While many of us are facing tough cut backs, we fail to remember the most important people in our children’s lives. very much overlooked, under paid and for certain unappreciated is your child’s teacher. They don’t complain unless little Johnny has been bad. Never revealing budget restraints or loss of financial support. We only care when our child tends to make us look like were not doing our job as a parent.

Teacher Appreciation Week is easy, when times are good: The coffee mug. The gift certificate. And of course, the apple.

But when times are bad, it is much more harder and sometimes the best way to say, “Thanks for all you’ve done for my child” is with… a card or even better and much more appreciated is a toner cartridge, or maybe some dustless chalk.

Budget cuts have hit one Chesapeake elementary school hard enough that for teacher appreciation week this week, the Parent Teacher Association sent home a note saying teachers had asked parents to please give them the gift of school supplies. The wish lists included printer cartridges, toner cartridges, Ziploc bags, dry-erase markers, and toys for recess.

“That does look a little sad,” said Kim Parker, vice president of the Western Branch Intermediate PTA. “But most of us room mothers, we’re still planning to do something nice for the teacher themselves, too.”

While we may be experiencing tough times, often a little goes a long way. Education should be a top priority for our children, and the resources that is required to help them learn shouldn’t be overlooked. But the feeling of helplessness that these teachers must feel when our school system seems to tie their hands with budget cuts is heart breaking. The next time you visit with your child’s teacher please ask them if there is anything that you a interested parent could provide for his or her class.

The next time you get to visit with your child’s teacher it would be beneficial to mention that there are empty cartridge collection fundraisers that would help bring more resources into his or her class. And if saving money on printer cartridges or toner cartridges is an issue in your child’s classroom then the teacher should take some time to make a class project using recycled printer cartridges. Recycled printer cartridges cost 50% less than retail and helps to save the environment.