In celebration of Teacher Appreciation Month and the specifically designated Teacher Appreciation Week of May 8-12, Governor Gretchen Whitmer, State Superintendent Dr. Michael Rice, the Michigan Department of Education (MDE), and the State Board of Education express their deepest gratitude to Michigan’s teachers for their outstanding contributions to their students, schools, communities, and the teaching profession.
In a letter from Governor Whitmer and Dr. Rice emailed to more than 91,000 teachers across the state, Michigan teachers were commended for building positive, rewarding relationships with their students and their parents or guardians.
“Working together within your classrooms, schools, and communities and engaging with stakeholders is part of the education process,” the letter to teachers read. “Teaching is a challenging occupation that requires you to wear a lot of different hats. You support children academically and socioemotionally. Each of you serves as a consistent, positive, trustworthy presence in your students’ lives.”
Recognizing Michigan’s educators is an important piece of recruiting and retaining quality educators in support of Goal 7 of Michigan’s Top 10 Strategic Education Plan, to increase the numbers of certified teachers in areas of shortage.
“We respect the work that you do and support the effort, time, training, expertise, and love that you pour into teaching,” Governor Whitmer and Dr. Rice wrote in their letter.
The letter is just one part of MDE’s month-long celebration of Michigan’s remarkable teachers.
To show gratitude for the commitment of teachers to their profession, MDE invited families, parents, guardians, and community members to help highlight our state’s remarkable teachers by submitting videos of their PK-12 students expressing appreciation for their teachers. Michigan’s teacher candidates also participated, with messages of how they were inspired to enter the profession by a former teacher.
The first video is featured today on a Teacher Appreciation Month webpage, with new videos being added throughout the month.
In addition, MDE invited Michigan’s schools, districts, and intermediate school districts (ISDs) to include special “shout-outs” to their teachers during the month of May on their own social media platforms. Shout-outs will be re-posted to MDE’s Office of Educator Excellence (@MIeducator) Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages, with the hashtags #MITeachAppreesh and #PME (for Proud Michigan Educator).
To learn more about all the ways that MDE is celebrating Michigan teachers during the month of May, please visit the Teacher Appreciation webpage.
For more information on all of MDE’s teacher recognition programs, including the Michigan Teacher of the Year Program, Michigan Teacher Leadership Advisory Council, #proudMIeducator, Michigan Talent Pool, and the President’s Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teachers, please visit MDE’s Recognition Programs webpage.