To implement regular teacher appreciation events and raise awareness about the current resources offered.

A study by Penn State University found the following:

• 23-42% of teachers left the profession within the first 2-5 years because of stress, low pay, low autonomy, and little to no recognition

• The high teacher turnover rate, as a result, led to poor student performance

• 56% of teachers that reported mental health issues received no treatment

Currently Available Resources:

• EAP (Employee Assistance Program) covers a total of 5 free therapy sessions

• Past the 5th session, many therapists charge out of pocket – most insurance companies only cover around $50 out of the $150-$200 cost of each session

• Some therapists do not even take insurance at all

• As concluded from data, many teachers are either unaware of free sessions/choose not to go as they do not see the relevance in attending

From an anonymous survey conducted:

• Teachers spend 11.3 hours/week outside of school on average

• On a scale of 1-10 corresponding to stress level, the average level reported was a 6/10

• 83.3% of teachers say that they have never used any of the available resources

• On a scale of 1-10, 77.7% of teachers say that a teacher's mental health affects students on a scale of at least 8 out of 10

• Out of 54 surveyed students, 35 students reported that their teacher's mental health situation has affected their learning environment at least once

• 25 students total affirmed that their classroom environment has been affected at least 3 to 5 times in the past

When asked about how students can directly help their teachers, responses included:

• “I don't think it's necessarily students' responsibility to make the environment more positive for teachers, the situation is ultimately a systemic issue and lack of funding. 36 kids in a class or 170 students per teacher is simply not a recipe for balance/meaning/success in my opinion.”

• "Active participation and engagement, less time on screens/phones, clear communication and self-advocacy/management, acts of kindness/positive interactions between students."

The general consensus of surveyed students is that the improvement of their teachers' mental health will foster a better classroom environment and lead to a better learning experience overall.1

Our Proposal

The current system of mental health resources provided for teachers at CHS is not very extensive and resources are often underused. Through the incorporation of regular teacher appreciation events and raising awareness about current resources, we aim to make teachers feel more supported at school.

Teacher Appreciation Day (TAD)

What: An appreciation event for teaching staff, providing teachers with gifts, and giving them a space to de-stress + inquire about current mental health resources offered

When: Every 2 months or twice a semester; effectively 4 times each school year

How: By bringing in therapy dogs, putting together goodie bags, bringing student-made posters and thank-you cards, having coffee/drink trucks, and bringing mental health advocates to talk to teachers

Why: To make a significant improvement in the awareness of mental health resources for teachers, as well as to regularly make teachers feel supported in their school community by holding events to brighten their days

Ways to help right now

A teacher's mental health can be greatly improved by the quality of interactions that they have with their students.

In fact, when asked about what students can do to foster a more positive classroom environment, teachers responded:

• "Actively participate and be joyful in class!"

• "Active participation and engagement, less time on screens/phones, clear communication and self-advocacy/management, acts of kindness/positive interactions between students."

• "Being helpful, engaging in small talk, sharing something great that is going on with them, not leaving supplies and trash on the desk at the end of class (respecting classroom materials), saying 'Hi' in the hallway."

Other Teacher Responses

Teachers genuinely care about the students that they teach. It doesn't take a lot to let your teachers know how much you appreciate them, something as simple as saying 'Hi' in the morning or quickly checking in with them goes a long way.

Our teachers do so much for us. It is important to let them know how much they positively impact our lives.

Small things you can do to let the teachers in your life know that you care:

• Stay after class to check in with them

• Participate and engage during class

• Just say the words "Thank You" more often!