DALLAS (KRLD 1080)- A non-profit in Dallas has spent this week gathering supplies for 400 gift bags to hand out to local teachers for "Teacher Appreciation Week." Tuesday was National "Teacher Appreciation Day."
This year, Teacher Appreciation Week occurred as students across Texas are learning from home.
"The thing I'm hearing from teachers is, 'I really miss my kids. I miss their jokes. I miss their laughter. I miss seeing them grow,'" says Teach for America's Kaleigh Finn. "That's a loss for them, especially at the end of the year when you get to see them come full-circle."
Finn says that led to the fundraising push to provide the gift baskets to teachers.
She says each basket was designed for a teacher's own personality. Finn says teachers could list items they would want included, but many still focused on items that would help them teach via video. She says many asked for marker boards or easels.
"Teachers aren't just going above and beyond to learn how to teach on camera. I think they are going above and beyond to care for their students," she says.
"Not only are they responsible for taking grades and trying to manage this, but then, they've also got their own children to worry about," says Dallas ISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa. "How am I going to take care of them while I'm taking care of everybody else's kids? That's the thing about this: this is so universal. This is affecting everyone."
Hinojosa says the district is starting to prepare for fall. He says the district is looking at whether students will return to class, continue remote learning or a use a "blended model."
Hinojosa says Dallas ISD also needs to plan for transportation, meal preparation and how to handle sporting events.
Teachers were able to select items, and baskets will be mailed to them. Teach for America has been raising money for the baskets at https://fundraise.teachforamerica.org/campaign/teacher-appreciation-duri....
Finn says the non-profit partnered with a company based in Dallas, Marie Mae, to get supplies for the baskets.
"The business community shows up for us, as a non-profit, consistently. They always are so generous to us," she says. "Now, they're the ones who need some extra support."
