Teacher Appreciation Day doesn’t come around until May, but the high school Parent Teacher Organization isn’t waiting until then to express how much they value faculty.
Since September, the PTO has honored the English/Language and Literature, Math and Social Studies/Individuals and Societies departments with treats, flowers and appreciative notes.
“It’s so nice to be acknowledged for your hard work as a teacher,” English Department Chairwoman Emily Shrestha said.
On the morning of Sept. 29, the PTO stocked the English Department office with cookies, chips, doughnuts and Mason jars bearing flowers and dozens of unique, appreciative notes, such as “Someone went to a library because of you” and “A teenager uses adverbs correctly because of you.”
On Oct. 27, the PTO surprised the Math Department with coffee, granola bars, doughnuts and cookies. “It’s nice to feel appreciation from parents,” said math teacher Kristie McFadden. “But it would be nice to get more appreciation from students.”
Shrestha said that appreciation for educators has declined since COVID-19 caused schools to employ remote instruction. “People went from really appreciating teachers during online learning, to disregarding them,” she said.
PTO officers Kate Stuart and Kathrine Bissett are leading the teacher and staff appreciation effort and said that teachers who affected their lives positively were some of the inspiration for this project. Stuart said that she really wants the teachers to know that the PTO recognizes them.
Bissett said, “The most important thing is that students show appreciation by treating teachers like people.”
