A Letter from Michelle Obama

This is a busy time of year in the Obama household. Like so many parents all across this country, I watch with a mixture of pride and anxiety as my daughters stuff their backpacks, kiss me goodbye, and move ahead in another school year without so much as a backwards glance.

My girls are now making new friends, tackling challenging new subjects, and moving closer to becoming the strong, confident women I know they can be. But when I see them come home, bursting with excitement about something they have learned or someone they have met, I can't help but think that some of the most influential people in my daughters' lives won't be the ones they socialize with on the playground or read about in the pages of a book—they will be the people who stand up every day in front of their classrooms.

We all remember the impact a special teacher had on us—a teacher who refused to let us fall through the cracks; who pushed us and believed in us when we doubted ourselves; who sparked in us a lifelong curiosity and passion for learning. Decades later, we remember the way they made us feel and the things they inspired us to do—how they challenged us and changed our lives. So it's not surprising that studies show that the single most important factor affecting students' achievement is the caliber of their teachers. And when we think about the qualities that make an outstanding teacher—boundless energy and endless patience; vision and a sense of purpose; the creativity to help us see the world in a different way; commitment to helping us discover and fulfill our potential—we realize: These are also the qualities of a great leader.

Today, more than ever before, we need precisely this kind of leadership in our classrooms. As the president has frequently said, in a 21st-century global economy where jobs can be shipped to any place with an Internet connection and children here in America will be competing with children around the world for the same jobs, a good education is no longer just one road to opportunity—it is the only road. And good teachers aren't just critical for the success of our students. They are the key to the success of our economy.

But the reality is that with each passing year, we are losing more and more of our most experienced teachers. More than half of our nation's teachers and principals are baby boomers. And in the next four years, as many as one third of America's 3.2 million teachers could retire. The U.S. Department of Education projects that by 2014, just five short years from now, our nation's schools will hire as many as 1 million new teachers. And the challenge to our schools is not just an overall teacher shortage but a shortage of good teachers in the schools where they are most essential: high-need schools that face some of the most daunting obstacles but have students with so much potential. We also have a shortage of teachers in subjects like math and science that we know will be critical to our children's future.

Today, we need a new generation of leaders to take their place in our nation's schools. We need passionate, talented, committed men and women to step up and devote themselves to preparing our students to succeed in this new century.

We need universities to double down on their efforts to prepare teachers and to improve and expand effective alternative routes to certify teachers. We need to encourage more experienced professionals to consider teaching as the next chapter in their careers. And we need to treat teachers like the professionals they are by providing good salaries and high-quality professional development opportunities. We need parents to do their part as well to match that leadership in the classroom with leadership at home. We need to set limits and turn off the TV. We need to put away those video games and make sure that homework gets done. We need to reinforce the example that's being set and the lessons being taught at school and make sure that learning continues at home.

And we need government to support significant efforts to recruit and retain teachers and to reward high-performing teachers. Along those lines, President Obama is already investing more than $3 billion to turn around struggling schools. And he has proposed a nationwide Teacher Recruitment Program to attract more people to the profession, especially in high-need schools. I look forward to being involved with this program and encouraging people across America to put their leadership skills to work in our nation's schools.

Much work lies ahead, and it won't be easy. But I am confident that with a new generation of outstanding leaders in our classrooms, we can make a lasting difference in the lives of our young people and a lasting impact on the life of this nation.

This letter to the Editor was published in US News & World Report on Tuesday, October 20, 2009 http://www.usnews.com/articles/opinion/2009/10/15/michelle-obama-teachers-are-key-to-a-successful-economy.html

Go Outside and Play!

Connecting to Nature Formal Partnership Established Among National, State, and Local Park Organizations Looking for a way to improve your child’s mental and physical health? Look no further than your nearest park or natural area. “Numerous studies conclude that time spent in outdoor settings decreases stress, inspires creativity, promotes social development, and encourages physical fitness,” said National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis. “A new partnership among the National Park Service, the National Association of State Park Directors, and the National Recreation and Park Association was recently formed to develop and promote programs and policies in parks and other areas that connect children with nature.” The partnership’s website, www.nps.gov/ChildrenInNature/BestPractices, contains a searchable database of approximately 450 outdoor activities compiled from hundreds of national, state, and local parks and program offices. “This easy-to-use website contains an extensive list of programs about a wide variety of subjects including archeology, art, prairies, pioneers, critters, and camping,” said Joe Elton, President of the National Association of State Park Directors. “Nature is an amazing classroom, and these creative programs make it fun for children to learn about and connect with the world around them.” “The way children understand and experience their natural world has changed radically over the past several decades,” said Lois Finkelman, chair of the National Recreation and Park Association Board of Trustees. “Our three groups will work together to expand recreational opportunities and natural resource education for children and families. In addition, we hope to engage other federal, state, local, tribal, and non-government partners in the effort.” Leaders of the three conservation organizations signed a partnership declaration which contains an action plan to increase public awareness of local and national natural resources. Contact Information Kathy Kupper | 202-208-6843 *This post is a press release from the National Park Service.

Schools as Community Hubs

October is Parent Visitation Month in Alabama. Parents are encouraged to visit the schools and schools are encouraged to let parents visit. That’s great, but wouldn’t it be nice if every month were Parent Visitation Month.

One of the visions that Education Secretary Arnie Duncan has laid out is the concept of schools acting as community hubs by becoming full service community schools. These schools would be open in the evenings and on weekends and welcome families and community members. The schools would have community computer labs where adult education classes could be taught. They would have social workers and provide access to a full range of social services.

Some communities have already started creating full service community schools and the results they are finding are very positive. For youth, the benefits include improved grades and behavior as well as better attendance. Youth tend to have an increased sense of attachment and responsibility to the community. They have improved personal or family situations with less abuse or neglect and an increase sense of school connectedness with increased access to physical and mental health services.

The school benefits from serving the community as well. The teachers are able to spend more time on class preparation and with students. There is improved teacher attendance and communication between families, schools, and teachers. Schools also receive greater resources due to more community partnerships.

The community benefits from an increased use of school facilities. There is an increase in community pride and citizens and students engage in more school and community service. Communities also see improved adult literacy, improved security and safety surrounding the school and improved outcomes for the basic needs of its citizens.

The benefit to families when schools are full service is also important. Families have an increased confidence in their role as their child’s teacher. They have a stronger sense of responsibility for their children’s education. Finally, when the school is more accessible and provides a full range of services, families have a greater attendance at all school and community functions.

Schools cannot do it alone, but they can become centers for collaboration with an other agencies committed to providing every student with the conditions that support learning. Open year-round and with extended hours, full-service community schools work with community agencies to provide on-site social, physical, mental, vision, and dental health care; after-school activities; service-learning projects; and adult education.

National Disability Employment Month

Did you know that October is National Disability Employment Month? To celebrate the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) is highlighting projects and initiatives funded by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) and the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitative Research (NIDRR) that improve employment outcomes for people with disabilities, including transition-aged youth.

All month, OSERS will feature innovative, employment-based projects and individual success stories on http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/deam-2009/index.html.

National Disability Employment Awareness Month dates to 1945 when Congress passed Public Law 176, designating the first week in October as “National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week.” The name of the month was changed by Congress in 1988.

The Alabama PIRC is proud to be housed in the same agency as the Alabama Network for Children with Disabilities. Our sister project is similar to our PIRC in that it provides training and information to families of children with disabilities. If you have a child with a disability please contact our office if you have any questions or concerns about their education or any other transition issues.