The 5 Line Return to Work Plan

Returning to School after a traumatic incident, mental health day, or other difficult experience can feel overwhelming. The 5-Line Return Plan offers staff members and school leaders a simple, compassionate way to make returning feel safer and more manageable.

The private, voluntary check-in helps the returning staff member identify:

• What they would—or would not—like to share

• What support would help them feel safe that day

• A trusted point person they can contact

• One boundary they need to maintain

• A time and method for a brief follow-up

Staff may leave any section blank, and no medical information is required. This is a peer-support tool—not medical advice, therapy, or HR documentation.

Leaders should offer choices without requiring personal details, follow up at the agreed—upon time, and allow the returning member to guide what support looks like next.

A difficult day should not be followed by a return filled with silence and uncertainty. A small plan can help someone feel seen, supported, and less alone.

Why I Started This…

For eleven years, I worked in public education.

Like so many educators, I loved the students, cared deeply about my coworkers, and believed that helping others was simply part of who I was. I also believed that if I just worked a little harder, stayed a little later, or carried a little more, everything would somehow work out.

Over time, the stress became something I accepted as normal.

The difficult student behaviors.

The crises.

The emotional weight.

The responsibility of helping everyone else while quietly pushing aside what I was carrying myself.

Then one day, everything caught up with me...

If the Resources and Educator Wellness Library have been helpful, visit the STORE for more in-depth printable toolkits that help put that information into practice.

SUPPORT AFTER THE BELL offers check-ins and follow-up pages for difficult days. It helps school staff pause, name what they need, ask for support, and make a plan for the days ahead.

The DIFFICULT STUDENT INCIDENTS toolkit is for staff navigating the aftermath of a challenging incident with a student.

The DIFFICULT PARENT INTERACTIONS is a toolkit for school staff navigating difficult interactions with parents or caregivers. It includes a calm post-conversation check-in, space to record what happened, and prompts to identify what support or follow-up is needed.

The SUPPORTING A COWORKER is a guide for school staff who notice a colleague struggling and want to help, but are not sure what to do.

The RETURN TO WORK is a printable guide for returning to school after a difficult event at work, a personal crisis, or a loss.

The STAFF BURNOUT is a printable guide for staff who feel worn down by the demands of school life. Through check-ins and reflection pages, it helps you notice signs of burnout, name the pressures contributing to it, and identify what support or changes you need.

The BEGINNING OF THE YEAR toolkit is a printable guide for starting the school year with your own needs in mind, too. Its check-ins and planning pages help you name what you are looking forward to, anticipate challenges, identify people you can turn to, and create a support plan for the weeks ahead.

The END OF YEAR toolkit is a printable guide for the exhaustion that can surface as the school year winds down. Its check-ins and reflection pages help you name what you have been carrying, notice what needs attention, and make a realistic plan for the final weeks.

WHEN IT FEELS LIKE TOO MUCH toolkit is a printable guide for moments when the demands of work feel impossible to keep carrying. Its check-ins and planning pages help staff identify what they need right now, find the words to ask for support, and decide what needs to happen next.

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