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In the wake of the pandemic, PreK-12, early childhood program, and higher education administrators, teachers, providers, faculty, and staff; counselors and advisors; custodians; school bus drivers; and information technology, housing and food service, and other staff have mobilized to go above and beyond to support the well-being and safety of all our children and students during this crisis.
However, teachers, early childhood providers, faculty, and staff are also susceptible to issues such as loss, isolation, significant family challenges, unemployment, or financial distress as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Serving as a support system for students, young children, and families with a wide range of needs while experiencing the negative effects of the pandemic can be mentally, emotionally, and physically taxing and result in compassion fatigue. Teachers, early childhood providers, faculty, and staff may require mental and behavioral health supports, assistance with childcare or eldercare, or other forms of supports.
In addition, the pandemic and its necessitation of virtual and hybrid instruction have presented opportunities for professional development as some educators quickly learn and adapt to utilizing new and varied educational technology to support engaging and effective instruction. These lessons may be carried over as teachers, early childhood providers, and staff return to the classroom and in-person services while continuing to make use of integrative technology.
The resources on this page share school, early childhood program, and campus strategies to address the social, emotional, health, and other needs of teachers, early childhood providers, faculty, and staff. Teachers, early childhood providers, faculty, staff, schools, districts, early childhood programs, institutions of higher education, other places of educational instruction, and States may use these lessons learned, best practices, and Federal resources to create plans of action to support teachers, early childhood providers, faculty, and staff returning to schools, early childhood programs, and campuses.
This infographic describes how to achieve well-being through social emotional learning-focused activities that promote positive and supportive relationships with colleagues and students.
This brief by the Region 2 Comprehensive Center outlines wellness strategies for personal self-care, modeling positive behaviors for students and leveraging wellness at the community level. Strategies include engaging in individual activities like brain breaks, movement, and mindfulness to support staff well-being; demonstrating healthy behaviors, such as setting boundaries and implementing mood checks; and leveraging the school community by identifying a community “buddy” and participating in weekly check-ins.
Have a lessons learned or best practice focused on teacher, early childhood provider, faculty, and staff well-being, professional development, and supports? Visit the Best Practices Submission page to view details on submission requirements, and then e-mail Bestpracticesclearinghouse@ed.gov to share your lessons learned or best practice.
Have feedback to share on a resource accessed on the Clearinghouse site? We want to hear from you. Select the button below to share your feedback with the U.S. Department of Education and the Clearinghouse team.
This guide, RESTART & RECOVERY: Leveraging Federal COVID Relief Funding & Medicaid to Support Student & Staff Wellbeing & Connection: Opportunities for State Education Agencies, highlights how State education agencies and local education agencies can use Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds to support wellbeing and connection and how ESSER funds can be leveraged to access additional funding streams to ensure the efforts initiated with Federal funds are sustained.
This informative webinar provides information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Department of Education on supporting staff health and wellness as educators return to school this fall. Following the Federal agency updates, field-based practitioners share strategies they have found effective to support staff wellness.
Have a lessons learned or best practice for operating PreK-12 schools and school districts safely during the COVID-19 pandemic? Visit the Best Practices Submission page to view details on submission requirements, and then e-mail Bestpracticesclearinghouse@ed.gov to share your lessons learned or best practice.
Have feedback to share on a resource accessed on the Clearinghouse site? We want to hear from you. Select the button below to share your feedback with the U.S. Department of Education and the Clearinghouse team.
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