Featured Staff: Jennifer Johnson, Climate and Culture Teacher on Special Assignment (TOSA)

Stress is a fact of life. But managing stress is not necessarily something that we are innately born with. Often times, it is a skill that we must learn as we grow through life. Jennifer Johnson’s efforts to strengthen social and emotional well-being in schools provides students with the tools to work with their stress and emotions in ways that build healthy school environments for everyone.

Jennifer and her colleagues established the PAX Good Behavior Game, an initiative that creates safe and welcoming classroom environments where students can grow and thrive both emotionally and academically. The initiative took root in the Hillsboro School district and is quickly gaining popularity and spreading to other school districts in Washington County. She helped establish the Hillsboro School District’s Wellness Centers — classroom environments that offer a quiet, caring, and inclusive space for students to reflect and learn self-regulation skills so they can calm themselves when they are under stress. And she has been an advocate for Playworks in her school district, an evidence-based program that teaches young people resilience skills through games, play, and physical activity. As a result of Jennifer’s work, students are finding healthier ways to manage their emotions and continue to learn in the classroom. And their well-being is, in turn, benefiting the teachers and staff who work with them.

Source: Kaiser Permanente's 2018 Honor Roll Thriving Schools Champions