The physical, emotional, and mental well-being of educators has a direct correlation on student health and achievement. With the added stress of the COVID-19 pandemic on top of a busy to-do list in and out of the classroom, educators are finding themselves more stressed than ever. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), increasing the prevalence of healthy, low-stress behaviors in educators allows students to develop their own positive attitudes toward healthy living. School administrators can help influence opportunities for healthy behaviors by supporting an employee wellness program. 

Having the right tools to take care of oneself is critical to the mission of many school districts, especially at the beginning of any healthy eating and physical activity implementation. The CDC offers schools tons of resources to help promote employee wellness programs, including step-by-step guides, scorecards, and success stories. Click here to watch their informational video.

After gathering information regarding staff members’ current needs, accessibility, and overall desire for a wellness plan, district decision makers can then develop an implementation strategy consistent for all employees. Making sure the program is available for all district employees is crucial to providing inclusivity of healthy resources.

Implementing an employee wellness program not only benefits students and educators but also the entire district. These programs are proven to decrease absenteeism, improve staff retention and productivity, and decrease health care costs for employees. In return, this allows students the opportunity for a consistent learning environment, the district to focus on bettering curriculum, and educators the chance to finally take care of themselves!