Welcome to Week 1 of Richmond Cares! In our first week, we will be celebrating some extraordinary people in our community — Richmond teachers and staff! In the past, we have showered our Richmond leaders with coffees, massages, acupuncture, potluck lunches, flowers, notes, and artwork from students, but this year is a little different than most (in a lot of ways). Since we are unable to thank our teachers in person this year, we have come up with several ideas to help you show them your gratitude.
1. Interview
What better way to thank a teacher than to tell them yourself? Making a short, personal video for a teacher or Richmond staff member is a great way to share how much you care. If you’re not sure what to say, ask a family member or someone you live with to interview you. Here are some questions they can ask to get you started:
What is your favorite thing about your teacher?
What was your favorite assignment this year?
If you could give your teacher a present, what would it be?
What will you remember most about your teacher?
What is one thing you want your teacher to remember about you?
When your video is ready, send it to your teacher via Seesaw or Google Classrooms. If you want to share it with the Richmond Community as well, share it on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok with the hashtag #RichmondCares.
2. Artwork
We know Richmond learners are excellent artists, and Richmond teachers and staff LOVE seeing all the magic you create. To thank them, create an art piece especially for them, and send a photo of your art through Seesaw or Google Classrooms. You can also post on social media with the hashtag #RichmondCares if you’d like to share it with our community.
I hope one of these ideas sparks excitement for you as a way to say thanks to the teachers and staff in our community. Here is a list of staff members and their email addresses if you would like to thank them, but do not have access to them through Seesaw or Google classrooms:
Ron Young (Principal) [email protected]
Alicia McMillen (Assistant Principal) [email protected]
Karen Wilson (Principal’s Secretary) [email protected]
Kirstin Yamakawa (School Secretary) [email protected]
Cheryl Bell (School Nurse) [email protected]
Courtney Hofeld (Health Assistant) [email protected]
Julia Stevens (PE Specialist) [email protected]
Jen Hartle (PE Specialist) [email protected]
Sparrow West (Art Specialist) [email protected]
Harold Waters (Media Specialist) [email protected]
Michelle George (Library Assistant) [email protected]
Bree Fawk (Counselor) [email protected]
David Hall (Counselor) [email protected]
Terese Kelly (ELL) [email protected]
Emily Martine (Learning Specialist/TAG Coordinator) [email protected]
Lance Taylor (Speech/Language Pathologist) [email protected]
Wakako Sogo (School Psychologist) [email protected]
Ellen Mekjavich (Occupational Therapist) [email protected]
Yoshiko Brings (Kitchen Lead) [email protected]
Dan Alexander (Custodian) [email protected]
Dave Westfall (Custodian) [email protected]
Most importantly, don’t send a thank you out of obligation. If the idea of doing this right now feels daunting and overwhelming, don’t do it! Any time is a good time to say thanks, and if the best time isn’t right now for you, that’s okay. If you feel like participating but don’t have a ton of time, choose two or three people that have made a difference in your life and send them a quick note. This should feel good and be fun. We can’t wait to see what you create!