American Education Week is Nov. 14-18.
Every year, right before Thanksgiving, we take time as a nation to celebrate our public schools and to say thank you to all the Pennsylvanians who come together to make our schools strong.
That includes educators and support professionals as well as students, parents, guardians, families and community leaders. We are all partners in the important work of educating the next generation of Pennsylvanians.
Every day, the doors to our public schools are thrown open to children of all backgrounds, abilities and incomes. Hardworking teachers, paraprofessionals and support staff work with students to meet their educational goals. And school counselors, nurses and mental health professionals are there to attend to our students’ mental and emotional health needs.
So, thank you to the educators and support professionals, to the parents, guardians and families, to the elected and community leaders who work together to make Pennsylvania’s public schools among the best in the nation. Our schools couldn’t do all that they do without your support.
Rich Askey
Harrisburg
The writer is president of the Pennsylvania State Education Association.