Think back to your time in school. Can you name all of your teachers?

 

Mayor Michael B. Hancock can, and I would guess many of us can too.

 

"Teaching is one of the few professions that truly touches eternity. We remember something that each teacher gave us," shared our city's mayor at Wednesday night 's thank you celebration with DPS ' most outstanding teachers. "I can remember every teacher, and I want to thank you for touching eternity. You make a difference in the life of a child."

 

Wednesday marked our annual Excellence in Teaching celebration, when the mayor and I had the opportunity to thank our outstanding teachers and specialized service providers (SSPs) who received a Distinguished rating on the district's nationally recognized growth and performance system for the 2016-17 school year. Held at the Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum, and made possible thanks to generous DPS Foundation partners, the event invited our top educators and a guest to be recognized, thanked and celebrated for their excellence in serving kids.

 

Talking to our teachers and meeting their families who support them, it was clear how deeply each one of our educators cares for their profession, their teammates and their students. The work they are doing today will have an impact far into the future. We want to help all of our educators continue to grow and develop in their craft, and we know that recognizing and honoring their efforts go hand-in-hand alongside coaching and supports.

 

	Supt. Tom Boasberg visited with Distinguished DPS educators and guests at Wednesday's Excellence in Teaching event at the Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum.

A simple "thank you" -- whether shared among hundreds of teachers during the Excellence in Teaching celebration or through a note card left on a desk -- can have a big impact, not only on the recipient but across all of DPS. Because when we share recognitions, we not only celebrate those who inspire us, we also set the bar for who we want to be as an organization and how we want to act as team members. And when we are stronger as a team, we are better able to support our kids and their dreams.

 

(Looking for ways to recognize your teammates? Visit DPS Honors! to learn more.)

 

Thank you to all members of Team DPS for the passion you bring every day, no matter your role, to make a difference for our students. As one of our Distinguished teachers from Abraham Lincoln High School shared:

 

"I teach because it brings me joy. I am grateful each day that I get to go to a place filled with people I care about and that I get to do work that I truly enjoy."

 

We are fortunate to have so many educators dedicated to reaching our vision that Every Child Succeeds. Thank you.