Whole Teacher Well-Being Study. Many K-12 teachers experience job-related stress and symptoms of depression, harmful conditions for teachers’ wellness and job satisfaction, teaching quality, teacher retention, school climate, which impact whole school and whole student outcomes. By researching the amount of cultural, emotional, physical, professional & psychological well-being, the current state of distress among WCSD teachers can be better understood.

Parent PARTNER (Prevent ACEs, Reduce Trauma, Nurture Relationships, and Enhance Resilience) Project. Exposure to traumatic events is a critical risk for racial/ethnic minorities that decline their wellness, mental health, and socioeconomic progress, and sustains racial inequalities in the United States. Waterloo has one of the most racially diverse populations in the state, there is a parent-identified need for a program to address these inequities and provide trauma-informed services.

The racial & cultural mismatch between teachers and students is one factor that contributes to inequalities in educational outcomes. Many White American teachers hold racial biases, which are harmful to all students in particular racially & language diverse students and their learning opportunities in school. There is documented evidence showing that teaching practices based on anti-racism and culturally responsive training benefits educational experiences and outcomes for all students and, particularly for those from diverse backgrounds.