Teachers of the Year
“Teachers who inspire believe that learning, doing and teaching happen in almost every area of life – and that all three often happen simultaneously. The child we are teaching to read and write is, in the same moment, teaching us about innocence and wonder.”
from Dear Teacher calendar by Dr. A. Witham
It is that time of year when we celebrate our Teachers of the Year. This year the two teachers who will be honored from our school district are Mrs. Janine Arnold from the elementary school and Mrs. Jackie Ellard from the middle school. At this time, we recognize all of the accomplishments of not only our honorees, but also all of the dedication our teachers have toward our students. Perhaps Mrs. Ellard’s words of gratitude express just what our feelings are when she says that “…all of us working collectively…empower our students with the knowledge and skills to go on to be intelligent and responsible citizens.” In addition to that, Mrs. Arnold states that it is her “…mission is to prepare… students for lives that shine and illuminate the world.” In short, both educators exemplify the true meaning of teacher and accept the honor on behalf of all of those educators who work toward helping our children to strive to be the best that they can be! These teachers, who will be honored this year at the County Teacher of the Year Ceremony on May 6th, model the quote at the onset of this page, a quote that happens to be listed for May 6th on my perpetual calendar. How fitting that the Teacher of the Year Ceremony is that same day. My heartfelt and humble congratulations go out to both of these fine educators!
This is also the time of the school year for two other annual opportunities in schools across our great state! On Wednesday, April 27, 2011, our school budget was passed by the voters of Lopatcong Township. I appreciate the fact that voters recognized that we had already made very difficult decisions on items to take out of our budget. The budget on which you voted included some difficult cuts, but please be assured that we will work to ensure that the best programs we can offer to our students will be implemented to assure the high quality of education we strive to attain. In addition to the budget, the upcoming month includes considerable required testing for our students. I ask that you please refer to our district calendar for the specific dates for the various grade levels. Please make sure your children get plenty of rest for those long days of testing. Students across the grade levels have worked very hard throughout this school year, and we want to make sure they are well-rested and ready to face the challenges ahead! As always, we appreciate your partnership with our school district in this way and we all realize the pressure that your children, our students, may be feeling is real!
As stated at various times throughout the year, educating the whole child is important to all of us. Continue to be involved in your child’s education, and attend those special school events as you are able. Being involved in your child’s school happenings is such an important aspect of the educational process. Reflect on the words in the initial quote as there is so much we can learn from each other! I look forward to seeing you at any of our upcoming school activities. Enjoy the sunshine now that winter is in our past and thank you for entrusting your children to us!