Supporting the People Who Support Our Students

When we talk about education, we naturally talk about students.

And we should.

But there is another group that plays an enormous role in their success: the educators who work with them every day.

Teachers have an incredibly important job.

They aren’t simply teaching a curriculum. They are working with different personalities, different learning needs and different circumstances every day.

They are often the people who notice when a student is struggling.

They celebrate successes.

They encourage students who have lost confidence.

And they can sometimes become one of the most trusted adults in a young person’s life.

That’s a lot to ask of anyone.

I believe supporting students also means supporting the people who work with them.

That doesn’t mean ignoring accountability or pretending that every challenge has an easy answer.

It means recognizing the realities educators face and listening to them about what they need to do their jobs effectively.

Teachers are on the front lines of our education system. They have a perspective that should be part of conversations about what is working and what could be improved.

As a trustee, I would want to hear from educators as well as students and families.

Because ultimately, we’re all working toward the same goal.

We want students to learn.

We want them to feel safe.

We want them to succeed.

And we want them to leave school prepared for whatever comes next.

Supporting educators is one part of supporting students.

That is a conversation worth having.