We have just finished admin appreciation day, administrative professionals appreciation day, nurse appreciation day and teacher appreciation week! With all of this appreciation, it can easily seem like something that we are going through the motions for, yet that is not how I felt, instead I noticed the effort, noticed the dedication, noticed the positives of these past few weeks and appreciated the supportive culture that was evident around campus. When we look at how much effort our admin, our students, our parents, our peers put in to showing their gratitude, it is easy to feel overwhelmed with gratitude.
This week is more than just free lunches, gifts from students and a morning cereal buffet! While those things are delicious and much appreciated, this week is about pausing to remember all of the days when you have gone beyond your job description because you care and because you are dedicated. I am feeling “teacher tired” just thinking about everything that is done on our Feaster campus – from before school conferences to late night athletics events and all of the learning and empowering happening between – teacher tired is a real thing (check out the #teachertired images on Twitter for a relevant laugh)! While it is a challenge to recognize every moment that a teacher goes beyond the requirements of their contract, teacher appreciation week is meant to force us to pause and serves as a reminder to be grateful for what our teachers do every single day.
What you do matters, and it does not go unnoticed or unappreciated. Teaching is not a profession where you leave the building at closing time and refrain from thinking about work until you get back for the next shift. Instead, teaching is a profession that we are constantly thinking about, planning for and reflecting on. This can be absolutely exhausting! So please know and please leave after reading this blog post that you are appreciated and you are making a positive difference for our community. If you ever need a reminder, check out the kind words on the video our admin sent out this week!
Feaster Charter 