Teachers preparing during the summer

A lot of people think teachers get the summer off, but that’s not the case. Teachers spend a lot of the summer training for the school year.

“It’s actually interesting when people ask about teachers schedules and being off in the summer. I know that most of our teachers take classes throughout the summer. Teachers, just like a lot of professions that require a certification, which means they have to re-certify every five years,” says Dr. Elisa Saffle, Principal at Hillview Elementary School.

“Well designed professional opportunities help teachers design a plan as to how they’re going to help their students succeed in achieving the standards but also achieving those college and career readiness standards,” says Shelley Andrus, Principal at Bonneville Online School.

Whether someone is new to teaching or if they have been teaching for decades, the learning never stops. They say training is critical as the field of education changes.

“Research is constantly improving on what’s best for kids and as much as the teachers need the information, they also need a boost and a reminder,” says Andrus.

“Things change, our students change. The students I had 24 years ago when I first started are different than the students we have now. The technology we had then is different than what we have now. As teachers come through our system and as teachers come in, it’s really critical for them to make sure we’re on the same page,” says Dr. Saffle.

A summer spent getting ready for the fall.

There are ways for parents to help support local students. The Bonneville Education Foundation now accepts online donations. You can donate to any school, class, grade, team or sport here.