Coming to school early in the morning, working for seven hours and then staying after for another two. Teachers work hard everyday and often don’t receive the recognition they struggle to earn. 

Teachers will be celebrated for their hard work this week with the goal of destressing those who need it.

“Teachers need appreciation because we are constantly plagued with anxiety and have a lot of work on our plates,” Algebra I teacher Brittany Rodriguez said. “It’s good to know that we are appreciated. I’ve gotten letters from old students thanking me for educating them, and it made the hard work worth it.”

With guidelines forcing teachers to create lesson plans about seemingly boring subjects, getting a class full of teenagers to have fun during an assignment can be hard.

“Teachers need to be appreciated because they have to deal with kids from five am to five pm everyday. Even after that, they have a lot of work to do when they get home,” senior Alixandria Johnson said. “I really appreciate Mrs. Eisinger. She puts so much dedication into making her class fun.”

Principal Stephanie Hodgins holds a lot of respect for her teachers. It’s safe to say that teacher appreciation week holds a special place in her heart.

“It’s important to recognize teachers because it’s a very difficult job, especially these past few years,” Hodgins said. “We have done a couple of different gratitude challenges this year. Research shows that showing thankfulness to others boosts productivity and overall morale.” 

Showing appreciation does not always mean giving gifts. Writing a simple letter or just telling a teacher how grateful one might be is enough.

“I have gotten several emails from students, they were kind and heartfelt,” Hodgins said. “I’m glad that Wildkats went out of their way to reach out to me. It is super necessary that teachers feel like the work they put in is special. We keep all the letters sent to us forever.”