Chinook School Division Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week

By Mallory Cawthra

This past week, February 6th – 12th, 2022, the Chinook School Division in Southwest Saskatchewan celebrated Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week. The week provided an opportunity for students, parents, caregivers and any and all community members to show their support and appreciation for the teachers and support staff within their school community. The theme of the week was “Pulling together.”

At Leader Composite School (LCS), teachers and support staff were recognized and celebrated for their hard work and the impact they have had on their students and within the school and local community. There was an online form available for those who wished to submit positive stories about teachers and support staff, and some of the “Thank-You” notes were featured on the Chinook School Division social media account pages.

One parent/caregiver wrote a “Thank-You” note for teacher Lana Marshall, which read, “Thank you for all of the extra hours and heart that you dedicate to Sports and Learning for your students. Your passion for all that you do, to ensure success in our students in Leader is greatly appreciated.” Each note received by the Chinook School Division was sent to the staff member to read and enjoy; 200 notes were received for the week!

Terri Broderick, who teaches grade 3 at LCS, said that, “We received an overwhelming amount of recognition and appreciation from students, parents and community members. It continually put a smile on all our faces throughout the week!” A student from LCS wrote a note that was sure to brighten teacher Pamela Sifert’s day: “Thank you for always putting a smile on my face even on the hard days.” Yet another parent commented in regards to the pandemic and the many challenges that have arisen, “Our children are watching us. Let them watch us build each other up and show kindness and love. “Blowing someone else’s candle doesn’t make yours shine any brighter,” and “a candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.”

The Chinook Board of Education and Senior Administration commented in regards to the week that they, “…would like to acknowledge the dedication and hard work of teachers and staff during another challenging year. They have continued to do an incredible job of creating safe, supportive and engaging learning environments.”