ElevatED 2020

Make no mistake about it: your role as an educational leader—at the classroom, campus or district level—positions you to shape the future. It also places tremendous stress on your shoulders. And your back, feet, mind, and heart. In worst-case scenarios, stress erodes not only our individual wellbeing, but also our ability to create healthy, effective relationships with our students, their families, and our colleagues. The good news is that stress doesn’t have to be the enemy. Stress, when understood and managed effectively, can result not only in increased personal wellbeing but also in an authentic community among our colleagues and relational connection with our students. Learning outcomes: 1) participants will identify the source of stress in leadership and explore various coping strategies based on the fight, flight, or freeze response; 2) participants will leave with practical strategies to increase adaptive coping and tools for building sustainable relationships; 3) participants will gain a blueprint to create a culture of adaptive stress management at district, campus, and classroom levels.