During Teacher Appreciation Week, students and parents alike strive to find creative ways to say “Thank You” to educators who don’t always get the recognition they deserve. This year, DollarDays is putting the spotlight on some of our favorite superheroes, the teachers of Estrella Foothills Global Academy, one K-8 school with a very ambitious mission, located just miles from DollarDays’ Phoenix, Arizona headquarters.
Estrella Foothills is the newest of nine schools in the Laveen School District. Despite the many academic challenges faced, the teachers are determined to bring an elevated learning experience to the hopeful, enthusiastic students in their community.
At the forefront of the school’s curriculum is a unique global studies program designed to help students become responsible members of their local, national, and global communities. In the program, students are encouraged to participate in international communication and service-learning projects, while also maintaining high academic standards. For example, students are exposed to Mandarin beginning in kindergarten with full language exploration beginning in fifth grade.
In addition, Estella Foothills involves students in many community and cultural events, teaching that “to be a better citizen, one must cooperatively work to serve their community.” As noted on the academy website, “Our staff commits themselves to appreciating diversity, promoting inclusion, and showing respect for others,” and prioritizes this belief throughout the curriculum.
On April 29th the DollarDays team visited three special teachers (Shelby Bradshaw – 3rd grade, Carrie Vail – 4th grade and Justin Besonen – 5th grade), all nominated by Joree Schneider, Instructional Coach at Estrella Foothills for the DollarDays “Sponsor a Classroom” award. Each of their thirty students was presented with a new BigBox backpack and school supply kit that included writing tools, rulers, sharpeners and more. “While all our teachers deserve to be recognized, I chose this team because they always go above and beyond to ensure their students are setup for success both inside and outside of the classroom,” said Schneider.
At DollarDays our goal is to provide the products you need to fuel your philanthropy. With Back-to-School season just a few months away, we’re motivated to supply students with the essentials they need to stay focused on learning. As stated by Teach For America, “For students whose families cannot afford supplies, coming to school unprepared can create social and emotional challenges, in addition to putting kids at a disadvantage for learning.”
One way to give back to your community, to show appreciation for teachers, and to help kids in need, is to help offset some of the costs of school supplies with a donation. Click here to shop our selection of top-selling wholesale school supplies today.