LYNN — The Lynn Teachers Union has received a $10,000 grant to combat burnout among educators in the school district.
The money will be used to support the union’s approximately 2,000 members through workshops and other support programs.
The grant is part of the American Federation of Teachers’ “Real Solutions for Kids and Communities” campaign, which provides more than $500,000 to different teachers unions throughout the nation.
According to Sheila O’Neil, the union’s president, burnout is a common issue for teachers in the district, who are often overwhelmed by tight schedules and crowded classrooms.
In a June 2023 survey, 86% of Lynn Public Schools educators reported feeling moderate to extreme stress.
“It’s stressful,” O’Neil said. “There’s just not enough time in the day for everything we need to do, so people are just overwhelmed.”
A National Education Association survey in 2022 found that 90% of the association’s 3 million members across the country said feeling burned out is a “serious problem,” with 67% pointing to the issue as “very serious.”
A Gallup poll from 2022 on burnout across workforces found that 44% of K-12 workers in the U.S. said they “always” or “very often” felt burned out at work.
“We have teacher burnout across the country,” O’Neil said.
O’Neil said that one of the biggest things families can do to support teachers in the district is show their appreciation for the service they provide to students and families.
“Be supportive of what your teachers are doing and let them know,” O’Neil said. “Being appreciated is a commodity we don’t always get to hear.”
