When Ariel Watson stepped into the renovated staff wellness lounge at George Washington Elementary School for the first time, it will likely have been the only time someone is allowed to scream in a room dedicated to moments of Zen.
The renovated staff lounge at George Washington Elementary School. Photo by Educator Support Collaborative
“Oh my gosh, I was so excited,” said the fifth-grade teacher who enters her 14th year on the job. “I screamed. I was not expecting the wellness space.”
What was once used as a space once for the school store, and once for behavioral and learning assessments for children, is now an inviting oasis for teachers and staff. It now features low lighting, sea green walls, comfortable sitting chairs, plants, and more.
It serves as a calming, relaxing area to counter the vibrant and boisterous atmosphere found inside the renovated teachers’ lounge with a new refrigerator and microwave, a communal dining table, lounge chairs, a green wall, and artwork.
“The staff will sit at that table, or sit down on that couch, and turn the light on, and they're just in there just taking their time,” Watson said. “I love that because we've never used the space as much as we do now.”
Watson’s experience reflects the growing impact of the Educator Support Collaborative, a coalition of nonprofits, businesses, designers, and education advocates reimagining teacher and wellness lounges across Baltimore City Public Schools (BCPS). With the University of Maryland School of Social Work’s Positive Schools Center serving on its advisory board, the Collaborative has completed 10 lounge renovations to date, including George Washington Elementary as its latest, with more schools lined up for transformations.
The Educator Support Collaborative was founded by Baltimore philanthropist and University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law alumnus Paul Wolman, JD ’81, and began as a brainstorm among education leaders, including PSC and the Y of Central Maryland, on how best to support teachers citywide. Remodeling staff lounges quickly rose as a priority.
“We focus on staff lounges because when you have spaces provided for adults to feel better, then that’s going to translate into the wellness of their students,” said Nikomar Mosley, associate director of the PSC and former BCPS principal.
The Collaborative has grown to 10 schools where they completed renovations for teachers’ lounges, wellness lounges or both. Principals and educators can apply on the ESC website for a renovation. The Collaborative also hosts biannual “staff socials,” where educators gather to share best practices and connect across schools.
Interior designers and contractors provide in-kind services: repainting walls, replacing cabinetry, installing new lighting, updating flooring, and bringing in comfortable furniture. (The Collaborative is also looking for additional funders and organizations to partner.) In some cases, spaces have even been outfitted with small workout areas or wellness rooms.
“As an interior designer, we understand how important spaces for wellness and well-being and how it makes people feel,” Morgan Singer, a senior interior designer who partners with the Collaborative told WJZ-TV. “It's really more than just a room. It's more like a livelihood space.”
The Collaborative thrives on partnerships where agencies,businesses and philanthropists contribute in-kind services and donations, while community members volunteer their time.
“Teachers are thrilled when they see the transformations,” Mosley told WJZ-TV. “It feels like an extreme makeover moment. And the best part is, people immediately ask how they can help. That’s what this is about — pulling everyone together to support teachers”
The PSC’s involvement in the Collaborative aligns with its broader mission: fostering restorative, trauma-responsive school environments. By investing in teachers’ well-being, PSC helps strengthen the foundation for student success.
“I’m an educator at heart — a former principial with Baltimore City Public Schools — so I understand what it takes to show up every day and really put in the hard laborious work for students,” Mosley said. “This is an opportunity to show the community connectedness that we have and that we play a part in throughout the city.”
Now that Watson has made herself at home in the new wellness lounge, having an opportunity to check her cellphone and catch up with family, the alarm clock has become her favorite addition.
“Even though it's small, it's such a huge thing to have a working alarm clock in a room for you when you're on such a tight schedule,” Watson said.
Every second counts — especially on break.
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