EduCon 2026

Schools often center student wellness while unintentionally overlooking the wellbeing of the adults responsible for creating safe, thriving learning environments. Yet, educator burnout and attrition are at crisis levels, undermining stability and equity. In my role as a school-based counselor for staff, I intentionally support educators with individualized and group wellness practices, reducing secondary trauma, building resilience, and strengthening retention.

This conversation invites us to rethink how schools can prioritize the adults at their core. What would it look like if staff wellness was not an afterthought but a deliberate design principle? How might we embed intentional practices—counseling, reflective groups, wellness spaces, and community care—into the DNA of a school? And most importantly: how might this shift ripple out to benefit students, families, and entire communities?

Grounded in my school’s experiment with this unique role, I’ll share what has worked, what challenges remain, and what possibilities lie ahead. Participants will leave with concrete strategies and collective inspiration to design school systems where staff wellbeing is not optional, but essential to meaningful educational transformation.