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District wellness committee reports staff survey: frequent secondary-trauma stress among employees
Summary
The district wellness committee presented staff-survey results showing that many employees experience stress related to supporting students who have experienced trauma; the committee outlined resources, training and building-level wellness work to respond.
Julie Mondre and Danielle Chastain presented the Peninsula School District’s district wellness update at the April 1 meeting, summarizing a staff wellness survey and the committee’s efforts to support employee well-being.
The survey, launched to all staff, returned about 560 responses. Presenters said roughly 70% of respondents were certificated staff and 30% were classified, and they noted that representation skews toward staff with ready electronic access. On a core question, more than 25% of respondents reported experiencing stress related to supporting students who have experienced trauma on a daily basis; weekly responses were 29% and monthly 17%. Only about 5% reported never experiencing stress in that area. The committee described the result as evidence of a high level of staff empathy and as a driver for addressing secondary traumatic stress district-wide.
Respondents were split on whether they feel equipped to manage secondary traumatic stress (about 40% agreed, 35% neutral, 17% disagreed). Awareness of resources was roughly even: many said they knew about available supports but had not used them. Presenters detailed existing supports including Generation Wellness resources, building-level wellness representatives, training, an employee assistance program (EAP) that offers counseling and legal services (presenters said the EAP is a separate, anonymous service paid for by the district), and building-level efforts such as sensory boxes and themed wellness activities.
Questions from the board focused on survey anonymity and whether follow-up outreach could connect staff in need to services; presenters confirmed the survey omitted identifiable emails by design to maximize response and that the EAP is anonymous. Committee members said they will continue to expand communication and look for ways to increase access and use of resources, particularly among classified staff with less computer access during the workday.
The board received the report; staff did not request board action at the meeting but indicated further steps and communications to buildings and administrators are planned.
