:

Yes, yes.

Ashley Mengwasser:

And your custodian, you told me something about he added a weightlifting component to one of these wellness offerings. What's that about, Jetanne?

Jetanne Dugger:

Mr. Carson, he's wonderful. He will invite you to come in on Wednesdays and Thursdays now, and you can just come in the gym and he'll have a workout plan ready to roll.

Dr. Maisha Otway:

You won't be able to walk after you leave.

Jetanne Dugger:

No, you won't.

Dr. Maisha Otway:

Or within the hour.

Jetanne Dugger:

You'll be able to-

Dr. Maisha Otway:

However, he has it all set up and...

Jetanne Dugger:

All the stations. Yes, yes.

Dr. Maisha Otway:

It's abuse, but it's wellness.

Jetanne Dugger:

The wellness abuse.

Ashley Mengwasser:

We're working on that educator wellness.

Jetanne Dugger:

Yes.

Ashley Mengwasser:

The antidote to that might just occur in the Serenity Room.

Dr. Maisha Otway:

Yes.

Ashley Mengwasser:

Tell us about the Serenity Room you've developed, Jetanne.

Jetanne Dugger:

Well, let me go back and say, let's toot our horn. We won a grant.

Ashley Mengwasser:

All right.

Jetanne Dugger:

We won a grant from Fulton County in reference to helping out with that serenity spot. And our serenity spot is a place for teachers only to come in, have a seat, get a cup of coffee, get some tea, and sit in these relaxing chairs that would just definitely take you away for 20 minutes, for 30 minutes, whatever you have to.

Ashley Mengwasser:

Massage chair?

Jetanne Dugger:

Yes, yes. You sit there and it's wonderful. The backdrop is very serene. And when you go in, there's no stress in that room. None and none allowed. So, it's a great place to go.

Ashley Mengwasser:

It's a regenerative place for them.

Jetanne Dugger:

Yes.

Ashley Mengwasser:

Dr. Otway as the principal, have you ever made use of the Serenity Spot?

Dr. Maisha Otway:

I have made use of the Serenity Spot. I have not succumbed to the massage chairs.

Jetanne Dugger:

It is not safe.

Dr. Maisha Otway:

I have seen people sleeping in them. And when I'm at work for some reason, my wellness is definitely a high. I make sure I have my water. If I slow down, just I'm going to stay asleep. But yes, I definitely enjoy the space. I've made it clear that we don't have meetings in there so that the conflict of the space between having a meeting as well as being able to relax are different. Sometimes I'll be able to go in, but I don't require teachers to be a part of those meetings because we want them to feel like this is a place, where they can come and relax. And they've gone out and gotten donors to help donate other things. And every year, there's always something added to the space.

Ashley Mengwasser:

Can we go back to these visiting experts who come and talk to your teachers and staff? Tell me about what some examples of some might be.

Jetanne Dugger:

We had the credit union come. We had someone come and do massages, that was during our teacher's appreciation. I'm looking forward to someone to come out and teach the teachers about stretching even as you're standing at the board. Stretching while you're going, transitioning from class to class. So, just those type things that we're looking into doing this year to make it bigger.

Dr. Maisha Otway:

Yeah, and better.

Ashley Mengwasser:

And one thing you guys do weekly, I believe it is, but daily at the beginning of the year, is a practice that you said, Dr. Otway, this is so productive, this practice of 15-minute huddles.

Dr. Maisha Otway:

Yes. And so, just taking it away from a lot of the food industry or the fast food locations, there are opportunities for people to have this quick huddle where they get all down to business. Well, we have our weekly huddles that at the beginning of the year, for the first 30 days, we are huddling and there's a structure where we come in, we have a quote, we have some connection to what is actually going to motivate and move our work together and have really targeted conversations, but it also goes right into an opportunity to give awards for the week, the challenges that we've had, and then we also have competitions. And so, we have a house system.

We all are very protective of our house, which builds that connection. We do things like turn-and-talk, talk to your neighbor and share something. Right before the break, they all had to recite a quote of what they were required to do. And it was a little poem that I had around relaxation and how they're going to rejuvenate. And then, they get their awards every Wednesday, whatever milestones that we've completed, whatever challenges that we're having. They also have an opportunity to shout each other out, because it's not just coming from the leaders or the coaches, instructional coaches. It should come from each other. And so, we just go and it goes around like rapid-fire.

So, they're hearing all of this positivity and this focus on the work. And then we have announcements. We wrap it up with our wellness raffle. I pull the raffle and then everyone is able to go. And that's for all the staff for 15 minutes a day. In the first 30 days of school, people are always thinking, "Oh, we have to do that again." After it ends, when it's maybe two weeks after, they say, "Oh no, we need to go back into those huddles because we need them every day." I said, "The staff will kill me." They're like, "Nope, because people aren't understanding."

Because everyone is hearing the announcement and it's not just the email that goes out on Sunday, but it's the connection and really being able to connect. And so, that framework that we use is to create connections, which we know is wellness for our staff. And our paras are a part of it, our instructional paras, everyone is a part of it. And it was just easy, when you talk about structure and how did you get it from vision. It was like, "Okay, Dugger, you've included your raffles in this process. Now we're going to do it at the end of the day." And she's like, "Oh wait, here, you have to bring it. You have to bring it." And I'm like, "They're going to be mad at me if I pick the wrong person." Not really. But I do take on that responsibility of pulling it out the hat.

Ashley Mengwasser:

It's all good, fun.

Dr. Maisha Otway:

It's all fun.

Ashley Mengwasser:

So, what time of day did you choose for these huddles, Jetanne, and how does that work?

Jetanne Dugger:

The huddles are after school, right after school. But the teachers stop by my desk on their way to work, gives them a little chance to say hi and they interact with a grownup, an adult, and give them a chance to say, "Oh, this is great.” They'll read up, there's always something to read before you enter. So, it's all about the hydration. It's telling you what hydration does for your body. So, even when I do the stretching initiative, there will be something about stretching and how to do it.

Ashley Mengwasser:

Something educational.

Jetanne Dugger:

Educational, yes.

Ashley Mengwasser:

Well, how did your experience as Wellness Ambassador shift your experience of work altogether, of stress, of connecting with your colleagues? What's different because you're in this role now?

Jetanne Dugger:

Hmm, that's a great question. I think what's different is the fact that I get to talk to each and every teacher each and every day. That's important to me. I really love what I do. I love the teachers that I work with. And if I could change somebody's day just by saying, "Hi, come on and enter for this." And sometimes they might say, "Well, I don't like candles." I say, "Ooh, but does your mom like candles?" You can still win this for your mom. The guys that say, "I don't want a candle." Sometimes, I have candles for aromatherapy, but that’s-

Ashley Mengwasser:

What guy doesn't want a candle?

Jetanne Dugger:

Give it to mom. So, just simple things like that.

Ashley Mengwasser:

So, you're really just preaching this positivity that really helps deescalate the feeling of stress, because your educators and your staff knows that there's somewhere safe and rejuvenating that they can go back to, and regenerative ,thanks to Jetanne here.

Dr. Maisha Otway:

And I will add that even when we've had loss or we've had illness and we've had some tragic things happen in the community, that also becomes a space where we're connected and it's not an email that goes out that says, "Hey, this is what's happened in the community." We're together talking about it and just leaning on each other. And they've seen me share my emotions in the space when I'm sharing information that has been touchy. And so, it's just the reality of our work and doing it together.

Ashley Mengwasser:

There's so much cohesion from this. It speaks for itself really. It does its own PR. But for my principal at the table, Dr. Otway, what mindset or systems in your school did you have to shift in order to make staff wellness a priority instead of another thing your staff has to do, another task?

Dr. Maisha Otway:

Well, one of the things that was wonderful about it is that we are a Leader in Me school and in that,culture is heavy. And so, if you, change has to start with yourself, you have to take care of yourself. Everything starts with yourself. So, we have those Leader in Me pillars in our school that just makes it completely easy to put it together. And so, when we say today's topic is be a leader. Change starts with me, begin with the end in mind. How am I proactive? I need to drink water to be proactive. And so, all of those conversations fall under those areas. I also brought teachers along. It wasn't just me coming up with the idea. What types of structures do we need to have in place?

A lot of that planning happened in the summer before and speaking with professionals and I didn't just attend the training for Metro RESA. I didn't just attend the programming that said these are things that are going to support the staff in your building. It was at least six to seven staff.

Ashley Mengwasser:

Six, seven.

Dr. Maisha Otway:

Yeah, six, seven.

Ashley Mengwasser:

Anybody tired of that?

Jetanne Dugger:

Yes, we are tired of that.

Dr. Maisha Otway:

When you get stuff, I just laugh. I just love that they have something.

Ashley Mengwasser:

Yes, that unites them.

Dr. Maisha Otway:

Yeah, that unites them, it feels like they're catching us off. I'm like, "You're so clever." So, I do love it. So, it's that opportunity to have that leadership for everyone, because we believe that everyone is a leader and it starts with how you take care of yourself. Because if we're going to take care of the kids and do well, we have to make those connections. So, one of the steps that I truly had to take was it's not just me going to a training and saying, "I think this will be good for my school." It's taking a group of teachers, leaders to these trainings and hearing it and making connections with what we're already doing, and then making it an experience that everyone can walk away with.

And there are times when staff will walk down there, "Oh, have to go down there." And the same staff I'm paying attention to? They leave, "That was fun. That was great."

Ashley Mengwasser:

I feel better.

Dr. Maisha Otway:

Right? 15 minutes and we know and they're designed. It's not, "Oh, we need to tell them information. So, this is our opportunity to have a staff faculty meeting and just shorten it to 15 minutes." It's strategically designed to have them connect so we're intentional about it. And those are the stories and those are the conversations I love to hear the people who don't want to be there because I know that they're designed for them to walk out and feel comfortable.

Jetanne Dugger:

Yes, that's true.

Ashley Mengwasser:

It's incredibly integrative, right? Yes. What you're doing. It's all coming together. And as you're observing this, say yes if this is changing school culture.

Dr. Maisha Otway:

Yes.

Jetanne Dugger:

Yes.

Ashley Mengwasser:

I feel like it must be. So, as you're observing people, Jetanne and Dr. Otway, as you're observing these staff, what have you noticed about them that's different in terms of their morale, their willingness to collaborate professionally as a result of this? Are there changes afoot?

Dr. Maisha Otway:

Oh, wow. It is amazing. At the end of the day when they're giving the shout-outs to each other and in traditional settings, you're used to hearing the administrator saying, "You did a great job on this." At the end of the day, they're giving shout-outs to each other. They're ensuring that they're connecting with each other when they're not even on the same grade level. When you hear these shout-outs, it makes the building so much smaller. I'll say, "I really like the way you helped me get that student down the hallway. I really liked the way you stopped in the lunchroom and you helped me clean up something." And these are people who are on our building as three floors.

And so, the thank you, the people who come, "Oh, the student was sick. I really helped the clinic. I really appreciate the help from the clinic." Those are the standard things people are doing their job, but they still feel appreciated when they hear it. And so, you see the difference in that connection as well as the willingness. It's not just, "Oh, that's your student going down the hallway." It's our students that are going down the hallway and how are we? Synergy is a huge...it's one of our, what would you say pillars or our leadership tenants and it's we have to build synergy. And those are those opportunities where we're all working.

And I remember when we first came, part of our culture was if there was a problem, it was just all about me and that efficacy. “I need to be successful”…was not collaborative and it wasn't collective. And so, when we look at some of the research behind how teachers are extremely effective, it's about doing that work together and collective efficacy. And so, we know that that culture of connection and efficacy, collective efficacy is being structured. You can see it in the hallway.

Jetanne Dugger:

Yes, you can.

Dr. Maisha Otway:

Everyone, Jetanne is a little bit downplaying herself, but she is the front desk energy. She is a front desk energy. And if she is not in school, the people who take her place, they feel guilty because they're like, "I am not her. You're just fine. You're just fine." And they're just like, "No, I don't feel..."

Ashley Mengwasser:

The feel they can't measure up.

Dr. Maisha Otway:

Correct, they feel like they cannot measure up because she's willing to have people connect and connect with them when they don't have one. Everybody needs somebody. And who can be your somebody? Let's find out who that somebody can be. And so, it becomes, you just see it and you know when it's not happening, so then you have to intervene. Everybody's going to have a day that they don't feel as well. And it's not about that term toxic positivity, that everybody has to be positive, But how do we make it right and how do we connect and build opportunities, so that we can be well and then come back the next day.

Ashley Mengwasser:

You make the hard, navigable, right?

Dr. Maisha Otway:

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Ashley Mengwasser:

You've got this infrastructure in place. Jetanne, you have all these touchpoints because you talk to every single staff member in this position. What observations do you have about them and how they're growing?

Jetanne Dugger:

Well, it's so interesting. I want to go back to our breast cancer walk. It rained and they were like, "Okay, so we're not doing it?" "No, we're doing it." So, we did it in the gym. It was so much fun. And people said, "I'm not staying." The come, "I want to stay, but I can't." I look around, everybody stayed. It was a packed house. Am I right?

Dr. Maisha Otway:

Yes.

Jetanne Dugger:

It was a packed house. It was so much fun. And everybody talked about that was a lot of fun. Again, going back to connecting and just learning about... People were walking together who weren't on the same team. And I was like, "Wow, look at them walking together." So, we enjoyed that and I think things like that just bring our teachers together. They really do.

Ashley Mengwasser:

Because they're nurtured and they're more positive. And who's that going to benefit? Their students.

Jetanne Dugger:

Their students.

Ashley Mengwasser:

Their students. Yes.

Dr. Maisha Otway:

Absolutely.

Ashley Mengwasser:

All right. Well, every teacher listening is going to want to start the wellness ball rolling in their schools.

Jetanne Dugger:

Come on, yeah.

Ashley Mengwasser:

Leave us with one realistic, low-lift action that they can take tomorrow to build a culture of care.

Jetanne Dugger:

Well, you know what? I'm there each and every morning, and I greet each and every teacher. And they have to go past my desk because they have to sign in.

Ashley Mengwasser:

Okay.

Jetanne Dugger:

“Hello, everybody.” And I say good morning at least 66 times a morning. Everybody deserves a good morning. And I stop and I look. I catch your eye. Good morning. Everybody deserves a good morning. Even substitutes. Everybody deserves a good morning. So, I think that's...

Ashley Mengwasser:

That makes a huge difference.

Jetanne Dugger:

You can start with that. Yes, just good morning.

Ashley Mengwasser:

That's beautiful, Jetanne. Okay. So, we're connecting with people. Eye level, eye contact, checking in on them. What do you like to add, Dr. Otway?

Dr. Maisha Otway:

Ensure that you have a consistent pace, or if it's monthly, if it's every Wednesday, an opportunity for staff to come together and play. If it's once a quarter, whatever your schedule can handle, quick, 10 minutes, time for your staff to play. Now with AI, with so many resources out there on that web, you can find a 5-minute game, three minutes to give an explanation and two minutes to give an award for who wins. Just have a cadence of opportunities for staff to come together and play.

Ashley Mengwasser:

And it sounds like from what I've heard today, they might actually resist it because they're not used to receiving that care. But over time, they'll learn to trust it, they'll learn to rely on it, and that culture of fun will spread.

Jetanne Dugger:

Yes.

Ashley Mengwasser:

It occurs to me that teachers who are content and supported probably stick around. What's been the impact on teacher retention? Have you noticed anything?

Dr. Maisha Otway:

What I will say is my first data point that I would use is in the seven years that I've been at College Park Elementary, going into this school year was my first year not having to hire any new general ed teachers. So, our retention in general ed was 100% the same. Whoa. Yeah. We ended up earning two new positions in October. There was no teacher attrition, and that was huge for the work that we do at College Park and the history of College Park.

Ashley Mengwasser:

Congratulations.

Dr. Maisha Otway:

Thank you. It's exciting. It's a bragging point.

Ashley Mengwasser:

Are they pointing to any of this wellness work with other teachers or prospective staff?

Dr. Maisha Otway:

Yeah. So, our interview process or how we engage staff is bringing teachers and leaders or who's connected to the work or who are they going to work with in their position. That's who's on the interview committee. I'm almost like the last signer of the check because I want them to get a real experience. And so, one of the things that they talk about and on our branding marketing talks about how we have a badging system when they meet their goals and how we have our connection activities and how we have our house system is how we group. So, how you have a community as well as just not your traditional just grade level. And so, it's on our material. Our teachers talk about it.

And when the candidate is asking in the interview, they'll say, "What do you like about our school?" I've never sat off on a panel and not heard one or two people mention those pillars and the connection and the activities. And even being transparent, some days I feel like I had a rough day and I don't want to go, but I leave there with the activities. They have true conversations about it. So, it is a part of their conversations organically. And with your question asking, yeah, we've seen some major differences and we use it as a marketing tool.

Ashley Mengwasser:

College Park Elementary never ceases to amaze me.

Jetanne Dugger:

Totally love it.

Ashley Mengwasser:

Ah, as women for wellness, you are definitely on our leaderboard. Thank you, Dr. Otway. Thank you, Jetanne.

Jetanne Dugger:

Thank you for having us.

Dr. Maisha Otway:

Thank you for having us.

Ashley Mengwasser:

I appreciate you being here. And I know your staff and teachers appreciate you. So, I want to thank you on their behalf as well.

Jetanne Dugger:

Thank you.

Dr. Maisha Otway:

Thank you.

Ashley Mengwasser:

At the top of this episode, I plugged the Georgia DOE and RESA collaborations called Wellness in Action. These in-person, three-and-a-half-hour sessions available to you now through your RESAs are teaching our teachers and our administrators to do a few things: to build positive connections, to cultivate genuine gratitude, prioritize wellness of the staff, and strengthen teacher retention in school. Just type Georgia DOE Wellness in Action into your search bar and sign up while slots are available. You're a great teacher. Do this one thing for yourself.

Well, all's well, that ends well. I'm Ashley. We've got plenty more comforting teacher content in store over the coming weeks. We haven't even broken a sweat over here. Until next time, goodbye for now.