School Leader Wellbeing Generative Listening Group a collaboration between Prairie Rose Public Schools and Horizon School Division

The School Leader Wellbeing Generative Listening Group is a collaboration between Prairie Rose Public Schools (PRPS) and the Horizon School District that was funded by a mental health in school’s grant. In the first year, six principals met with a facilitator for six full days out of the school year to codesign what they wanted their own professional development (PD) to look like. In the second year, an invitation was sent to all principals from both school divisions and the cohort grew to 20 individuals.

“To commit to six days out of a school year, which is what these sessions require, people had to really want to do it and so it probably attracted those who are already interested in the topic and had a common interest in wellness,” explained Director of Student Experiences with PRPS Lisa Lindsay. “The hypothesis is, if we provide a space for principals to be well and learn about things that help them create healthy cultures, will we see more healthy schools? That means teachers, support staff, parents and students.”

The group has been receiving publicity from various sectors, including being one of the five highlighted projects through College of Alberta School Superintendents, due to the group’s unique nature of addressing student wellness. At the final meeting, two film crews were present, including one from the EdCan Network.

Following the student drumming performance and a tour of Senator Gershaw, the group split into table talks to discuss what they know about workplace wellbeing, what they don’t know and what they want to know. Lisa Lindsay worked with Principal of Senator Gershaw Scott Angle, Superintendent of PRPS Reagan Weeks, Manager of Human Resources Tammy Toews and Principal of Margaret Wooding School Craig Corsie.

“What I know is that when people do not feel a sense of control, their anxiety skyrockets,” began Superintendent Weeks. “When you try to work outside of your circle of control, you become very unwell very quickly. Trying to control things that are not yours to control spins you into a state of struggle.”

Lindsay added workplace wellbeing is contagious, either positive or negative. It is not something we do, but something we are, and must be a priority due to the impact on students. Scott Angle knows that all people appreciate positive comments and workplace wellbeing happens when everything is running smoothly.

What the group didn’t know also tied into what they wanted to know. One question was if focusing on wellbeing is the solution and is there a risk of it becoming an anti-signifier and losing meaning if people get tired of hearing about it.

“If it’s okay not to be okay, and sometimes people aren’t okay,” wondered Weeks, “what I don’t know is how much intervention or responsibility or accountability is in a leader’s role. Some people are not okay, and they are allowed not to be okay. They don’t always need someone intervening and telling them they need to be well. Is it okay if they are a bit of an Eeyore for awhile? Maybe that is allowed, and we don’t need to intervene and then we panic when someone is not okay.”

Lindsay talked about the lack of a recipe for wellbeing and there not being a one size fits all. She wondered how to help others act on those aspects of wellness they need to prioritize.

“Stress is not necessarily a bad thing. It's important for development and resilience that we experience positive and tolerable stress, however; toxic stress is never okay. The Alberta Family Wellness Initiative explains that this kind of stress - when a child does not have supportive caregivers who can buffer their response to repeated negative experiences - can change the brain's architecture. Experiencing anxiety before writing an exam is not a bad thing. Working through that anxiety and completing the exam can help prepare a student for bigger challenges they will face. It is important that we help students understand the difference types of stress,” concluded Lindsay.

By Samantha Johnson, Prairie Rose Public Schools Content Writer