Washoe trustees, superintendent and community leaders proclaim Educator Appreciation Week

Washoe County School District leadership and community partners presented an educator appreciation proclamation during the April 22 board meeting, honoring district staff for their role in student learning and community life.

Dr. Katie Louise Weir, director of professional growth systems, introduced a cohort of 13 honored employees across a range of roles — from kindergarten teachers and kitchen managers to school psychologists and facility coordinators — and acknowledged community partners including Mike Kazmierski of Strengthen Our Community, Anne Silver of the Reno Sparks Chamber of Commerce and Sarah Hobbs Gill of Education Alliance for supporting the celebration.

Superintendent Joe Ernst read the proclamation, which recognized the contributions of bus drivers, nutrition service staff, custodians, administrative personnel and certificated staff as educators who contribute to safe and supportive learning environments. The proclamation notes educators’ resilience in the face of changing instructional requirements and calls on residents to "express their gratitude to educators and to support their ongoing efforts in fostering knowledge, creativity, and leadership among students." "To all of you, we express our deepest gratitude," Ernst said at the conclusion of the proclamation.

The board and presenters also noted local government proclamations from the Washoe County Board of County Commissioners and upcoming proclamations from the cities of Reno and Sparks as part of community recognition for educators. The district plans follow-up appreciation events and public photo opportunities tied to the proclamation outreach.

The board made no formal action on the proclamation (item presented for discussion and recognition only).