Principals reflect on trauma, wellness at city conference
Principals confided in each other about crises that have traumatized their school communities and what they did — and, in retrospect, would have done differently — at a gathering in downtown Winnipeg Thursday.
Manitoba's Council of School Leaders, an offshoot of the Manitoba Teachers' Society, is hosting almost 500 participants at a national conference that ends Friday.
Sessions on workplace wellness, trauma-informed approaches and Indigenous education were well attended.
Angela Voutier's workshop sparked an emotional discussion about being a school leader when there is a serious incident, be it a lockdown or otherwise.
The veteran principal choked back tears as she recalled how difficult it was to be in charge and support teacher-colleagues when one of their students died.
What made matters worse was that no one from the board office stopped by to check in or acknowledge the tragedy after the fact, she said.
'It's OK not to be OK,' Voutier repeatedly told the crowd of roughly 75 administrators.
Drawing on nearly 20 years of experience in the public school system, the newly appointed assistant professor of education at Brandon University said a positive shift is underway.
Voutier noted that teachers are increasingly paying more attention to how neglect, death and other types of trauma affect their students.
It's important to acknowledge that school employees experience secondary trauma and bring their own lived experience to work, too, she said.
Her advice? Be present, compassionate and find support in trusted colleagues.
Mark Sokolowski said his goal is to set a tone at Oakville School that ensures the elementary campus in Portage la Prairie is 'a safe, predictable and routine-based place.'
That's why he said he supports breakfast programs and alternatives to traditional suspensions.
'We don't know what kids are going home to,' Sokolowski said, noting that traumatic experiences affect brain development and behaviour.
School division employers have put an emphasis on student and staff well-being initiatives in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
(One of the widespread disruptions in 2020 was MTS cancelling its last attempt to host a conference through the Canadian Association of Principals.)
'Our goal is to take care of principals, give them a good time, give them a break,' said Tracy Vanstone, a former principal who helped organize the spring conference in her current role as an MTS staff officer.
The conference has included both professional development and networking opportunities.
Participants have learned strategies to tackle chronic absenteeism and bolster community well-being with land-based learning, among other topics.
Melanie Bazin, a Métis social worker from St. Malo, urged attendees to get outside.
She recommended leading mindfulness walks, creating art in nature or finding time to sit with students to observe an ant hill to watch the insects' interactions and collaboration.
'We try to over complicate all the time, but it can be simple,' said Bazin, who worked in schools before assuming her current role as director of Indigenous services for the Crisis and Trauma Resource Institute in Winnipeg.
The workshop leader spoke at length about colonization's negative impact on both human and environmental health.
Reconnecting with nature and realizing it can be a teacher is an important way to take care of oneself and foster a sense of identity and belonging, she said.
maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca
Maggie MacintoshEducation reporter
Maggie Macintosh reports on education for the Free Press. Originally from Hamilton, Ont., she first reported for the Free Press in 2017. Read more about Maggie.
Funding for the Free Press education reporter comes from the Government of Canada through the Local Journalism Initiative.
Every piece of reporting Maggie produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
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