 
Educator Wellness Workshops
The Coordinated School Health unit has partnered with Full Circle Wellness 406 to bring educators in Montana the opportunity to engage in self-care focused professional development. These workshops are open to all educators within Montana and are designed to provide a menu of mini-sessions meant to grow and care for educator’s minds, bodies, and souls. This enables educators to grow and care for the minds, bodies, and souls of their communities.
In November, twenty-three educators from across the state joined us at beautiful Fairmont Hot Springs for a weekend of learning, healing, and self-care. Protecting educators' mental health and overall well-being is our top priority in creating a more resilient, responsive educational system for all involved.
In this wellness workshop, educators were submerged in several-evidence based and healing-centered practices. They learned to cultivate these practices into everyday life, harnessing neuroplasticity and reaping many other positive benefits for themselves and their classrooms. Educators left the workshop with a toolbox of evidence-based practices to bring back to their classrooms.
The educators that we had the pleasure of hosting provided some excellent feedback. Here are some highlights from the November workshop:
“This was the best professional development I have done in quite a while. It was packed with activities that allowed us to unwind and reconnect with ourselves. From the mindfulness exercises that helped center my thoughts to the gentle yoga sessions that stretched both mind and body, every aspect was thoughtfully designed”
“This was the first training in 21 years that I left rejuvenated and ready to teach instead of exhausted and overwhelmed. THANK YOU!”
“I am so grateful for this opportunity! As a first year teacher, everyday life can be extremely overwhelming. Taking time to relax and focus on the blessings of this stage of life helped me to recenter and find renewed energy. I am excited to take the skills I gained back to my classroom and daily life, and I know they will serve me well throughout my teaching career”
“The Educator Wellness Retreat is the most impactful learning I have experienced as an educator. Not only did I calm my stress and refocus my intentions, but I also gained tools that will provide lasting wellness to me and to those I share this practice and experience with.”
Additional workshops across the state are being planned and we are so excited to continue to share this opportunity with educators. Please follow our future updates as these retreats are intimately sized, therefore, space will be limited!
The Montana Student Wellbeing Advisory Committee met on November 13th to explore the topic of Educator Wellness. More information can be found about the workshops in our recorded video of the meeting as well as information from our guest speaker from the
Montana Happiness Project and their efforts to enhance the well-being of educators across Montana. Please check out this recording here: Montana Student Wellbeing Advisory Committee Meeting Nov 13
For more information contact Courtney Hubbs, Project AWARE Program Manager.
The OPI is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to people with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation, require an alternate format, or have questions concerning accessibility, contact the OPI ADA Coordinator, 406-444-3161, opiada@mt.gov, Relay Service: 711.
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