Teacher Appreciation Week (May 4-8) – Thank you Local Heroes!

“Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.”
– Joshua J. Marine

When you work in a school district every day is Teacher Appreciation Day! Our students depend upon these brave, courageous, innovative, creative, and inspirational women and men all across the district who – every dayEngage, Inspire, Empower – and facilitate learning for our most precious community assets – our students! Annually during the first week in May we honor and celebrate and acknowledge National Teacher Appreciation Week/Day – in many locations the name is changed to Staff Appreciation Day/Week.

In all schools “it takes a village” and the bus drivers, cooks, driver’s education teachers, security guards, custodians, maintenance workers, secretaries, teacher aides, nurses, health aids, librarians, speech language pathologists, social workers, counselors, intervention specialists, other specialists, instructional coaches, crossing guards, school resource officers, physical therapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, administrators – pretty much – EVERYONE – in all of the schools deserves a Thank you – a pat on the back and acknowledgement for the great services they provide to our students each day!

Here is background information about this special week: (click the link for the source of the information below)

People in the United States started celebrating National Teacher Day in 1953 when Eleanor Roosevelt persuaded Congress to set aside a day to recognize educators. The origins of the idea for a day are unclear. They date to the early 1940s. But some references cite the advocacy of a Wisconsin teacher and other references credit the efforts of a teacher in Arkansas for first working to establish a teacher appreciation day. One of these teachers is thought to have written to Eleanor Roosevelt, urging her to take up the cause.

It didn’t become a national day until March 7, 1980, after the National Education Association (NEA) along with its Kansas and Indiana state affiliates and the Dodge City, Kan., local chapter lobbied Congress. People continued to celebrate the day in March until 1984, when the National Parent Teacher Association designated the first full week of May as Teacher Appreciation Week. The following year, the NEA voted to make the Tuesday of that week National Teacher Day.

In 2015, Teacher Appreciation Week is
May 4 through May 8. National Teacher Day falls on Tuesday, May 5.

The NEA describes National Teacher Day as “a day of honoring teachers and recognizing the lasting contributions they make to our lives.” Students and parents typically show their appreciation for teachers by writing thank-you cards and sharing small treats and gifts.

Since 1984, National PTA has designated the first week in May as a special time to honor the men and women who lend their passion and skills to educating our children.

Our teachers prepare students for their futures! All members of the DPS109 Community join together to say THANK YOU teachers, support staff, administrators, parent volunteers, – everyone – who supports and facilitates student learning! We teach like our future depends on it … because it does!

Thank you!

future

Letter I sent to DPS109 Faculty and Staff – Teacher/Educator Appreciation Week

“It’s exciting to see how fast your kids learn and grow. I’m not too worried about them, particularly the ones who like to break the rules and don’t follow instructions; those are the ones that will do just fine because they know what’s important to them.”
– Jerry Porras, Stewart Emery & Mark Thompson, Success Built to Last

Dear District 109 Teachers and Staff,

I hope that you feel the deep sincerity of these two words: THANK YOU!

Thank you for your dedication to our students. Thank you for the commitment to partnering with parents. Thank you for the early mornings and late nights that you spend preparing and planning, meeting with students and parents and colleagues, or studying and networking to further your own professional development. Thank you for the personal financial investments you have made to create a classroom that truly is a second, loving home for your students this year.

Thank you for your talents, and thank you for your love of the children in our community.

On April 28, the Board of Education’s approved a proclamation declaring Tuesday, May 6, 2014 Teacher Appreciation Day. As a token of our appreciation, the District administration and Board will provide breakfast for all staff (on Tuesday, May 6 at Caruso and Shepard; on Wednesday, May 7 at Kipling, South Park, Walden and Wilmot). You may see a few Board members coming to classrooms to show their appreciation in person this week. We hope that the signs at the school buildings and District Center make you smile – and encourage our students, parents and community members to show their appreciation as well.

If you are a Twitter user or follower you might have noticed a number of #ThankATeacher hashtags and tweets. If you are not a Twitter user or follower, now you know about the national / international reach of the THANK YOU and APPRECIATION so many people wish to say and share about YOU. Whether you are a classroom teacher, an Educational Support Person, an administrator, a school services professional, a special area teacher, YOU ARE APPRECIATED and we are all thankful for the honor and dedication you give to so many.

In our profession it sometimes takes years – or even a lifetime or career – to hear, learn about, receive, or feel “appreciation” that the investment of energy in teaching has paid off. For some it is a note, a letter, an email, a voicemail message, for others it is attending a wedding or significant family / life event of a former student. For us all it is the BELIEF and the HOPE that our selfless and often endless work on behalf of the students and community will “make a difference” or “pay off.”

Well, as your superintendent of schools, as your chief educational officer, I say YES – you all make a difference and you each make a difference. Each and every day and especially in honor of National Teacher Appreciation Day and Educator Appreciation Week, on behalf of the Board and the leadership team and the community, I extend a THANK YOU for all you do!

Please continue to Engage, Inspire, Empower each student every day. Enjoy your well deserved acknowledgement and appreciation.

Sincerely,

Mike