Groundhog day predicted 6 more weeks of winter, but some good news to look forward to: we’re now gaining daylight everyday!

Winter can magnify stress in school systems. The calendar compresses, illness spreads, daylight shrinks, and the work remains deeply human. For school leaders, wellness support for your staff in the winter is less about grand programs and more about making the job sustainable.

Here are some practical winter wellness moves for those who are in the role of managing other educators could include:

1. Protect planning time as a non-negotiable

2. Reduce optional meetings and streamline communications

3. Normalize using sick time without guilt language

4. Offer predictable flex where possible during high-demand weeks

5. Encourage brief reset practices that fit school reality: short walks, daylight breaks, hydration cues

6. Use recognition strategically: frequent, specific, and values-based

   
   

Recognition is a wellness tool when it is done well. It reinforces purpose and belonging, two factors that buffer stress. Winter does not require a new culture. It requires leaders to reinforce the best parts of the existing one.

When it comes to finding the right system to help with your recognition practice, Hilight is here to help! Learn more by checking out some of our success stories.

Spring will be here soon enough!🌷