Thank you, teachers!

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been countless health care heroes making a difference, every day -- nurses, doctors, mental health providers, emergency workers, specialists, and many, many others.

There are also other heroes who are fundamental to the vibrancy of our local communities today and for the future…those who have some of the most important, demanding, unpredictable, and high-pressure jobs of all: our teachers. Teachers work tirelessly along with so many others – including administrators, counselors, specialists, coaches, maintenance teams and food-service workers – to educate our children, and keep them healthy and safe. The pandemic has only added multiple layers of complexity onto their already difficult jobs.

Throughout this summer, so many teachers and administrators have been planning all day, every day, for this fall’s school year since the day the last one ended. They are being asked to quickly adapt to entirely new ways of doing their jobs. In addition to their typical responsibilities, many also need to find ways for socially distanced learning – quite possibly with some kids physically in the room, and others remotely; determine how to keep every child engaged, regardless of where they’re sitting and their circumstances; personalize lessons for children who learn in different ways and at different paces; figure out how to connect with children individually, if only for a few minutes a day or week; help the youngest in-person learners understand the need to wear masks while keeping at a safe distance from their classmates; and, help the older, college-bound students to prepare for that stressful time in their lives of moving onto higher education when their parents might not even be able to visit them on campuses.

And, they still have to inform, support – and sometimes comfort – anxious parents!

I have children of my own and like every family with kids, I definitely fit the description of anxious. I want my kids to be safe and healthy – first and foremost – but also to have a fulfilling school year. We are relying primarily on our teachers to take on this important task. They have responsibility for not one family’s child – but are trying to find the best possible solutions for dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of children. Teachers literally hold the future in their hands.

I often hear 2020 referred to as a lost year or a year to be forgotten – but it can’t be for our children. I am deeply thankful to those who are working so hard to educate and inspire my own kids – and millions of students around the world. 

As we begin the new school year, please join me by thanking a teacher or someone else in the education system who you’d like to recognize by adding their name and tagging them below.