ST. GEORGE — With the kids away, the teachers will … usually keep on working. But with classrooms empty for the day on Friday, employees in the local preschool program had the chance to take a short break as the school district tested a new program to combat burnout and widespread stress.
Teachers, paraprofessionals and other support staff could choose to participate in a variety of activities led by their peers or by community volunteers. Many tried glass etching, cake decorating or flower arranging for the very first time, while others enjoyed hikes, yoga classes or movie screenings.
Local businesses pitched in, with the Skin Institute closing its doors to the public for the entire day to focus on providing free facials to every interested preschool employee. Preschool administrators distributed about 150 gift cards donated by local restaurants so everyone could enjoy a free lunch.
“I think it shows appreciation for what we do,” said Priscilla VanDyke, a preschool teacher at Washington Elementary School. “I feel like somebody knows that we’re stressed and that we are at our breaking point.”
All across the county, preschool employees started their workday with different planned activities. VanDyke, along with 10 other teachers representing multiple preschools, started her workday with a painting activity led by a local parent with fine arts expertise.
In a classroom at the Riverside Early Childhood Education Center, almost a dozen adults took advantage of a rare opportunity to talk with one another, get absorbed in their paintings and try to address the feelings of fatigue and anxiety that commonly afflict educators – especially in recent years.
“In 2020 it was the whole COVID thing – shutting down and then trying to figure out something that we’ve never done before in teaching from home,” VanDyke said. “Then the next year there was a lot of unknown, and it was really different. I feel like this year has been the hardest. I don’t know why, but a lot of teachers are quitting. A lot of us are feeling stressed out.”
Talking with other teachers at the painting activity, as well as those at the movie screening and flower arranging, revealed a almost-universal feeling of work-related fatigue. But first impressions for the wellness day were overwhelmingly positive, with some teachers expressing an interest in setting aside time for similar activities as often as once a month.
Acknowledging the weight of the challenges facing educators was a major factor in why the district organized the wellness day, said Preschool Coordinator Brittney Nelson. As the woman in charge, Nelson helped garner supplies, find instructors and make sure the activities planned went ahead as scheduled.
“I was just at the yoga class, and by the end there were people in tears because they were so grateful and appreciative,” Nelson said. “Just seeing everybody here happy – I think it’s good that they’re still paid for their time today, but doing things that will really fill their buckets and hopefully make them happier and healthier people.”
The secondary reason for the preschool day of appreciation was to serve as a proof of concept, gathering data and feedback for the Washington County School District to determine whether they may launch health and wellness days for educators at every grade level.
“We’re putting together some anecdotal records and we have a Google form where teachers will rate their level of stress before and after each activity,” Nelson said. “We’ll take this data and present it to the school board and executive committee and see if it’s something the district wants to do for everybody next year. Even if they choose not to, we’ll probably keep doing it because it’s been a success today.”
For those who lent their talents as instructors or group leaders, the wellness day was a way to show appreciation for the hard work of preschool teachers and staff.
“I think everybody should have a chance to just to just have peace in their day, and I think that today is a beautiful way for the district to support their staff and actually show that they care about mental health,” said Whitney Bailey, a preschool nurse and instructor for flower arranging.
Bailey said working part-time in a flower shop helps keep her grounded, as the smell and sensation of working with growing things connect her with the earth. Her goal in teaching flower arranging was more to encourage creativity and self-esteem than to create masterpieces, she said.
Some of the participants in Friday’s activities suggested additional measures the school district could take to support employees. A good start would be to ensure that teachers, especially those in preschool, can have adequate break time to eat their lunch and to hire support staff like counselors and school psychologists.
Teachers and staff acknowledged the problem facing the district is an ongoing labor shortage following over two years of uncertainty and stress brought on by the global pandemic.
“It’s great to hear them (district officials) say, ‘We care about you, so do something for yourself,’” Bailey said. “But burnout is real. The teachers need more support, but it just takes more people – more people who are willing.”
Photo Gallery
Members of the speech-language team supporting area preschools joined teachers and paraprofessionals in painting tutorial offered as part of a preschool wellness and appreciation day, Washington City, Utah, April 8, 2022 | Photo by Ammon Teare, St. George News A local parent, Beth Nietfeld, volunteered her fine arts training to lead a painting tutorial organized as a stress-relieving activity for local preschool staff, Washington City, Utah, April 8, 2022 | Photo by Ammon Teare, St. George News The Washington County School District Preschool Program organized about 10 different activities – including glass etching – to promote wellness and show appreciation for educators' work, Hurricane, Utah, April 8, 2022 | Photo courtesy of Brittney Nelson, St. George News Preschool teachers and staff try out yoga under the supervision of volunteer instructor Cici Madsen, St. George, Utah, April 8, 2022 | Photo courtesy of Brittney Nelson, St. George News Administration, teachers and paraprofessionals take in a movie at Riverside Early Childhood Center during a preschool teacher appreciation day, Washington City, Utah, April 8, 2022 | Photo by Ammon Teare, St. George News Local preschool teachers, staff and their family members spent time in the outdoors and hiking on Friday morning as part of a wellness and appreciation day organized by the district preschool program, Washington County, Utah, April 8, 2022 | Photo courtesy of Brittney Nelson, St. George News Preschool teachers and staff practice their cake decoration skills at the Hurricane Early Childhood Center, Hurricane, Utah, April 8, 2022 | Photo courtesy of Brittney Nelson, St. George News Whitney Bailey, a school nurse working with district preschools, shared her talents as a semi-professional florist by leading a flower arrangement activity for preschool teachers and staff, Washington City, Utah, April 8, 2022 | Photo by Ammon Teare, St. George News Participants in the flower arranging activity were able to use supplies donated by other preschool employees and district administration staff, Washington City, Utah, April 8, 2022 | Photo by Ammon Teare, St. George News
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