BHS has opened a new “Teacher Relaxation Zone,” a space designed to help staff reduce stress during the school day. The room was created as part of a broader effort to improve staff morale and create a more positive work environment for educators. 

With teaching demands increasing, school leaders recognized the importance of giving teachers a dedicated space to decompress, connect with colleagues or simply enjoy a moment of calm during busy days.

According to Cindy Toncler, the school’s SAY (Social Advocates for Youth) counselor and a licensed social worker, the room was created to give staff members a quiet place to reset, even if they only have a few minutes between responsibilities. 

“The idea was to build something specifically for staff – a space where any teacher or staff member can step away for a short time and feel a real difference,” Toncler said.

The relaxation area is located inside the staff lounge and is open to all school employees throughout the day. 

The project, officially called the Bison Escape Room, was funded through a $3,000 mini-grant from the What Works in Schools program, run by Case Western Reserve University’s Prevention Research Center for Healthy Neighborhoods with support from the CDC.

The space was set up to be easily accessible and welcoming, allowing staff members to use it whenever they have a free moment. By placing it inside the staff lounge, the school made sure teachers and other employees could naturally incorporate short breaks into their daily routines without disrupting their schedules.

Toncler played a key role in planning and organizing the space, helping shape it around staff mental health needs. She advocated for resources that would make the room effective for stress relief, drawing upon her background in social work to guide the project’s focus on emotional wellness.

The space features two individual relaxation pods equipped with heated massage recliners, noise-canceling white-noise machines, and visual calming scenes. These features were chosen to help staff quickly unwind and disconnect from the stress of the school environment. 

The pods allow for privacy and comfort, giving teachers a chance to relax their muscles, clear their minds and return to their responsibilities feeling refreshed and more focused. 

Each pod also includes a timer to help staff track class schedules, eye masks with built-in nature sound speakers, bilateral stimulation devices designed to support relaxation, yoga mats, adult coloring books with colored pencils and a small fountain and sand pendulum for sensory calming.

Outside the pods, staff can use an essential-oil diffuser, hand lotion, tea station and teapot and additional calming décor.

“Even five minutes in one of the pods made a noticeable difference for the teachers who tried it,” Toncler said.

One of the challenges, she noted, is encouraging teachers to find time in their schedules. 

Toncler said the main issue is how busy teachers are throughout the day. Between classes, meetings, and other responsibilities, many staff members simply don’t have enough free time to step away, even for a short break.

“Most of the time, when teachers have a few minutes, they’re working,” Toncler said. “But when they did come down, the feedback was very positive. Five minutes felt like fifteen.”

Toncler hopes more staff members will learn about the space, especially since several teachers reported not knowing where it was located. She said she plans to continue sharing information and encouraging staff to stop by.

Beachwood’s SAY program, operated through Bellefaire JCB in Shaker Heights, has supported the district for about 30 years. Toncler works part time at the high school, focusing on prevention and early intervention for students and staff.

“This space is just one small way to support the well-being of the people who support our students every day,” she said.