Welcome to the Zen Den: A place for Chesapeake teachers to relax and reset at Rena B. Wright
CHESAPEAKE — Stephanie Rhodes, an early childhood special education teacher, walked into the Zen Den at Rena B. Wright Primary a little before noon on Monday. She slid out of her shoes and into the massage chair, closing her eyes.
Rhodes works with children ages 2 to 4.
“I love it with a passion and would not do anything else in this world,” said Rhodes, who has been teaching for 30 years, most of them at Rena B. Wright.
But it’s tiring, she admits.
“We are on the go the minute we get them off the bus.”
Rhodes was thrilled and grateful when Principal Jessica Dace surprised the staff with the Zen Den a few weeks ago.
“In all my years here we’ve never had such a thing,” Rhodes said.
Soft, soothing instrumental music plays in the background of the Zen Den. The massage chair sits in one corner, ready to knead the tension out of anyone’s shoulders. Adult coloring books and some “Sticker & Chill” activity books fill up baskets next to a sofa lined with soft cushions. Dim lights and an essential oil diffuser complete the mood.
Dace said creating the Zen Den was a priority for her. Dace was a teacher for more than a decade before moving into administration in 2020. This is her first year as a principal and her first at Rena B. Wright.
“I’m not far removed from the classroom, and there’s been times where I’ve had trying incidents with students and all I wanted was a space just to block out the noise and sit still so I can re-gather my thoughts. So I wanted to make sure I created that for my staff.”
On Monday, the first day of the hectic last week before the holidays, teachers flowed in and out of the Zen Den, some to grab a snack and a breather, others for a quick massage before heading back to class.
The Zen Den is separate from the teachers’ lounges, where staff often go to heat their lunch and chat during breaks. The point, Dace said, was to create a serene environment.
The Zen Den came together with the help and donations of two community partners, The Mount Chesapeake church and A. Dodson’s, a boutique that sells home and gift items.
Tia Glatt, a first grade teacher, also stopped in for a massage Monday. Glatt teaches an “inclusion” class, meaning she works with what she termed “general education” students as well as students with special needs.
“It’s sometimes difficult to intertwine the two because you’re trying to (put) one fire out here, and then you turn your back around and there’s another fire happening,” she said.
“So, I do use this room a lot.”
Glatt said when she walks into the Zen Den, she feels like she’s in her living room and that she can chill for a few minutes.
Dace said that just as there has been an increased focus on social and emotional learning for students, the district is also working to address the mental health needs of staff. The Zen Den is a space that recognizes that teachers are human and that “life goes on outside of school” for them, so they may be coming in with their struggles and need some space to gather themselves before the start of the day.
“By providing teachers with spaces like this, they’re able to come and recharge and then pour back into students that they serve.”
Nour Habib, nour.habib@virginiamedia.com
