Education Week: A Good Time to Thank a Teacher

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By: Andrea Sears

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.