Teacher Appreciation in the SDMA

Teacher Appreciation in the SDMA
Posted on 05/04/2017

Now that the calendar has flipped to the month of May, some communities and organizations are celebrating teachers through various Teacher Appreciation Week or Teacher Appreciation Day activities. Some of the media outlets in the Chippewa Valley have already been celebrating area teachers, and some school districts recognized their teachers earlier last week.  Even within our own school district, some of our Parent Teacher Organizations (PTOs) and individual schools have already provided some welcomed and well-deserved recognition for our teaching staff.


It appears that this year, there might be some confusion as to when Teacher Appreciation Week should actually be celebrated.  According to nationaldaycalendar.com, Teacher Appreciation Week is celebrated during the first full week of May, with National Teacher Day observed on Tuesday of that week.  Therefore, in accordance with information provided by the National Education Association, National Teacher Appreciation Week in 2017 should be celebrated from May 7-12, and National Teacher Day is May 9, 2017. With May 1 being a Monday this year, it appears that some people may have been a little eager to recognize and celebrate the wonderful teachers who have had such a large influence on each and every one of us.


Perhaps the confusion brought forth this year will provide us with the opportunity to recognize that our teachers should always be appreciated.  Especially with the growing demands of our society and the ever-increasing expectations for which schools are responsible, we can all feel very fortunate that there have been teachers in our lives to teach us and our children.  There certainly is nothing wrong with having an extra week of special recognition for our teachers!


In the School District of the Menomonie Area, there are many ways that our teacher are supported and recognized throughout the year.  Our teachers often express gratitude to the wonderful parents, businesses, and organizations (like PTO) that recognize their efforts and make them feel special.  In addition to the little gifts and treats that our parents and children sometime bring for our teachers, PTO and other organizations have been known to facilitate special meals for parent-teacher conferences.  Local businesses have generously provided coffee and treats for district-wide staff meetings and professional development opportunities, and during Teacher Appreciation Week, some places even provide free or discounted meals, services, and other goods for our teachers.


Especially with growing up as the son of two teachers, but also in having been a teacher myself, it has been easy to understand how much our teachers appreciate these kind gestures.  We all know that it takes a special person to be a teacher, so please join me this week and in the weeks ahead in celebrating the wonderful teachers in the School District of the Menomonie Area and letting each of them know how much we appreciate what they do for the children and families in our community.


Should school families or community stakeholders have any questions about Teacher Appreciation Week, or anything else in our school district, I invite you to visit me at the Administrative Service Center on Pine Avenue, or contact me at 715-232-1642. More information about our schools can be found on the school district website (www.sdmaonline.com), and I regularly post school-related information on Twitter (www.twitter.com/sdmaonline) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/menomonie.schools)