Posted by Community Relations staff on 10/8/2019
It wasn’t always like this. Messy and neglected, the space had become a bit of an afterthought. But after an inspiring workshop through Kaiser on health and well-being – plus a mini grant of $1,500 – Principal Assistant Penny Capko and teachers Kathleen Rountree and Amy Berube decided the staff room was ripe for a redo.
“We wanted to create a self-care space where you can go, that’s calm, to help take care of your mental health,” Capko said.
The women took some time to brainstorm, then did a deep clean. They spent a day moving and painting furniture and then got creative. There’s a little activity center with a mini step machine, yoga mats, and resistance bands. They hung pictures and put a fake plant in the bathroom. Strung with fairy lights, the “woot woot wall” is a place to leave a note or compliment for a colleague. Another wall holds pockets filled with affirmations and encourages staff to take what they need -- Confidence? Patience? Hope? -- when they need a little boost.
“It all came together beautifully,” Capko said. “The feedback has been amazing.”
“Now I see lots more people come in here,” Rountree added. “And people are taking better care of it. Even if they just walk through, it’s so much nicer.”
