The real stars: Teachers change lives every day, and they are district's MVPs

If you saw yesterday's News-Argus, you saw a rather touching exchange between a little boy ready to start first grade and his kindergarten teacher from the previous year.

Ethan Jenkins wasn't too sure about his new class and new grade. But all it took to give him the extra confidence he needed was a little reassurance from one of his heroes -- his kindergarten teacher, Brenda McClary.

You couldn't tell from the photo, but little Ethan's face lit up and he had a new spring in his step as he walked into his new classroom and his new school year.

And his teacher did that.

It is proof positive that Mrs. McClary made an impression on that young man's life.

Mrs. McClary isn't alone. There are hundreds of very special teachers all over this county who make their students' futures Job 1.

They work long hours, worry about coming up with just the right lesson plan and do whatever it takes to get their children to love learning as much as they do.

They are there to encourage, to challenge and to support. Sometimes they have to teach lessons that do not involve reading and writing, and sometimes their guidance can stop a child from heading down the wrong path.

But there is always one constant -- they fight for their students every day.

Most teachers spend their own money to buy extras for their classroom -- and sometimes to make sure a needy student has the supplies he or she needs to succeed.

And as another new school year begins, we need to remember just how valuable they are.

Wayne County's schools could use a few facelifts -- and some need to be replaced. Those facilities priorities are important for the future and for the children.

You can see what a need there is simply by looking at the beautiful new school in Grantham and comparing what it has to offer to what some of the others schools have.

It is clear we have a lot more work to do.

But as we find the funds and juggle the money, we need to remember that the school district's most valuable assets are the teachers who stand at those white boards every day and change students' lives, as well as the assistants and others who help them.

That is a place where we need to invest, too, so that we can hire more teachers like Mrs. McClary and keep the ones we already have.

Published in Editorials on August 25, 2015 10:51 AM