Purpose

The purpose is to increase appreciation of substitute employees. These professional educators provide a critical link in the education of students by serving as a bridge to provide continued quality education in the temporary absence of regular classroom educators. Substitute Teachers account for at least one school year of a child’s education.

The reason for two Substitute Appreciation days is because there are two Teacher Appreciation weeks. The first Teacher Appreciation Week is celebrated in the first week in May and the second one, American Education Week (AEW), is always celebrated the first full week before Thanksgiving.

Substitute Educators Day seeks to encourage increased respect for substitute education employees; to advocate for substitutes to receive genuine, continuous professional development in the art of substitute teaching; for all school substitutes to receive wage and health benefits for those who work most to all of a full school year; and to provide a reminder for school staff on effective practices to prepare for, welcome, and support substitute educators. (Substitute Educators include substitutes for teachers, secretaries, instructional assistants, nurses and many others)

Substitute Teacher Appreciation Day will provide another opportunity to show appreciation to these hard working teachers who go unnoticed even while the permanent teachers are being appreciated during Teacher Appreciation week, as well as providing another opportunity to remind school staff of effective practices to prepare for, welcome, and support substitute teachers.

Substitute Educator Appreciation – Board President Canter – 10/11/05

WHEREAS, public schools are the foundation of our democracy, providing young people with the tools they need to maintain our nation’s precious values of freedom, civic engagement, and equality; and

WHEREAS, substitute educators are an integral part of the education process; and

WHEREAS, substitute educators provide continuity in the learning process as well as a safe and healthy learning environment for students; and

WHEREAS, American Education Week (AEW), celebrated the first full week before Thanksgiving, is designed to recognize educators and school staff who keep our children safe and healthy and help them achieve.

WHEREAS, Teacher Appreciation Week, began in 1985 when the National Education Association (NEA) and the National Parent Teacher Association (PTA) declared the first week of May Teacher Appreciation week.

WHEREAS, substitute educators work tirelessly to serve our children and communities with care and professionalism; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the Los Angeles Unified School Board does hereby proclaim Friday of American Education Week, as Substitute Educators Appreciation Day, in recognition and acknowledgment of the importance of substitute employees of all types, jobs and classifications in our public schools; and Friday of Teacher Appreciation week as Substitute Teachers Appreciation Day in recognition and acknowledgment of the importance of Substitute Teachers who also teach our students in Los Angeles Unified Public Schools.