[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 8942]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   NATIONAL TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MICHAEL E. CAPUANO

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 6, 1999

  Mr. CAPUANO. Mr. Speaker, this week is National Teacher Appreciation 
Week, and I want to honor the teachers of the Eight Congressional 
District of Massachusetts. Almost 5,000 teachers in over 176 schools 
educate approximately 86,000 students in the 8th district alone.
  Many of today's schools are in disrepair. They are bulging at the 
seams. Students do not have chairs to sit on, let alone textbooks from 
which to learn. Despite limited resources, teachers persistently 
surpass these obstacles and devise new ways to stimulate our children 
to achieve.
  So many teachers go the extra mile to ensure that their students are 
learning. They provide a variety of additional services, from assisting 
a student after school hours with their homework to giving up their 
Saturday to coach basketball. Teachers are more than just educators. 
They serve as mentors, managers, counselors, confidants and friends. 
Although they are not always rewarded or even acknowledged for their 
daily selfless acts, teachers continue to give of themselves in order 
to instruct our children.
  In Cambridge, Massachusetts, several teachers have exemplified 
outstanding dedication to their jobs: Joseph Sullivan, who was bestowed 
with the honor of being elected to the Massachusetts Teacher 
Association board; Michele Owaross, who just recently led a group of 
10th and 11th graders on a trip to China to study the society and 
culture of another country; Lucinda Leveille who brought six students 
to Russia recently and was honored for her attempt to promote 
international awareness by the Russian Government; and Jamalh Prince, 
Chelsea's indoor track coach who was named ``Coach of the Year'' by The 
Boston Globe.
  Likewise, in Chelsea, Massachusetts, Adele Lubarsky has been teaching 
at the Sokolowski school in Chelsea since 1972. In those 27 years, Ms. 
Lubarsky has certainly kept active. As a 3rd grade Spanish bilingual 
elementary school teacher, she has set high standards to guarantee that 
her students will achieve now and in the future. Ms. Lubarsky also 
serves as a ``mentor teacher'' whereby she models lessons for other 
teachers and assists newcomers. Due to her dedication, she was awarded 
the 1996 ``Outstanding Teacher of the Year'' award from Chelsea's 
school system.
  Mr. Speaker, there are far too many teachers to mention everyone by 
name, however I'd like to take a moment to thank all the teachers in 
Belmont, Boston, Somerville, Cambridge, Chelsea, and Watertown for 
tirelessly giving of themselves to educate our future leaders.
  Tomorrow, I will visit the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. school and the 
King Open school in Cambridge, and then I will attend a ground breaking 
at the Boston Latin school. Since becoming a Member, I have visited 
schools all over my district. However I am always amazed at the warm 
greeting I receive from students, and from teachers. For them, it does 
not matter who the visitor is, but rather that someone cares and 
recognizes the hard work they do.
  Mr. Speaker, while we discuss education priorities this year, I hope 
each Member of Congress will reflect upon the valuable commodity each 
and every teacher in his or her district represents, and work to 
include rewards for teachers as a part of the education agenda. I know 
I will.

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