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As a parent, substitute teacher and PTO Vice President, I have the privilege of being at Frankstown Elementary almost every day. I see firsthand what our teachers mean to the more than 600 students who walk through those doors.
They don't simply teach the curriculum placed in front of them. They know our children.
They listen to stories about the home run a student hit over the weekend, their pets, siblings and grandparents. They notice when a child isn't quite themselves. They celebrate successes, offer encouragement through struggles and become trusted adults our children know care about them.
While contract negotiations understandably involve budgets, percentages and costs, our teachers cannot simply be reduced to numbers on a spreadsheet.
The effects of an unresolved contract are becoming more visible. Teachers are limiting their work to standard contractual hours. At Frankstown, that means traditions such as Family Book Fair Night and Haunted Doorways, as well as teacher representation at PTO meetings, will be affected.
I support our teachers working within those boundaries. They should not have to continue operating as though they have a contract when they do not.
I also don't want our students to lose the experiences that make their school years special.
I hope everyone involved remembers what is ultimately at the center of this: our educators and the children who depend on them every day.
Natasha Peters
Hollidaysburg