Time to Put Wellness First

You can’t pour from an empty cup! We have heard this saying over and over, but when will we put our wellness first? School counselors are natural born empaths and fixers. We want the best for all of our students and staff members. But how can we give them our best if we are not at our best? This year my school district, Williamsburg-James City County, has put a special emphasis on self-care.

Staff members received a special coin during this year’s convocation. This coin can be turned in to our supervisors in exchange for four hours of self-care time. This came with a personal message from our superintendent, Dr. Olwen Herron, emphasizing the importance of self-care time during this school year. This act aligns with one of the division’s strategic goals: Foster a workplace culture where employees feel valued, well-informed and supported professionally. This self-care coin definitely helped me and many others feel valued and supported professionally. Professional support is not just about professional development opportunities. It is also about fostering a healthy employee well-being.

Our district also has implemented various initiatives to support student wellness. At Toano Middle School, our MTSS team developed a program where students are rewarded for modeling P.R.I.D.E. (preparedness, respect, integrity, determination and empowerment). During bi-weekly Student Support Team meetings, teachers recommend two students who exemplify P.R.I.D.E. to be “Tiger-Rolled.” These students get a surprise visit from our administrative team during the school day in their classrooms. The administrative team will roll in with a cart playing music and acknowledging the student in front of their peers and teacher. The students will be allowed to visit the office and pick from a variety of prizes that emphasize personal wellness. Staff and students at Toano Middle School are really enjoying these surprise student celebrations!


So what are you waiting for?! As a school counselor, it is your duty to make sure your cup is full! To avoid burnout, we should always make self-care routine behavior. Discuss possible school-wide initiatives with your administrators to support student wellness. In the midst of a pandemic, it is crucial to foster and encourage wellness for all key stakeholders.

Kelsey Travers, NCC, is a school counselor at Toano Middle School in Williamsburg-James City County and a member of the VSCA Board of Directors.