Thank you to Dr. Jason Glass, Eagle County school superintendent, for his recent column titled “Take a Stand for Teachers” (which can be found online here).
Dr. Glass shared that it was recently National Thank a Teacher Week. He continued, “Toward that end, I hope you’ll join me in taking a moment to reach out and find a teacher who made a difference in your life, or the lives of your children and recognize them for their service and commitment. I’d venture everyone had some professional educator who had a profound impact on them and who inspired each of us to be and do more than we thought we were capable.”
I think it’s a safe assumption that everyone has in fact been shaped and molded by a teacher, and further that teachers on a daily basis indeed make profound impacts. Teachers do, in fact, provide the guidance and inspiration to help children achieve more than they could alone.
I think back to some of my elementary and high school teachers as well as my college professors at CU-Boulder (special shout out to Pat Long & Rick Perdue) who provided the inspiration referenced by Dr. Glass. Solomon Ortiz, a congressional representative from Texas, said it better than I can when he said, “education is the key to success in life, and teachers make a lasting impact in the lives of their students.”
It’s possible that I’m inherently biased as I come from a family of teachers, and I have a daughter in Eagle County Schools, but I’m of the belief that thanking a teacher might literally be the least we can do. It’s not a “feel good” effort – it’s an economic and community development priority. While the basics (readin’, writin’ and ‘rithmatic) remain essential lessons from our primary school system, teachers help build well educated citizens who can be prepared to take on the responsibilities required by a well-functioning community. Frankly, teachers are the backbone of the educational system, are the leaders in our schools and community, and help build our future workforce and future community leaders. This of course needs to be reinforced at home and by the business community.
When families, schools, and community institutions (e.g., local businesses, community colleges, health agencies, and business organizations such as Vail Valley Partnership) collectively work on their community goals and decide how to reach them together, everyone benefits. Schools enjoy the informed support of community members, families experience many opportunities to contribute to and participate in their children’s education, and communities benefit from an educated, responsible workforce. A recent example of this type of collaboration was the Vail Valley Partnership and Eagle Valley Rotary Clubs working with the Eagle County School District to host a career fair for high school students.
The common thread in this equation is quality teachers. I’ve been fortunate to volunteer a bit at Homestake Peak School in EagleVail and have seen some amazing teachers at work. I’m sure that every parent who steps inside a school would echo the same sentiments for their teachers and the impacts they have on our children. A special thank you to Miss Holly, Mrs. Wyse and Miss Peachey for their efforts. It’s truly amazing to watch a teacher at work who commands the respect of a room full of children – and it’s equally amazing to watch the educational growth of these same children over the course of the school year. It takes a special kind of patience, hard work and dedication to be a teacher, and we’re fortunate here in Eagle County to have these special people at our schools throughout the valley.
School ends in one short week and kids throughout the valley will be out for the summer. Our kids in Eagle County are fortunate to have summers filled with activities, camps, sports, and continued learning (keep reading all summer, kids). Be sure to find a time in the next week to thank a teacher for providing reinforcement and a positive school experience to our children, which has incremental benefits to our community at large.
So thank you to all the teachers. It’s the least we can say, but it’s true. You’re appreciated and we’re thankful for your efforts.
Chris Romer is president & CEO of Vail Valley Partnership