The Virgin Islands Board of Education (VIBE) commemorates Teacher Appreciation Week during the first full week in May and Teacher Appreciation Day on May 9.
“Teachers nationwide often are undercompensated, underappreciated and not given adequate tools and facilities in which to nourish the minds of their students,” said Winona A. Hendricks, VIBE chair. “The teachers in our local system are not exempt from this sad phenomenon; however, they consistently rise to the challenge and consistently produce many graduates capable of competing academically with students across the nation.”
Political and educational leaders first began discussions for a day to honor teachers in 1944. In 1953, Eleanor Roosevelt persuaded the 81st Congress to proclaim National Teachers Day. Congress declared March 7, 1980, as National Teacher Day. The National Education Association continued to observe Teacher Day on the first Tuesday in March until 1985, when the National Parent Teachers Association (PTA) established Teacher Appreciation Week as the first full week of May. The Nation Education Association (NEA) representative Assembly then voted to make the Tuesday of that week National Teacher Day.
“On behalf of my fellow VIBE members, I urge all students, alumni and parents to take a moment to not only think of the yeoman’s job which our teachers perform daily but to go a step further and actively thank them for their efforts. We at the VIBE will do so, as well,” Hendricks said.
