A Is for Appreciation : Teachers Have Their Day but Face New Problems From State Cutbacks

A dozen students at Thousand Oaks’ Westlake Elementary School were hard at work by 7 a.m. Wednesday getting ready for their teachers.

Some rushed around the auditorium decorating with balloons and flowers and putting out pink place cards, each with a teacher’s name and a personalized poem. Others scrambled eggs and set out fresh fruit, rolls and juice.

And as teachers arrived, each was escorted by a student to a table to celebrate the Day of the Teacher, declared by state officials.

“Usually, you don’t really thank your teacher,” said fifth-grade student Kimberly Senzaki, 10. “This is the way we thank them for all they do for us.”

“They should get more days like this,” said fourth-grade student Nicholas Tarrab, 10.

Across Ventura County, students, parents and administrators honored teachers to celebrate the Day of the Teacher, first recognized in 1982 at the urging of the Assn. of Mexican-American Educators. The day is modeled after a celebration of teachers in Mexico.

Teachers said they were pleased at the outpouring of appreciation.

“It makes you feel it’s all worthwhile, especially when it comes from the kids,” said Westlake physical education teacher Tim Bernstein.

But even as they were feted, some teachers said the statewide school funding crisis has placed an even greater burden on them.

“Teachers want people not only to recognize them by saying, ‘Oh, they’re wonderful,’ but to back them up by giving teachers support in terms of supplies, training and resources,” said Andrea Pulido, president of the county chapter of the Assn. of Mexican-American Educators. “It seems that less and less each year is being put into education.”

An estimated $2.1 billion in school funding cuts may be made statewide under Gov. Pete Wilson’s proposed 1991-92 budget. In Ventura County, dozens of teachers--many of them with five years of experience or less--have been notified that they could be laid off for the next school year.

Pulido said some potential new teachers may go into other fields because of budget problems, large class sizes and lack of incentives such as stipends to encourage teachers to earn bilingual or other specialized teaching credentials.

“In a lot of ways, it’s an uncertain profession,” said Pulido, a teacher at Christa McAuliffe Elementary School in Oxnard. “But people who really want to teach and are dedicated will always go into teaching.”

Pam Zaganas of Sierra Linda Elementary School in Oxnard said she loves teaching. She was one of 16 teachers honored at a special school board meeting Wednesday. “It’s nice to know they . . . appreciate what you do,” she said.

At Hueneme High School in Oxnard, teachers were served a special luncheon provided by parents, Principal Terry Taylor said.

At Ventura’s Loma Vista Elementary School, teachers are being treated to a weeklong series of gifts, including lunch Monday, flowers Tuesday, chocolate-dipped strawberries at Wednesday’s faculty meeting, “happy-grams” from students today and a bagel breakfast Friday.

Jean Smiley, president of the PTA at Ventura’s Cabrillo Middle School, said that with the budget crisis, efforts to keep teacher morale high have taken on added importance.

“I think we sometimes don’t realize what a great thing we have, despite all the problems schools are facing,” Smiley said. “I think it’s incredibly important to honor teachers and thank them and recognize them for the difference they make in our children’s lives, and in our lives.”