Teacher Appreciation Week (May 4-8) took on a virtual platform due to COVID-19, with one local mother taking matters into her own hands to celebrate staff throughout Frisco ISD.

“We have been beyond blessed to have some amazing teachers come into our lives and blessed to be able to call them friends,” Frisco ISD mother of two Kimberly Armstrong said in a Facebook post. “My mission is to get all of the teachers and staff in the group adopted. I am hoping that it spreads love, joy and kindness not just to the teachers but to the ones that are gifting too. This pandemic has isolated everyone, it’s affected everyone’s mental health and all I want is for our community to feel connected. Remind our teachers and families that they’re not alone and we are truly all in this together. I just wish it didn’t take a pandemic for everyone to realize how important teachers really are and for them to be valued.”

Her motivation stems from a personal experience that changed her life. 

“Our first year in the district, my mother was suddenly hospitalized and almost died,” Armstrong said. “My kids’ teachers went well above and beyond to make sure that they were ok during this incredibly emotional and hard time. They made sure my kids were loved and taken care of. They made sure I was loved and taken care of.”

Among the several teachers on campus that were “adopted” is journalism teacher Brian Higgins who walked in to his room on May 5 to find a basket packed with some of his favorite treats.

“I had been told there was going to be something for me, but there was nothing in my mailbox so I thought maybe they hadn’t made it to campus yet,” Higgins said. “But when I walked into my room, there was this huge basket on my desk. It was absolutely packed with my favorite snacks, candy, drinks, along with some gift cards too. I was overwhelmed with gratitude that the Ragle and Murphy families had spent the money and time to do this for me. I am just trying to do the best job I can, and something like this is never expected, so it nearly brought tears to my eyes.”

Sophomore Isra Mohammed believes that the adopt-a-teacher program is a great way to thank the teachers for what they’ve done.

“Our teachers truly work hard during school hours and during lockdown, they’re working even harder to make sure that we know what we’re doing,” Mohammed said. “I think it’s really important that even in this situation, we find some way to appreciate our teachers.” 

Even still, regrets that teacher appreciation week wasn’t able to take place in person still linger. 

“I miss seeing my teachers in person,” sophomore Anisya Nair said. “I always feel that a genuine face to face conversation is better than anything else. A hug or kind smile conveys so much more to a teacher than a virtual thank you.”

Armstrong believes that this is the least she could do to give back and is grateful to all the teachers.

“Thank you (teachers) for what you do everyday,” Armstrong said. “For selflessly loving our kids, for investing in their present so that they may have amazing futures. Thank you for caring about them beyond tardies and grades. Thank you seems so inadequate for all that you all do, so I hope that we can help make this a little easier and bring a little light into this hard time.”