U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan will participate in several events with classroom leaders to celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week.
On Tuesday, May 3, at 8 a.m. EDT, Duncan will join parents across the country in honoring their local teachers with a visit to Randolph Elementary School in Arlington, Va. At the school, Duncan will stop by the classroom of Arlington County Teacher of the Year, Matthew Tosiello, a third grade ESOL teacher. Duncan will visit with Tosiello and his colleagues to thank them for their work. The event will kick off National Teacher Day.
Later that morning, at 11:25 a.m. EDT, the Secretary will join President Obama in the White House Rose Garden for a ceremony honoring the 2011 National Teacher of the Year, Michelle M. Shearer. Obama and Duncan will be joined by Shearer as well as the State Teachers of the Year. The National Teacher of the Year is chosen from among the State Teachers of the Year by a national selection committee convened by the Council of Chief State School Officers. Shearer is the 2011 Maryland Teacher of the Year and teaches 10th through 12th grade chemistry at Urbana High School in Ijamsville, Md. Members of the media who wish to attend this event must contact [email protected] before 12 p.m. EDT on Monday, May 2. Those who do not have a White House hard pass must also submit their full name, date of birth, social security number, gender, country of birth, country of citizenship and current city and state of residence.
On Thursday, May 5, at 1 p.m. EDT, Duncan will host a town hall discussion with the National and State Teachers of the Year at the Department of Education headquarters. The Teachers of the Year will discuss key challenges and issues and brainstorm new ideas during a conversation with Duncan and Department senior officials, as well as other education leaders. Members of the media who wish to attend are asked to be set by 12:45 p.m. and RSVP to [email protected].
Also this week, please join U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan in thanking a teacher who has made a difference in your life or in the life of someone you care about by posting their name and a message via Facebook, Twitter and other social networks.
*NOTE TO EDITORS: Members of the media who would like to cover the National Teacher of the Year ceremony must contact [email protected] before 12 p.m. EDT Monday, May 2. Members of the media who do not have a White House hard pass must also submit their full name, date of birth, social security number, gender, country of birth, country of citizenship and current city and state of residence
*NOTE TO EDITORS: Members of the media who wish to cover this event need to be set by 12:45 p.m. and RSVP to [email protected].