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Dearest Colleagues:

As you know, the week of November 11-17 has been traditionally designated as American Education Week. What a wonderful opportunity to recognize and reward ourselves as well as our students and their families for our remarkable efforts to keep education in America one of the most outstanding institutions of the civilized world!

Education in this nation continues to flourish with the growth of our global communities. We have fast become the world standard by which other similarly progressive nations develop their educational constructs.

The National Education Association’s (NEA) 86th Annual American Education Week (AEW) spotlights the importance of providing every child in America with a quality public education, and the need for everyone to do his or her part in making public schools great.

This year’s focus continues to highlight our great public schools for every child. The theme this year is, “Great Public Schools: A Basic Right and Our Responsibility.” This reflects the Association’s calling upon America to provide all students with quality public schools so that they can grow, prosper, and achieve in the 21st century.

Our local, Prince George’s County Educators’ Association (PGCEA) certainly espouses to and endorses NEA’s work and we are fully committed to thrust central Maryland, particularly Prince George’s County, into the national spotlight as the most progressive, most professional and most “education-friendly” body of genuine educators throughout the state, the nation and throughout the world.

PGCEA encourages all of our represented schools and staff to kick off this observance on Tuesday, November 13, 2007 with the “National Invite Parents to School Day.” On this day, schools across the nation will invite parents into the classroom for a hands-on experience of what the day is like for their child. This initiative is designed to spotlight the importance of parental involvement in the educational process. Ongoing research shows that parental involvement in schools improves student achievement, reduces absenteeism, and restores confidence among parents in their children’s education. Also, students are encouraged to dress as their future career characters.

On Wednesday, November 14, 2007, we encourage educators to recognize “National Education Support Professionals Day.” Education Support Professionals (ESP) Day was first celebrated in 1987 after NEA’s Representative Assembly called for the creation of a way to honor contributions of school support staff. National ESP Day is a time to strengthen support and respect for these colleagues. This day is used to reflect a growing pride in the valuable role ESP’s play through America’s public schools. Today’s support professionals provide invaluable services that enable students to learn in positive, supportive environments. ESP’s are equal and essential partners in the education process.

Thursday, November 15, 2007 is designated as “Educator for a Day” recognitions. One this day, individual schools are to recognize their outstanding educators of the 2007-2008 school year. Also, you are encouraged to share this newsworthy activity with us here at PGCEA, as well as with the public media. We are truly serious about the great jobs performed by these truly outstanding professional educators.

“Substitute Educators Day” is observed on Friday, November 16 during American Education Week. “Substitute Educators Day” is a result of NEA Representative Assembly’s New Business Item (NBI) 2003-41. The purpose of this NBI is to increase appreciation of school substitute employees. These professional educators provide a critical link in the education of public school children by serving as a bridge to provide continued quality education to children in the temporary absence of regular classroom educators.

“Substitute Educators Day” seeks to:

1. Advocate for all school substitutes to receive wage and health benefits for those who work most to all of a full school year.
2. Receive genuine continued professional development in the art of substitute teaching.
3. Provide a reminder for school staff about effective practices to prepare for, welcome, and support substitute educators.

And, finally, on the local scene, PGCEA sponsored a special event – a first-time (Public Relations Committee) “Photo Essay Contest.” The winner of the first place prize was Linda Mitchell of H. Winship Wheatley Early Childhood Center.

Thusly, my professional education colleagues on a more serious note, we have a monumental task before us. Your total participation in these scheduled events insures the quality of educational success for your students and your schools. But our job is in no way completed. As you continue to make good gains in your classrooms and your schools, we (your Professional Associations NEA, MSTA and PGCEA) continue the cause and legal challenges to insure this progress to protect public education from extreme budget cuts. There is still more work to do in the General Assembly. We are supporting those elected officials who are themselves “education-friendly.” We have insisted on NO FREEZES! NO CAPS! to Thornton Funding. A vote for the Governor’s revenue package is a vote for our great public schools. Now, let’s convince legislators to keep their funding promises and support the Governor’s revenue package! Without agreement from lawmakers on a revenue package, severe school funding cuts are inevitable! Remember to contact your legislators NOW during this week of highlighting education in Maryland (and nationwide). We urge your full support for Thornton Funding.

Yours in the Struggle for Full Education Funding,

Donald J. Briscoe
PGCEA President