FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 15, 2021
American Education Week 2021
Honoring Colorado Educators in challenging times
DENVER – This week, Nov. 15 – 19, is American Education Week where we honor the team of people who work in our state’s public schools, everyone from the bus driver and classroom teacher to the cafeteria worker, administrative staff, and countless others. It is also a time to honor the families of public school students for their partnership in making sure Colorado students have exceptional public schools.
“The public education experience really is a team effort,” said Amie Baca-Oehlert, high school counselor and president of the Colorado Education Association. “Our educators, administrative staff, support staff and parents work in concert to always give the best to our students so that they can be successful.”
This year’s version of American Education Week is marred by the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, educator shortages and burnout and a hyper-political climate, which places Colorado educators directly in the middle of some very challenging times.
“This is about as tough a time for educators as we’ve ever seen,” said Baca-Oehlert. “It is great to celebrate one week out of the year, but we must come together to find solutions to the problems facing educators, students and public education that affect them every day of the year.”
The American Education Week schedule is as follows:
- Monday – Kick Off Day
Across the country, schools will celebrate excellence in education by hosting kickoff events and activities. - Tuesday – Family Day
On this day, schools across the nation invite parents into the classroom to experience what the day is like for their child. - Wednesday – Education Support Professionals (ESP) Day
On Wednesday we’ll honor ESPs, who go well beyond anything we have seen before as they work to meet the needs of our school communities in the midst of a pandemic, like ensuring students were fed though schools were closed. - Thursday – Educator for a Day
This year, having community members come into the classroom is not an option for many schools as they implement their distance learning or building reopening plans. - Friday – Substitute Educators Day
Substitute educators play a vital role in the maintenance and continuity of daily education and we honor their willingness to help classrooms continue to function.
“Whether it’s recognizing every educators’ right to have a voice on the job, tackling Colorado’s school funding issues, or providing access to mental health resources, it’s clear there’s a lot our legislators and decision makers can do to really show their support of our educators, students, and public schools,” said Baca-Oehlert.
About American Education Week
The National Education Association was one of the creators and original sponsors of American Education Week.
Distressed that 25 percent of the country’s World War I draftees were illiterate and 9 percent were physically unfit, representatives of the NEA and the American Legion met in 1919 to seek ways to generate public support for education.
The conventions of both organizations subsequently adopted resolutions of support for a national effort to raise public awareness of the importance of education. In 1921, the NEA Representative Assembly in Des Moines, Iowa, called for a designation of one week each year to spotlight education. In its resolution, the NEA called for: “An educational week … observed in all communities annually for the purpose of informing the public of the accomplishments and needs of the public schools and to secure the cooperation and support of the public in meeting those needs.”
The first observance of American Education Week occurred December 4-10, 1921, with the NEA and American Legion as the cosponsors. A year later, the then U.S. Office of Education joined the effort as a cosponsor, and the PTA followed in 1938.
Other co-sponsors are the U.S. Department of Education and national organizations including the National PTA, the American Legion, the American Legion Auxiliary, the American Association of School Administrators, the National School Boards Association, the American Federation of Teachers, the American School Counselor Association, the Council of Chief State School Officers, the National School Public Relations Association, the National Association of State Boards of Education, the National Association of Elementary School Principals, and the National Association of Secondary School Principals.
American Education Week is always celebrated the week prior to the week of Thanksgiving.
About the Colorado Education Association
The Colorado Education Association is the voice of 39,000 educators, working together in a strong union to ensure all students get the exceptional public schools they deserve, in every neighborhood across the state. As Colorado’s largest labor union, CEA works collectively with all education stakeholders to ensure Colorado’s standing as an excellent state in which to learn, live, work, and raise a family.
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