From Self Care to System Care
From Self Care to System Care
How Senior Leaders Shape the Conditions for Leaders Wellbeing and Growth in RETSD
by: Sandra Herbst, Dr. Karen Boyd, Jón Olafson, Ryan Francis, Dr. Cara Colorado, Elise Downey, Jason C Drysdale
date: March 9, 2026
Leaders who find meaning in their work, have the skills and resources to succeed, build strong teams, and engage in continuous learning—key factors in overall wellbeing—are more resilient, inspired, and motivated. This core belief guides the senior administration team in the River East Transcona School Division (RETSD) as we intentionally design and model structures that strengthen wellbeing in school and system leaders.
As you read this article, we invite you to keep two questions close:
In what ways are you reminded of your own leadership practice?
In what ways might we have influenced your thinking about how senior leaders support the wellbeing of school and system leaders?
These questions serve the same purpose as our system’s structures: they anchor reflection, generate insight, and connect the parts to the whole