Evaluating the Feasibility of Implementing School Staff Well-Being Programs

Staff well-being is a critical component of school wellness. This study leveraged the statewide School Wellness Integration Targeting Child Health (SWITCH) initiative to evaluate the feasibility of implementing supplemental staff well-being programs.

Elementary schools that participated in two consecutive years of SWITCH (2022/2023 and 2023/2024) were invited to adopt staff-focused initiatives through three structured programs: Alliance for a Healthier Generation, Make It OK, and 5-2-1-0 Healthy Choices Count! Feasibility was assessed using survey response rates, program ratings, and semi-structured interviews for demand, acceptability, and integration.

Sixteen schools (88%) expressed interest in Year 1 and eight (38%) in Year 2; six participated across both years. Seventy-one percent of leaders rated programming quality as high and noted benefits such as increased staff support and attention to well-being. Only 48% perceived improvements as sustainable, citing the need for ongoing resources and structural support to maintain long-term implementation.

Building school capacity, providing continual support, and leveraging existing wellness infrastructure can strengthen adoption of staff well-being programming.

Integrating staff well-being initiatives into established school health frameworks is feasible and offers a foundation for broader implementation.