An open letter to the teachers of the Beaver Dam Unified School District:

As National Teacher Appreciation Week falls upon us, I am reminded of a Japanese proverb: “Better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a great teacher.”  The students that comprise the Beaver Dam Unified School District have experienced unprecedented academic growth and success over the past 18 months.  Without underestimating the hard working students and wonderful families that populate Beaver Dam schools, our world class teachers who serve these students are the foundation of the advancements we have made.  

Our teachers who work with our students are incredibly busy people because schools are busy places.  It is easy to forget the profound impact that great teachers have on students.  This week provides all an opportunity to stop and reflect on the great teachers who have reached out and touched our lives and the lives of the students they serve.  At times this is done with an inviting smile, an encouraging conversation, or a push to reach for goals once seen as unattainable.  Take a minute to think about a teacher who impacted your life.  Think about the footprint they left on you.  Send that person a note this week, thank them, and remind that person of the impact they have on the future world in which we will live.  Remind our youth to focus on the positive aspects of their lives, to reflect on the growth they have made this school year,  and to recognize the tremendous impact a teacher had on their successes.  

This letter is my opportunity to thank the teachers of the Beaver Dam Unified School District: past and present.  I want to extend my most heartfelt thank you to the teachers who shaped my future as I moved through BDUSD as a student and as a young professional.  Most importantly, thank you to our current teachers who work diligently every day to create a better tomorrow for the children and young adults of our community.  Any effort to create a kinder, brighter future for our community and country will begin and end in our schools.  Together we are building tomorrow by guiding our students and empowering their futures.  

Thank you!

Steve Vessey

Superintendent

Beaver Dam Unified School District