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Parkrose rolls out staff-wellness grant program, offering mini-grants and districtwide events
Summary
The district described a multi-year staff wellness grant and on-site activities intended to rebuild staff connections after the pandemic, including mini-grants for sites and partnerships with a former-educator group.
District staff presented an update on a multi-year staff-wellness grant and described activities the district has funded to support employee well-being.
Lisa Anderson, the district's connection care coordinator, told the board the district received a grant with a total award of $250,000; the district plans to budget up to $75,000 per year so the funds stretch across multiple years. Anderson said the grant’s “sole purpose is to improve well-being for staff members,” and that the district is in year two of implementation.
Anderson described several initiatives funded by the grant: districtwide community-building events and a benefits/wellness fair; mini-grants that individual sites and departments can apply for without an onerous reapproval process; classes and affinity groups for staff (including groups for cultural-background affinity and LGBTQ+ staff); and partnership with a group of former educators that trains leaders in restorative practices. Anderson said nearly 200 staff attended last year’s finale event and that the program intentionally includes cafeteria workers, bus drivers and custodial staff in addition to teachers.
Board members asked about vendor partners and logistics for staff with nonstandard schedules; Anderson said the teaching group set up stations at the benefits fair and offered aromatherapy, tea-making and other activities. The board thanked staff and praised plans for continuing mini-grants and expanding access for nutrition and transportation employees.
District staff said the program will continue next year with similar activities, more pre-school start offerings and continued work with the wellness cabinet, a group of staff leaders helping guide the work. Anderson said the grant supports staff resiliency training and is complementary to other student-health grants the district is pursuing.
