It’s May 15th, and there are only six more days of school. Or should I say… we still have six more days of school?
If you’re like me, the excitement for summer begins right after spring break. And if you’re like me, the moment summer break officially starts, so does the countdown to when we return in August. After 21 years in education, I still struggle to stay present in these final weeks. Maybe you can relate. Maybe you, too, are wondering how to avoid burnout — and it might start with a mindset shift.
Burnout Is Real
Burnout in education isn't just a buzzword — it's a crisis. According to Gallup*, the teaching profession has the highest burnout rate of all industries, with 44% of teachers reporting that they always or very often feel burned out. Post-pandemic, attrition rates have skyrocketed. States are scrambling to implement teacher retention programs, while others hand out emergency certifications just to keep classrooms staffed.
Districts are left filling long-term substitute positions just weeks — sometimes days — before school starts. Administrators are stretched thin, expected to raise student achievement while covering classes and taking work home nightly. The pressure is real, and it’s weighing heavily on all of us.
So Why Do We Stay?
Why do we return to a job that can be so demanding, and at times, harmful to our well-being? If you're reading this, chances are you're not planning to leave — at least not yet. Or maybe you're seriously considering it, but you’re here, hoping to find a reason to stay — for your students, your team, or yourself.
We're In This Together
You are not alone. I've thought about switching careers for more balance. I've priced out pay cuts and considered remote work so I could be home when my teens walk through the door. I’ve sat at tables where colleagues only pointed fingers, creating division. And I’ve sat at tables where people were genuinely trying to solve problems together. Over time, I’ve learned: the table you choose matters.
Culture Is What You Allow
It’s easy to sit with your work bestie in the lounge and “spill the tea.” We all need a safe person — a place to vent. But be careful: negativity, even when it feels justified, doesn’t solve anything. In fact, it can chip away at your building’s culture. Toxic stress is contagious, and if left unchecked, it becomes the norm.
Leaders don’t just create culture. It's shaped by everyone. Every conversation, every comment, every moment of grace or criticism — it all adds up. Building a positive school culture requires intention from all of us. No one gets a pass.
Mary Mangione, MA
Realign Your Mission and Vision
When was the last time you looked at your school's mission and vision? Are they still aligned with your daily work? Do they still inspire you — or anyone?
Mission and vision statements shouldn’t just live in a handbook or on a hallway poster. They should be alive in your classrooms and your conversations. If your school feels stuck in a cycle of frustration, revisit your shared purpose. When the team is anchored in a clear, meaningful direction, collaboration becomes easier, and burnout feels a little more manageable.
Support Starts With You
We can’t wait for someone else to fix things. Whether you're a teacher, a paraprofessional, or an administrator, you are a leader in your space.
Start small: greet your colleagues, show gratitude, celebrate the wins. Offer help before judgment. Sometimes the most powerful support is simply being present and reminding someone they’re not alone.
A supportive school culture starts when we shift from “me vs. them” to “us, together.” Not because our workload disappears — but because our mindset changes. When we move from blame to collaboration, from gossip to growth, and from burnout to boundaries, we create a space for healing.
Mary Mangione, MA
Set Boundaries Without Guilt
You can love your students and leave work at a reasonable hour. You can be committed to your craft and take a personal day. You can be a team player and say no when your plate is already full.
Boundaries aren't selfish — they're sustainable. If we want to stay in this profession long-term, we need to stop glorifying exhaustion and start modeling balance.
Mary Mangione, MA
Reflect, Reset, Reconnect
As the school year winds down, take time to reflect.
What gave you energy this year?
What drained you?
Who supported you?
Who might need your support next year?
Use these final days not just to clean up your classroom, but to reconnect with your 'why'. Walk through your building and remember what you've contributed. What you do matters — deeply.
Burnout isn’t inevitable.
When we lead with care, act with intention, and lean into a supportive network, we can create schools where everyone — staff and students alike — can thrive.
You are not alone. You are valued. You are enough.
written by
Mary Mangione
Mary Mangione is a coach for school building leaders specializing in creating specialized programming, restorative practices, trauma-invested schools, school-based mental health interventions, and multi-tiered systems of support. She has been a private tutor for students with special needs, special education teacher for ED/BD/Autism, mentor for a social services organization, substance abuse case manager, and assistant principal and principal of specialized and public alternative schools. Outside of her professional work, she enjoys traveling, eating great food, providing taxi services for her two sons, binging Netflix, and is an active yogi. Mary is an Administrative Coach for Building Leaders with her Bachelors in Fine Arts with an Emphasis in Graphic Design and Painting, Master of Arts in Special Education, and Master of Arts in Principal Leadership.
University Product
product description in relation to blog post
Write your awesome label here.
Write your awesome label here.
Download our resource and start learning!
Learn the tools used by the world's top professionals. Boost your confidence, master the field, become a certified professional. We hope our guide provides you with valuable insights and practical tips.
Everywhere you listen to podcasts!
Little Bits of TLC Podcast
Join us for more!
Listen to [EPISODE TITLE] with [GUEST]
Project Thrive
Build an inclusive, proactive classroom that supports students with behavioral and mental health needs.
Join the next cohort to develop effective environments, behavior strategies, targeted instruction, essential collaboration skills, and more!
Project Onward
Build a transformative intensive program with your complex at-risk students.
Join the next cohort to develop your self-contained or alternative education program from design through implementation!
Project Bace
Build an effective, individualized functional skills program for your low-incidence students.
Join the next cohort to develop your instructional environment, responses to behaviors, functional academics, and more!
Project Thrive
Listen to this episode about HLPs in general ed. and resource!
Project Onward
Listen to this episode about HLPs in intensive EBD!
Project Bace
Listen to this episode about HLPs in life skills programming!