A special message from Superintendent Cindy Marten: Dear Teachers, This week is National Teacher Appreciation Week, a time when communities across the country honor local educators and acknowledge the vital role they play in making sure all students receive a quality education. I want to take this opportunity to personally thank you, the nearly 6,000 teachers of the San Diego Unified team. Few other professions are able to inspire as many people as teachers do. Day in and day out, you challenge students to meet and exceed their potential and prepare them to be become actively literate, contributing, participating members of society. You are committed to your students and their learning; you manage and monitor their progress; you think systematically about the practice of teaching and learn from experience; and you collaborate with your colleagues in learning communities. But most importantly, you CARE! Our Vision 2020 is the roadmap for building a quality school in every neighborhood. Quality teaching is one our 12 indicators that will help make our vision a reality. This year, I have visited nearly 100 schools. I have been in hundreds of classrooms and have seen quality teaching first-hand. I know from experience that teaching is not an easy job, but it is a job that has the highest rewards possible: influencing, impacting and changing lives. I am proud to work beside you as your superintendent. This year, nearly 500 teachers will be retiring from our district. Many have dedicated 30+ years to teaching. I thank you for your service. You leave an intangible legacy, one that shines in the faces of the countless students whose lives you have impacted and in the hearts of parents who entrusted you with their most precious gift, their children. You have created a lasting bond with your colleagues, who know better than anyone what it is like to do the hard work and heart work of teaching. I wish you all the best as you move into a new phase of your lives. As educators, our work is never finished. However, it is important to take the time to reflect back on our work and acknowledge the progress being made. You all have my heartfelt thank you for making a difference in the lives of our students, our schools and our communities. You are the heart of the district! With gratitude, Cindy Marten Superintendent
Posted on: Thu, 08 May 2014 17:00:02 +0000