Friday, May 11, 2001
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Friday, May 11, 2001 |
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Education matters
May 6 begins National Teacher Appreciation Week. As superintendent, I would like to be the first to express my gratitude, appreciation, admiration and support for the teachers of Coweta County. Teachers deserve the support and thanks of all of us. We are urging the citizens of Coweta County to recognize teachers' contributions and their dedication to our children during this special week. There are more than 1,285 certified teachers in the Coweta County School System. They are responsible for teaching more than 16,000 students. More than 680 Coweta teaching professionals have master's degrees or higher. For the past several years, we have hired approximately 150 new teachers to fill vacancies at new and existing schools. For the 2001-2002 school year, we will hire approximately 90 to 120 new teachers. We strive to hire the absolute best teachers we can find for your children, starting right here in Coweta County and searching the entire southeastern United States for the brightest and most dedicated. Following are my words of gratitude and appreciation to the teachers of Coweta County: Dear Teacher: What would any of us be without you? You showed us all so many wonderful and important things. You made those squiggly marks on the paper, those things we later learned to call letters, make sense. Under your finger, letters turned into words, words evolved into sentences, sentences grew into paragraphs, and paragraphs became stories of far away places, interesting people, and exciting facts. At the sound of your voice, those puzzling marks called numbers turned into sums, quotients and products. You taught us how to share, to sing, to dance, to jump rope, to wait in line, and to hope and dream. As we grew older, you helped us understand our past, our present and how to plan for our future. You spoke of jobs and careers and money. You showed us how to work things, make things, grow things and appreciate things. And you taught us about people. In 1986, National Teacher of the Year Guy Doud visited President Ronald Reagan in the White House. President Reagan gave Doud a copy of the poem "Teachers," by Clark Mollenhoff. Agreeing with what Doud said in his book "Molder of Dreams," this poem best expresses my attitude toward teachers. You are the molders of their dreams. The gods who build or crush their young beliefs of right or wrong. You are the spark that sets aflame the poet's hand, Or lights the flame of some great singer's song. You are the gods of the young the very young. You are the guardian of a million dreams. Your every smile or frown can heal or pierce a heart. Yours are a hundred lives a thousand lives. Yours is the pride of loving them, the sorrow, too. Your patient work, your touch, makes you the gods of hope Who fill their souls with dreams, and make those dreams come true. I urge all citizens to say a special prayer of thanks for all the dedicated teachers in their lives.
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