SLO County teachers have been ‘pushed to the brink.’ Here’s how you can help them
“A teacher affects eternity. He can never tell where his influence stops.”
— Henry Adams
Let’s hear it for our county’s teachers!
It’s time to personally thank teachers for the job they do to educate our kids. I encourage every reader to join me in giving them the hugs and kudos they so richly deserve.
Teaching has always been a challenging and under-appreciated profession, but the events of the past few years have pushed even the most stalwart teachers to the brink.
So now it’s our turn to collectively repay them, to do our part in making sure that they and their students get the supplies and support that they need.
Here are just a few ways we can help out. Please let me know if you have other suggestions.
Volunteer at a local school
There are countless ways we can share our time and expertise through volunteering.
Talk about your profession at a school career day. Read books to English language learners. Coach an after-school sport.
Visit the district office in your area to discuss involvement opportunities and complete a volunteer application form.
Donate books
Donate books to the local library or reading program. Literacy goes hand in hand with school success. Data show that kids with books at home outperform children with less access to written materials. Consider making a financial donation to programs supporting literacy, such as San Luis Obispo Friends of the Library or Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library .
Contact your local school library to learn how else you can get involved.
Donate to a school project
Teachers post their specific needs online so you can choose which projects to fund.
For example, a teacher at Grover Beach Elementary School is requesting $466 via the fundraising website DonorsChoose.org for physical education equipment for her transitional kindergarten and kindergarten students.
A special education teacher at Ocean View Elementary School in Arroyo Grande needs $505 to create STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics) learning centers in her classroom. You can fund the entire project or pay for a portion of the cost.
For more information, visit DonorsChoose.org.
Attend a school board meeting
School districts always welcome community input and participation.
The San Luis Obispo County Office of Education holds regular meetings on the first Thursday of each month. Individual school districts also conduct meetings that are open to the public.
For meeting times and locations, contact your local district office.
If you attend a meeting, remember to be respectful and considerate of the multiple needs of the entire district.
Vote to support schools
In the upcoming midterm elections, voters will be asked to decide whether to pass Measure C-22, a bond measure seeking to upgrade and repair facilities in the San Luis Coastal Unified School District.
In addition, the San Luis Obispo County Clerk-Recorder’s Office has posted openings for governing board members in local school districts from Atascadero to Templeton. Interested persons are encouraged to call 805-781-5228 to make an appointment to file their candidacies.
Say thank you
Let teachers know you appreciate them. Then be sure to ask how you can lend a hand.