Fairfield PTO honors all teachers by placing signs in their yard

FAIRFIELD - Members of Trojans Unite Parent Teacher Organization honored all the teachers in the district this week by placing signs in their yard that read 'Honk! An Amazing Teacher Lives Here!”

The signs also say 'We Love Our Fairfield Teachers,” and have a picture of the Trojan mascot above the words 'Happy Teacher Appreciation Week,” which is May 4-8. Kristin Miller, co-president of the Trojans Unite PTO (the PTO for both elementary schools in town) said 130 signs were ordered as an act of appreciation and love for the district's teachers.

'We want to recognize our teachers like we would during normal times,” Miller said. 'What a tough ending to a school year for all our teachers.”

Jessica Porter, a member of Trojans Unite's Teacher Appreciation Committee, designed the signs, and Frontline Print & Web of Fairfield printed them. The high school, middle school and both elementary signs also put up large signs on their lawns celebrating Teacher Appreciation Week.

Pence Elementary School Principal Angela Jones said Teacher Appreciation Week is celebrated every year, but this year presented a unique challenge to the typical celebration since all the students are at home. Miller reached out to her with this idea of putting signs in the teachers' yard, and eventually it snowballed into putting a sign into every teacher's yard in the whole district.

On Monday, May 4, members of the PTO, administrators, associates, custodians and parents all hit the streets to stake yard signs honoring the district's instructors. Jones said they even crossed into other school districts to place signs of appreciation in their lawns, too.

'Each of them deserve recognition during this time,” Jones said. 'During this COVID-19 time, our teachers have gone above and beyond to ensure our students are getting access to new content while at home. This has been a very challenging time to deliver high-quality instruction with the barrier of not being face to face.”

Jones said she could not be prouder of her educators at Pence Elementary School, who have 'blown me away with adapting their lessons and creating a platform for parents to follow their student's learning. It may be a trying time for education, but we are stronger together.”

Fairfield High School Principal Brian Stone thanked Miller and the Trojans Unite PTO for organizing this event.

'At FHS, we want to make our teachers aware we appreciate them not just this week but at all times,” Stone said. 'Especially with what they're going through, I appreciate them now more than ever before.”