Dear teachers,
As we wind down the school year, it somehow feels like we are busier than every. June brings along sunny days – but also a mountain of paperwork, looming deadlines, and the final push to the finish line. Amidst the whirlwind of year-end responsibilities, you continue to show up – not just for your students and school community, but for the greater cause of our profession.
Even in the most exhausting moments, you dig deep. You find the strength to do one more thing, answer one more email (or figure out why you didn’t get it), and stand firm in our ongoing fight in bargaining. Because that is what teachers do. You lead with heart, resilience, and an unshakeable commitment to do what is right.
I want to personally thank you for your courage, your persistence, and your willingness to keep going – even when the path is unclear and difficult. The road ahead won’t be easy, but we walk together in solidarity, knowing that we are fighting for our students, for the future of publicly funded education, and for the sustainability of our profession.
As you wrap up these final days with your students and school communities, take a moment to reflect on the impact you’ve made. Your well-deserved summer break is just around the corner.
To those of you stepping into retirement: congratulations! May you find peace in the quiet, joy in the slower pace, and excitement in the new adventures that lay ahead. Retirement isn’t the end- it’s a new beginning. Be proud of the legacy you leave behind and the countless lives you’ve touched along the way.
Thank you, each and every one of you, for the passion, energy, and heart you bring to your work – day after day, year after year.
In solidarity,
Amber Nicholson
ECT Local 54 President