Promoting Teacher Health

This longitudinal case study examines a five-year health and wellness intervention (2019 through 2024), aimed at providing health and wellness programing to Head Start (HS) teachers in Louisiana. HS teachers and assistant teachers varied yearly but averaged 150 participants annually, with some fluctuations. The program featured in-service training, virtual stress-management sessions, weekly wellness emails, and in-person “Wellness Retreats,” providing mindfulness strategies, resources, and nutrition/exercise guidance tailored to teachers’ needs. Annual assessments varied depending on interventions but emphasized teacher feedback on health awareness, engagement, and specific health status metrics. This original article offers a comprehensive overview of the five-year intervention, synthesizing some previously published annual data into a replicable model. Qualitative analysis of feedback and health risk trends informed adaptive interventions. Teachers reported heightened health awareness and engagement over five years. Key chronic illness risks were identified and addressed through customized support. Virtual and email outreach maintained a health-focused culture despite pandemic challenges. This study demonstrates the value of flexible, teacher-centered wellness programs. It provides a replicable framework for educational settings to enhance staff wellbeing in high-stress contexts.