Minister applauds province's teachers and support staff

Education Minister John Ottenheimer took the opportunity today to remind Newfoundlanders and Labradorians that next week, February 8-14, is Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week. Sponsored by the Canadian Home and School Federation, Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week encourages everyone to recognize the important contributions of teachers and staff to the lives of our youth.

"We have a remarkable teaching workforce in this province and each day, we entrust the safety and guidance of our children to these women and men," said Minister Ottenheimer. "We charge them with educating our young people who will become the future leaders of our province. It is a demanding task, and as a former teacher, I understand the challenges these teachers face daily. On behalf of the Department of Education, I offer my sincere thanks to each and every one of them.

"I must also applaud the support staff who work behind the scenes each day to keep our education system running smoothly. These professionals work hard to ensure schools are safe, clean, orderly places where our students can avail of every educational opportunity. Support staff work with our teachers to offer the highest quality education possible."

For 17 years, Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week has reminded parents, students and the public-at-large that teachers and staff deserve our thanks. The Canadian Home and School Federation Web site at //cap.ic.gc.ca/chsptf/ contains many ideas on how to celebrate Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week.

Media contact: Lynn Salter, Communications, (709) 729-0048

2004 02 06                                        11:10 a.m.