Many schools and some political leaders such as U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan are celebrating teachers and their work.

Teacher Appreciation Week is a national event on May 2 through May 6, which began with an initiative from  Eleanor Roosevelt who proposed a day set aside to acknowledge the efforts of educators.

In an open letter to teachers on the ed.gov education blog, Duncan wrote, "I consider teaching an honorable and important profession, and it is my goal to see that you are treated with the dignity we award to other professionals in society. In too many communities, the profession has been devalued. Many of the teachers I have met object to the imposition of curriculum that reduces teaching to little more than a paint-by-numbers exercise. I agree."

He added, he wants to work with teachers on improving the federal laws and develop a meaningful evaluation system that judges through observations as well as assessment that measures individual student growth, creativity, and critical thinking,

PTA President Connie McCracken of Brentmoor Elementary School in Mentor said she thinks teachers don't get acknowledge enough for the work they do.

"They are teaching our children for the future," she said.

Throughout the week, the Brentmoor PTA will be holding different activities to honor their teachers with a theme and treat, which is paid by the parent organization.

McCracken said the PTA likes to honor not just teachers, but all school staff as well.

"It takes a whole school to help these kids," she said.

On Monday, teachers received breakfast of bagels and fruit as well as the "Kernels of the future" snack where teachers received bags of popcorn.

The principal will give a special Italian lunch to the teachers later in the week.

McCracken said it was great to see the students make cards for their teachers.

"It's a reminder for the kids they shouldn't take teachers for granted," she said.

   --Angela Gartner

      AGartner@News-Herald.com