West Kootenays educators launch wellness program for teachers

Former educators Jessie Morassut and Lauren Kessler have launched ‘The Renewal Year’, a year-long program designed to support teacher well-being in the West Kootenays. The initiative aims to address professional burnout and the normalization of overworking within the teaching profession.

The program offers monthly in-person sessions, integration calls, a community group, a guidebook, and a closing overnight retreat. The founders intend to move away from reactive support models, instead focusing on integrating wellness, boundaries, and practical nervous system tools into the daily reality of educators.