Can you read this? Thank a teacher

Each year, the first full week of May is celebrated as Teacher Appreciation Week, with the first Tuesday designated as Teacher Appreciation Day.

This year, Teacher Appreciation Week was May 4-10, and Teacher Appreciation Day was May 6. In recognition of this, I wanted to say thank you to every teacher for your commitment to building a better future for our children.

National Teacher Day came into being through the leadership and persistence of Eleanor Roosevelt. The day and week provides all of us with an opportunity to celebrate the outstanding work and lifelong dedication of teachers nationwide.

Over the past year, I have enjoyed touring local schools and visiting with our community's educators. I have seen first-hand the care and passion our teachers put into their jobs. I am deeply grateful to our teachers, and I recognize that many teachers go above and beyond what is expected. That is why I have pushed for legislation that would provide an income tax credit for teachers who spend their hard-earned dollars on classroom supplies.

To remain accessible to local educators and ensure that I am responsive to the needs and concerns of educators, and all those concerned with Illinois schools, I have formed a Citizen's Advisory Committee on Education, and encourage you to join. This group discusses important education issues and your input would be appreciated and valued.

I also encourage local residents to participate in the National Education Association's Thank a Teacher project. Together with the Parent Teacher Association, the NEA is collecting thousands of teacher thank-you cards and combining them into a large mural. To participate, visit www.teacherthankyoucard.org.

If I can ever be of additional assistance to you or your family, please feel free to call my full-time constituent service office at (630) 372-3340.

State Rep. Fred Crespo

Hoffman Estates