Staff Book Club
A staff book club gives your team a low-key way to explore new ideas, spark conversation, and grow together professionally.
20-30 min
Pulse and Perspective
A yearlong bulletin board for staff reflection and connection.
Abbey Sualy
Pulse & Perspective is a simple bulletin board activity that gives staff an ongoing, low-pressure space to reflect, share, and feel seen. Over the course of a school year, it builds the kind of culture where people genuinely know and care about each other.
Why try it
This activity creates a consistent, intentional pause that supports staff wellbeing and builds trust across your team. Giving your team an easy way to share their experiences, from small wins to real challenges, school leaders get a more honest picture of how their team is feeling and what they need.
What's included
Browse the printables included with this resource.
Things you'll need
Bulletin board, poster paper, or a dedicated wall space
Printable prompt cards (included, one per month)
Sticky notes in a few colors
Pens or markers nearby the board
Thumbtacks or tape
Instructions
1
Set up and introduce the board
Choose a high-visibility spot like the staff lounge, workroom, or main hallway and set up your board there for the whole year. When you introduce it to your team, keep the framing simple: a new prompt goes up each month, responses are always welcome, and participation is never required.
2
Post the monthly prompt
At the start of each month, put up the new printable prompt card. Add a stack of sticky notes and pens nearby so staff can respond whenever it feels right, before school, during a break, or whenever they walk by.
3
Refresh and repeat
At the end of each month, swap in the next prompt and save the previous responses in a folder or journal as a record of the year. It is also a great spot as a leader to check in on how your team is doing each month.
Activity variations
Adapt to fit your school's vibe, budget, and setting.
Monthly email prompt
Skip the physical board and send each month's prompt straight to staff inboxes. Keep the email short: the prompt, a line of encouragement, and an optional way to reply or reflect privately. Encourage staff to keep a personal journal to respond in. This works well for schools with distributed staff or limited common spaces.
Staff meeting icebreaker
Use the monthly prompt to open your next all-staff or team meeting. Give staff two minutes to jot down a response, then invite a few volunteers to share.
Go deeper
Additional tips for running this resource.
Leader Tip #1
Go first
Sharing your own reflection, even briefly, signals that vulnerability is welcome here. It lowers the bar for everyone else.
Leader Tip #2
Stay consistent and revisit
One prompt per month is easy to maintain, and at the end of the year, looking back at the prompts together can be a powerful reminder of how much the team has grown.
Built by Educators, for School Leaders
This resource was created in collaboration with passionate educators and school leaders who believe in the power of intentional connection.
Abbey Sualy
Early Childhood Educator
Alpaca Pulse Check-In
Turn insights into action
With just three simple questions, Alpaca's Pulse Check-In helps school leaders listen to their teams and act where support is needed most.
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