The School of Social Work center is part of the Educator Support Collaborative, which has created an inviting oasis for teachers and staff at 10 city schools.
When Ariel Watson stepped into the renovated staff wellness lounge at George Washington Elementary School for the first time, it will likely have been the only time someone is allowed to scream in a room dedicated to moments of Zen.
“Oh my gosh, I was so excited,” said the fifth-grade teacher who is entering her 14th year on the job. “I screamed. I was not expecting the wellness space.”
What was previously used as a space once for the school store and once for behavioral and learning assessments for children is now an inviting oasis for teachers and staff. It features low lighting, sea green walls, comfortable sitting chairs, plants, and more.
It serves as a calming, relaxing area to counter the vibrant and boisterous atmosphere found inside the renovated teachers’ lounge with a new refrigerator and microwave, a communal dining table, lounge chairs, a green wall, and artwork.
“The staff will sit at that table, or sit down on that couch, and turn the light on, and they're just in there just taking their time,” Watson said. “I love that because we've never used the space as much as we do now.”
Watson’s experience reflects the growing impact of the Educator Support Collaborative, a coalition of nonprofits, businesses, designers, and education advocates reimagining teacher and wellness lounges across Baltimore City Public Schools (BCPS). With the University of Maryland School of Social Work’s Positive Schools Center serving on its advisory board, the collaborative has completed 10 lounge renovations to date, including George Washington Elementary as its latest, with more schools lined up for transformations.
The Educator Support Collaborative was founded by Baltimore philanthropist and University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law alumnus Paul Wolman, JD ’81, and began as a brainstorm among education leaders, including PSC and the Y of Central Maryland, on how best to support teachers citywide. Remodeling staff lounges quickly rose as a priority.
“We focus on staff lounges because when you have spaces provided for adults to feel better, then that’s going to translate into the wellness of their students,” said Nikomar Mosley, associate director of the PSC and former BCPS principal.
The collaborative has grown to 10 schools where they completed renovations for teachers’ lounges, wellness lounges, or both. Principals and educators can apply on the ESC website for a renovation. The collaborative also hosts biannual “staff socials,” where educators gather to share best practices and connect across schools.