The first week of May is recognized as Teacher Appreciation Week. The occasion was first observed in 1984 by the National Parent Teacher Association to honor teachers and school officials who help educate the children of the United States. 

At Rancocas Valley, Teacher Appreciation Week is celebrated to commemorate the hard work and dedication of all staff members at our school. 

“While most schools advertise for Teacher Appreciation week, at RV we strive to call it ‘Staff Appreciation week,’ as we honor everyone on staff here in the building.” says Mr. Stephen Joseph, who has been the administrator in charge of Staff Appreciation Week for the past two years. “We look to honor administrative assistants, maintenance workers, custodians, substitutes and security guards.  Everyone can take part in our week of events.  We’ve always valued how everyone in the building works together to support our students. It’s always a pleasure to honor and lend kudos to the RV staff for all of their accomplishments. This is one way of ‘giving back’ during this time of the year.”  

Superintendent Dr. Chris Heillig believes that RV is quite appreciative of their educators, and the connection between students and staff is much more personal compared to other schools.

“Those that know RV understand the tight-knit, supportive community that we have here,” said Dr. Heilig. “When I started at RV six years ago, I said I know of RV, but I want to get to know RV…After many conversations, I realize that RV is exceptional due to our teaching staff’s connections with students. Our staff goes above the call of duty for students.”

Teachers and school staff work hard to educate their students throughout the year, and it is important to acknowledge them and let them know they’re appreciated. Ninth grade English teacher Mr. Burns emphasizes the importance of appreciating teachers, particularly the time and effort they put into their work.

“Sometimes, hearing students say something like ‘this book is stupid, why are we reading it?’ or ‘this class is a waste of my time,’ [what it says to me is] that…the lesson I made for the day is a waste of time…it really hurts because I put so much time and effort into it,” he said. “Not all lessons are perfect, I recognize some lessons are boring, but those comments sting in a different way.” 

Teachers overall have a pretty stressful life, ranging from what goes on in the school to grading papers to dealing with their individual lives. Just because they are teachers does not mean they are not working hard; they most likely are planning for their next lesson or how to organize the week to make it interesting for both the in-person students and the virtual students. Many teachers have also noted that this year’s challenges are unprecedented and especially challenging. 

In the spirit of Teacher Appreciation Week, remember that the staff members who have worked here are working in order to help students and make education interesting and engaging.