@bobohanny Dean of GSEAP @FairfieldU Welcomes Bridgeport Teachers, Counselors, and Administrators

Dr. Robert Hannafin, Dean of Graduate School of Education and Allied Professions had a vision: Why not celebrate K-12 educators in southern Connecticut in an end of the school year hoopla hosted at Fairfield University? The barbecue pits were fired, the cookies were baked, a teacher-band was ensembled, Dr. Yohuru Williams offered a welcome to the party-goers, and public and parochial educators united for a Friday night in the Oak Room of the Barone Campus Center.

TGIF is the perennial motto, and we welcomed many on a Friday to come to campus by saying, "We appreciate the work that you do. We recognize your profession. We celebrate your choices for working with our youth."

Faculty at Fairfield have been off contract for a few days, but still we returned to campus to applaud the K-12 professionals we work with throughout the school year - recognizing, too, that they still have a few more weeks left in the classroom before they release their own learners for summer vacation.

Special to the evening was the first-ever invitation of superintendents to nominate an outstanding teacher in their district to be recognized by our campus. The archdiocese and local public schools delivered and we were able to offer a special applause. The words spoken in honor of these teachers were remarkable.

Janine Huber, GSEAP Dean's Office, deserves a special round of applause for organizing so many individuals from a vast region to congregate at the University in celebration of teaching and learning. Her lion's share of the work deserves a million standing ovations as she signed individuals in, arranged the catering, organized the facilities and harnessed our faculty's busy schedules. She's truly amazing.

Any recognition that honors the hard work of teachers is a positive event in my book. Thumbs up for a special way to end a taxing work week. Teachers, like faculty, and especially like staff, deserve the accolades and praise.