San Carlos Park Elementary School teacher Tracy Lorenzini speaks at the Governor’s Fort Myers briefing on October 21, 2022. Courtesy, The Florida Channel
For this edition of our newsletter, we want to salute the resilient educators in the counties affected by Hurricane Ian. All you have to do is simply google “Hurricane Ian Teacher Stories” and entries like the below appear:
Lee County school teachers return to work after losing …
Sarasota teachers return to classroom amid Hurricane Ian …
The barrier island elementary school that survived Hurricane Ian
Each one of these entries is about individual teachers and education administrators who have damage to their homes and traumatized family members, yet they are eagerly returning to their schools to “hug and support the students” as one of the articles said. One teacher said that despite the damage and stress, getting back to a routine was a stress reliever, with the kids so happy to see each other and their teachers. Those of us who have spent decades working post-storm response duties know the three keys to “returning to normal”: remove the debris/clear the streets, re-open restaurants/businesses, and let the school bells ring to resume classes.
Please take a moment to listen to Tracy Lorenzini,of San Carlos Park Elementary, in Cape Coral. In addition, Governor DeSantis has announced that the Florida Disaster Fund will provide $2 million to six county nonprofit education foundations hit hard by Hurricane Ian to be distributed to teachers trying to get back on their feet. If you haven’t already, please give to Volunteer Florida’s Disaster Fund to donate. And if you know a teacher in need, please help them individually, especially if they have an insurance claim and need guidance from a friend!
Please keep your eyes on the tropics, as there is a potential tropical storm brewing that could come to be as early as later today. You can get the latest from the National Hurricane Center. Next up is a great assortment of stories to get your week moving!
LMA Newsletter of 11-7-22
