Supporting our children and our teachers.

We have had a very busy fall and winter. The Association for Childhood Education International Executive Board and Headquarters staff join ACEI members worldwide in offering our deepest condolences to those affected by the tragedies in the Gulf Coast of the United States, Central America, and Asia. ACEI's mission on behalf of children indicates a special concern for the well-being of the children who are orphaned, separated from their families, and left destitute by these disasters.

ACEI has a long-standing affiliation with UNICEF and will continue to work and make contributions on behalf of our members to help relieve the suffering of children worldwide. An example of UNICEF's global commitment to children was seen in its 2005 Trick-or-Treat campaign. For the first time since the inception of the campaign in 1950, the funds raised were used for a program in the United States--half of the proceeds helped Hurricane Katrina's youngest survivors. We say "Thank You" to those educators who participated in the Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF campaign.

This year, 42 governors said "Thank You" to the teachers who work side by side with parents and administrators to help ensure that our children have the resources necessary to become productive citizens and future leaders by proclaiming October 1-8, 2005, as "Week of the Classroom Teacher" in their state. Observance of the ACEI "Week of the Classroom Teacher" provides a unique opportunity to honor our teachers for their dedication to upholding the highest standards of educational excellence and for their commitment to ensuring that our young people achieve their maximum potential.

Week of the Classroom Teacher was also promoted in such publications as Guam Daily News, Atlanta Parent, Austin Family, Daily Eastern News, Journal & Gazette Times Courier, and on Public Education Network NewsBlast; and also was featured on Homeroom Teacher and Church Business Web sites as well as several state sites. ACEI Student Branches Eastern Illinois University and NSU-Tahlequah (Oklahoma) and the Tennessee Branch must be commended for their outstanding Week of the Classroom Teacher activities and promotion efforts. The NSU-Tahlequah Branch, along with student adviser Roxanne Fillmore, showcased their Week of the Classroom Teacher proclamation from Governor Brad Henry on the local morning news to honor the 48,000 classroom teachers in Oklahoma. Come on, ACEI Branches, let's follow their lead for next year!

In collaboration with Education International (EI), ACEI Headquarters sponsored and actively promoted World Teachers Day on October 5. The Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) launched this event to commemorate the 1966 signing of the Recommendation Concerning the Status of Teachers. This ;rear's theme is "Training for a Stronger Teaching Force!"

We thank all of the ACEI Branches and members that supported Week of the Classroom Teacher and World Teachers" Day. We cannot recognize your accomplishments if we don't know about them. If you sponsored an activity for these special events, send an update to Jana Pauldin at [e-mail] or via postal mail to Headquarters. Photos, newspaper clippings, and short descriptive notes are encouraged.

--Jana Pauldin, Public Relations Manager