The Impact of Our Teachers

I ask you to take a moment to think about the persons in your life who have made a profound and lasting impact on you.  Chances are great that somewhere on that list will be a teacher.  Maybe it was the teacher that took you from “not being a numbers person” to successfully getting you into college thanks to a passing grade on the algebra section of the ACT. Maybe it was a coach who gave you the confidence to try a sport that ultimately became a something that meant so much to you in your youth, that you now happily share that sport with today’s kids. Or maybe it was a kind word or gentle encouragement that saw you through a tough day, when a kind word and gentle encouragement was what you needed the most. 

These are the acts of teachers that happen every single day in our schools. Teachers are the foundation of our schools, and are the single most important factor in the successes that we collectively have achieved as a school system. By a wide margin, teachers teach because it’s what they feel called to do.  It’s a job, and it’s a career, but mostly, it’s something where teachers tell us time and again, that making an impact is their greatest reward. 

Teachers are also critical to our community. Terrebonne Parish consistently leads the nation in terms of business expansion and jobs growth.  We are regularly ranked as having one of the highest qualities of life in the country and predictions are that we are about to enter into one of the most dynamic periods of growth our area has ever seen. Central to it all is a quality educational system lead by the most highly qualified educators we can attract and retain. It’s an issue that impacts us all in a very profound and lasting way.

When you go to the polls on December 6, you will have an opportunity to support the very same teachers that have meant so much to so many.  A half-cent increase in sales tax will provide monies, 100% of which will go to raise our  teacher and support staff salaries from 47^th in the state to a level in line with a parish as dynamic and growing as Terrebonne.

We are fortunate to have some of the best qualified, most motivated, and most innovative teachers in the state. They are trained, experienced, and certified to teach our kids. They are also most deserving of our support, and I encourage you to support this issue when you go to the polls this December 6.

Philip Martin
Superintendent