The Callaway County Commission proclaimed Friday as Teacher Appreciation Day.
The announcement was made Friday at the second Teacher Appreciation Breakfast at 54 Country. Presiding Callaway County Commissioner Gary Jungermann said the proclamation recognized the more than 500 teachers in the county for the jobs they do and their role in creating a workforce.
"We as a commission think the teachers play a big role of what goes on in this community with what they do in teaching all of our students," Jungermann said.
Jungermann said he wanted the announcement to send a message to the community the hard work teachers do is greatly appreciated. He acknowledged the county's schools have a high teacher turnover rate, but he said he hopes showing the community's appreciation for teachers will encourage them to stick around.
"I think it's the little things like this that might have a teacher think 'At least I feel appreciated, and I'm not just some number,'" Jungermann said.
The County Commission was one of the primary sponsors of the appreciation breakfast. Jungermann credits Fulton prosecuting attorney Bob Sterner as being one of the driving forces behind getting the proclamation together.
This is not the first proclaimed Teacher Appreciation Day in Callaway County. Jungermann orchestrated one last year for the first teacher appreciation breakfast. The proclamation only affected Aug. 22 of this year, but Jungermann said the Chamber of Commerce might keep Aug. 2 as the recurring date.
They may also choose to make it the same day as the next teacher appreciation breakfast.
"It's not about the county, it's not about the (Chamber of Commerce); it's about the teachers that day and what they do," Jungermann said.
While reading the proclamation Friday, Jungermann encouraged Callaway County residents to fondly remember their own favorite teachers and classes.