


In a time when compassion fatigue has never been more prominent, burnout and turnover are leading to unprecedented teacher shortages. Teachers are being asked to do more with less, leaving them feeling overwhelmed and underappreciated. Without approaching teacher burnout from a collective lens, administrators will be left in a continuous cycle of reactionary leadership, a revolving door of teacher turnover and an inability to build long term capacity. This session will provide strategies that one Title I school used to support their staff culture, combat teacher burnout for new and experienced teachers, and avoid high turnover rates to become a National School of Character and a National ESEA Distinguished School.

Dr. Handley is a veteran educator with almost 30 years of experience in the field. She was an award winning principal for 16 years and created a school culture that attracted and retained highly effective teachers. In 2017 Handley was named Hilliard Lyons Principal of the Year. She led Kenwood to have one of the highest MAP growth achievements of Title I schools in her district across subgroups, be selected as a Bright Spot School by the Prichard Committee, be selected as a State and National School of Character, be recognized as a Success Story School by Solution Tree, a National ESEA Distinguished School and the first school in her state to certify as a Family Friendly School.
Dr. Lara Donnelly is a veteran teacher and school counselor who helped support a school culture that not only attracted, but retained high quality staff. Dr. Donnelly was recognized at the JCPS Outstanding Elementary School Counselor of the Year in 2018 and has been featured in podcasts, news articles, and televised interviews for her expertise in supporting mental health. Dr. Donnelly is now an education consultant, speaker, and author supporting schools and administrators with burnout, family engagement, and multilingual learners' mental health and trauma.