Education Week: A Good Time to Thank a Teacher
Andrea Sears, Public News Service – PA
HARRISBURG, Pa. – This is the start of the 98th annual American
Education Week, a time to celebrate the achievements of public education
and acknowledge the contributions of all those who make a difference in
students’ lives.
It’s a week when teachers, parents and support professionals are
recognized for the hard work and dedication each brings to making the
state’s public schools the best they can be.
Rich Askey, president of the Pennsylvania State Education Association,
says teachers and substitutes, counselors, office workers and school bus
drivers all are important to educating the next generation of
Pennsylvanians.
“We’re all in it together and that’s what we celebrate – that we’re just
one big group of people who are focused on the future of Pennsylvania
and the future of our kids,” he stresses.
A schedule of the week’s events is online at psea.org/AmericanEducationWeek.
Askey says this is a good time for parents to visit their children’s
public school and see for themselves how much public education has
changed over the years.
“There’s a lot more responsibility on teachers and our support staff
with high rates of poverty, higher rates of special ed, and the
accountability that’s in our public schools right now is higher than
what it was,” he points out.
Tuesday is Parents Day, when parents may be invited into the classroom
for a hands-on experience of what the day is like for their child.
Askey believes that joining in the celebration of public education may
inspire some parents and community members to take their appreciation a
step further.
“Maybe they can find a way to volunteer at their public school and
become a part of the community that helps our children grow and learn,”
he states.
Askey suggests taking pictures showing pride in Pennsylvania’s public
schools and posting them to social media with the hashtag
PublicSchoolsForAll.Disclosure:
Pennsylvania State Education Association contributes to our fund for
reporting on Budget Policy & Priorities, Early Childhood Education,
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