As the role of educators continues to expand, our response must grow with it.
Here’s what meaningful support looks like, and why it matters.
Each spring, Teacher Appreciation Week calls attention to the critical role educators play in shaping our communities. It’s a welcome moment of recognition—and one that’s deeply deserved.
But the reality behind the thank-you cards and classroom treats is harder to ignore. Teachers across the country, and right here in Madison, are navigating increased expectations with limited resources. They’re being asked to do more, often without the tools or support to do it sustainably.
Today’s educators are not only instructors; they are counselors, crisis responders, and advocates. They’re helping students process big emotions, mediating conflicts, coordinating basic needs, and ensuring academic progress—all at once.
And too often, they’re absorbing the cost of that care themselves.
The average teacher spends $860 of their own money each year on essentials – things like books, pencils, snacks, and winter coats. That’s not a budget line item. That’s a quiet, personal commitment to making sure students don’t go without.
The question is: what happens when support for teachers moves beyond appreciation and into action?
That’s where the Teacher Support Network comes in.
Launched just five years ago, the Teacher Support Network is a community-powered response to the growing demands placed on educators. It’s not a one-time thank-you. It’s year-round infrastructure built to ease burdens and boost outcomes.
Since its inception, the Teacher Support Network has delivered nearly $1 million in classroom resources across all 52 public schools in Madison. What began as a $10,000 effort now drives more than $300,000 annually into classrooms, responding directly to what teachers say they need most.
Here’s what that looks like in practice:
- Virtual learning kits during the pandemic, to keep students engaged at home
- PE and recess equipment through the Play Every Day campaign, supporting movement and mental health
- Coats, boots, and mittens for students in need, in partnership with Lands’ End
- Tens of thousands of culturally relevant books, boosting early literacy through collaboration with Madison Reading Project
- A 24/7 online store stocked with classroom essentials, powered by EZ Office Products
This is what a stronger system looks like: teachers resourced, students ready, and communities invested.
As we close out the school year, this moment calls for more than appreciation. It calls for partnership. Because supporting teachers shouldn’t be seasonal, it should be foundational.
Let’s invest in the people who invest in our kids every single day. The Teacher Support Network is 100% community funded. Every gift means more supplies, more books, more warmth, and less burden on educators.
This isn’t just a thank-you. It’s solidarity.
When we support teachers, we strengthen everything they touch.
