SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE
STATEMENT TO
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION No. 93
with committee amendments
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
DATED: JANUARY 30, 2025
The Senate Education Committee favorably reports Senate Joint
Resolution No. 93 with committee amendments.
This joint resolution designates the first full week of May of
each year as “Teacher Appreciation Week” in the State of New
Jersey.
Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the people
of New Jersey are reminded of the tireless contributions of their
teachers, who have risen to the occasion to support our children
during a period of unprecedented crisis. During the public health
emergency, which resulted in the closure of all public, private, and
parochial schools in the State, teachers quickly responded by
developing innovative lesson plans to allow over 1.4 million public
school students to continue their education through remote
instruction.
Despite the many challenges posed by remote instruction, the
State’s educators successfully employed unique teaching strategies
using online platforms to help students understand abstract concepts
and develop critical-thinking skills, all of which are essential to
academic development. During this time, teachers also spent
countless hours collaborating with parents to ensure that every
student remained engaged with their schoolwork, even while many
of these teachers continued to care for their own children who were
also at home. Although the societal effects of COVID-19 may
recede with time, the contributions of educators during this public
health emergency will always be remembered.
In light of these contributions, it is altogether fitting and proper
for the State of New Jersey to designate the first full week in May
as “Teacher Appreciation Week,” which week has been annually
observed as “National Teacher Appreciation Week” since 1985.