Every November, the nation marks American Education Week as a time to celebrate our great public schools and the dedicated professionals who work with our students.

This year, Pennsylvania’s educators and support professionals deserve a special round of applause. The pandemic has put a tremendous amount of stress on them and their students. The school day looks and feels a lot different. Health and safety measures have disrupted the daily routine, but through it all, our educators and support staff are holding our schools together, helping students succeed.

American Education Week is Nov. 16-20. Please take time to say thank you to the education professionals in your community’s schools. They are teaching our students to read and excel at math, to examine the mysteries of science, and to be good citizens in our nation. They are working around the clock to give students the extra help they need.

And thank you for supporting Pennsylvania’s schools and educators, especially during these challenging times. Our schools couldn’t do all that they do without your support.

Rich Askey

President of the Pennsylvania State Education Association, Harrisburg