While many of us are facing tough cut backs, we fail to remember the most important people in our children’s lives. Often overlooked, under paid and certainly unappreciated is your child’s teacher. They don’t complain unless little Johnny has been bad. Never revealing budget restraints or loss of financial support. We only care when our child tends to make us look like were not doing our job as a parent.

Teacher Appreciation Week is easy, when times are good: The java mug. The gift certificate. And of course, the apple.

But when times are bad, it is much more harder and sometimes the best way to say, “Thanks for all you’ve done for my child” is with… a card or even better and much more appreciated is a toner cartridge, or maybe some dustless chalk.

Please send a Toner Cartridge to School

Budget cuts have hit one Chesapeake elementary school hard enough that for teacher appreciation week this week, the Parent Teacher Association sent home a note saying teachers had asked parents to please give them the gift of school supplies. The wish lists included printer cartridges, toner cartridges, Ziploc bags, dry-erase markers, and toys for recess.

“That does look a little sad,” said Kim Parker, vice president of the Western Branch Intermediate PTA. “But most of us room mothers, we’re still planning to do something nice for the teacher themselves, too.”

During these difficult times, little things often make a big difference. When it comes to our children there isn’t anything we wouldn’t do. But the feeling of helplessness that these teachers must feel when our school system seems to tie their hands with budget cuts is heart breaking. The next time you chat with your child’s teacher please ask them if there is anything that you a interested parent could provide for his or her class.

You may want to let the teacher and some of the parents know that there are programs out there that provides an empty cartridge collection program that allows schools to participate in fundraisers. And if saving money on printer cartridges or toner cartridges is an issue in your child’s classroom then the teacher should take some time to make a class project using recycled printer cartridges. Recycled printer cartridges cost 50% less than retail and helps to save the environment.