Along with the many challenges this pandemic has brought, it has also reinforced what is most important in our lives, and for so many of us, that is our relationships - family, friends, colleagues, students and teachers. We often heard during the school closures from teachers and students who missed one another.
Today, on World Teachers’ Day, I invite you to join me in celebrating our teachers. The relationships our teachers build with their students, and the work they do each and every day in support of student learning, achievement and well-being is exceptional; and what we have seen in the past six months has reminded us just how valued and important that role and that relationship is.
When our schools closed, our teachers checked in on students and families. They changed how they deliver learning and supported students in adjusting to online classrooms. Now, as we reopen schools, our teachers play an essential role in helping students transition back to school, whether in person or in our virtual schools. They are helping students adjust to new routines, making them feel comfortable in classrooms that may look a little different or are now online, and supporting their learning and well-being. This pandemic affected our students and families in different ways, and the support and care our teachers are providing during this time and this transition are so important.
Our teachers create environments where each and every one of our students feel safe, valued, welcome and respected. They engage our students in learning and developing the skills and knowledge they need to be contributing citizens and successful in the future. They build connections with families. They collaborate and share learning with one another. They encourage, challenge, inspire and support.
This is a relationship that matters. And so, today and every day, thank you to our teachers for your professionalism, leadership, flexibility, support and caring, and for your exceptional dedication to our students.
Sincerely,
Louise Sirisko, Director of Education