San Antonio Standard

A San Antonio teacher is working to save fellow educators from suffering burnout, according to a report from San Antonio NBC affiliate WOAI. 

WOAI reported that Jennifer Maestas started San Antonio Leaders and Teachers (SALT) to address the issue.

With over 17 years of experience in the classroom, Maestas understands the immense stress the profession induces.

"I think although it is the very best job a person could ever have, it's also really hard," she told WOAI.

Per Maestas, her nonprofit organization is a professional networking association for teachers in and around Bexar County.

WOAI reported that SALT’s mission is to promote the benefits of teaching and learning by having teachers get together to share experiences and ideas.

According to the station, the group has taken off at a time when districts are facing teacher shortages in addition to struggles emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) ABC affiliate WFAA reported that a random survey conducted by the Charles Butt Foundation in 2022 revealed that 77% of teachers said they had strongly considered leaving the classroom for good, a huge increase from 58% when the pandemic began.

Approximately 12% of the state’s teachers actually departed the profession before the commencement of the 2021-2022 school year, according to figures from the Texas Education Agency (TEA), the station reported.

Mary Libby with the Northside Independent School District (NISD) told WOAI that burnout among teachers has been a longtime issue.

“It’s not something that simply happened at COVID, it’s been a journey to get here,” Libby said in the report. “And COVID just exacerbated that.”

WOAI reported that SALT hosts numerous annual events in an effort to help teachers recharge their batteries.

"I do think we're doing our part to make sure our teachers feel like they're really well connected to a network that supports them,” Maestas told the station. "Burnout is recoverable. But I do think it takes a minute. And I do think it takes other people on the outside saying, 'Don't give up.'"