Besides redbuds and lilacs, gratitude and recognition are also in the air around the district right now. It’s Teacher Appreciation Week, and schools all over town are finding ways to acknowledge the most important cog in student achievement. Tokens ranging from homemade cards to flowers and sweets are some of the bonuses in a profession that’s undervalued by the usual standards of compensation but lucrative in ways that others are not.
At Cowles Montessori, a group of parents came up with a novel idea to express their support for the school’s staff. After the early dismissal on Wednesday, an eager squad of volunteers washed teachers’ cars while the weekly professional development was going on inside.
“Last year was the first year we did this,” said Betsy Mitchell, who coordinated the effort along with Melissa Kiefer. “It rained out (figures), so we postponed until the last day of school and sent them off for the summer with shiny cars.”
Between them, Mitchell and Kiefer have five kids at Cowles, but plenty of other parents and students were happy to pitch in and clean more than a dozen vehicles.
One wet wag suggested a name change for the school mascot, from Cougars to Carwashers. But this is only a once per year thing, so that’s not happening.
“Interested teachers signed up and gave us their keys,” said Kiefer. “Oh-oh – looks like the pressure’s on,” she added when photographers arrived on the scene.
No rain this year, but a brisk breeze carried plenty of dirt and dust from the construction project that’s underway at Cowles, in addition to the springtime perfume. There were more than enough hands on deck to clean the cars, but the conditions made it hard to keep them that way for long.
No matter. It’s safe to assume that nary a customer complaint or discouraging word was heard. Teacher appreciation is always much appreciated, whatever form it takes.
