By Abby Schottenfels, Special Assistant to the Chief Education Officer
The first week of May is Teacher Appreciation Week. This takes place every year to celebrate hard-working, caring, and dedicated teachers around the country.
In Philadelphia, we have a lot to celebrate! We are proud of all our teachers and their steadfast commitment to bettering the lives of young people.
Here are just a few of our hometown teaching heroes and great initiatives that support their profession:
- In April, seven Philadelphia educators won money for their schools from Lindback Foundation Awards honoring principals who support student and teacher growth.
- In February, Joyce Abbot, the inspiration for Ms. Howard on ABC’s Abbott Elementary, was recognized nationally thanks to former student and Abbott Elementary creator Quinta Brunson
- Ms. Henry, a teacher at Mastery Shoemaker, made racial justice a cornerstone of her curriculum using The 1619 Project as her inspiration.
- Ms. Tilli from Meredith Elementary was recognized by the White House with a Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.
- Four Philadelphia high school students were awarded fellowships to become teachers. They will be a part of the The Center for Black Educator Development’s Black Teacher Pipeline, which recruits and trains the next generation of black educators.
Teachers are vital to the success of our schools and our students. Research shows that teacher-student relationships are one of the biggest components in positive student outcomes in schools.
We all know outstanding teachers who support the children in our lives. This week we hope you will take a moment to honor the teachers you know. Whether it is a thoughtful letter, a gift card to a coffee shop, tickets to Teacher Appreciation Night at Citizens Bank Park, or just saying “thank you for all you do,” let’s show Philadelphia teachers how grateful we all are.
