Every year during Teacher Appreciation Week (May 4–8), teachers are showered with sweet treats, gift cards, and handwritten thank-you notes. It’s a fun and meaningful way to celebrate those who shape our children’s lives every day. These gestures matter, and they are deeply appreciated.
But if we want to make a lasting difference for teachers, we also have to look beyond the cupcakes and cards. The reality is that teacher salaries in North Carolina are set by the state, not by local school districts or counties. While Chatham County does its part by providing local salary supplements on top of funding school operations, the responsibility for setting teacher pay rests with the state.
That means supporting teachers isn’t just about appreciation–it’s also about advocacy. The good news is that supporting teachers doesn’t require a policy degree or a political background. In fact, here’s something you can do each day of Teacher Appreciation Week:
Day 1: Stay Informed
Mark your calendar for the upcoming Chatham County Board of Education (BOE) meeting on Monday, May 11, 2026. A closed session of the meeting begins at 5:30 p.m., followed by the open session at 6 p.m. All BOE meetings are at the Central Services Building located at 468 Renaissance Drive, Pittsboro, NC. You can also watch the meeting online via the BOE’s homepage.
Simply showing up demonstrates that the community cares about public education and supports the people working in our schools every day.
Day 2: Lend a Helping Hand
Teachers juggle far more than instruction. Volunteers can make a real difference by helping lighten the load.
Consider getting involved at your child’s school in one of these ways:
- Volunteer in a classroom
- Sign up to be a library volunteer or read aloud to students through Chatham Reads (chathamreads.org/volunteer)
- Join the PTA/PTSA
- Volunteer at the Chatham PTA Thrift Shop, where proceeds go directly back to Chatham County Schools based on volunteer hours
Day 3: Make Your Voice Heard
One of the most important ways to support teachers is to speak up about the policies that affect their pay and working conditions.
Write to our state legislators and legislative leaders in Raleigh and ask them to support meaningful teacher raises in North Carolina. Chatham County’s state legislators are Natalie S. Murdock and Robert T. Reives II.
Here’s some sample wording to get you started: “I urge you to support meaningful teacher raises in North Carolina. Competitive pay is essential to recruiting and retaining strong educators and ensuring students have stable, high-quality classrooms.”
You can also write to our federal legislators–Representative Valerie Foushee and Senators Ted Budd and Thom Tillis–about the importance of strong public schools and support for educators nationwide.
Day 4: Say Thank You to Local Leaders
While the state determines base teacher salaries, local governments play an important role in supporting schools and helping districts stay competitive.
Consider sending a thank-you email to the Chatham County Commissioners for their continued efforts to prioritize education funding and support competitive wages for teachers, even when state funding falls short. Acknowledging their work helps reinforce that education remains a top community priority.
Email addresses and contact information for all commissioners are available on the Chatham County website under the Board of Commissioners page.
Day 5: Put Social Media to Good Use
Follow and share information from organizations working to strengthen public schools in North Carolina. These are good ones:
- Public School Forum of North Carolina (ncforum.org)
- Public Schools First NC (publicschoolsfirstnc.org)
- EducationNC (ednc.org)
- And, of course, the Chatham Education Foundation (chathameducationfoundation.org)
A simple share or repost can help inform others and build support for the policies that strengthen our schools. Follow and share information from organizations working to strengthen public schools in North Carolina. These are good ones:
More Than a Week
While teachers should absolutely be inundated with sweet notes and goodies during Teacher Appreciation Week, the greatest gift we can give is a community that stands behind them. Complete these daily tasks and you’ll be giving teachers far more than a week of support. You’ll be sending a powerful message: Our teachers matter, and our community is committed to supporting them.
And that may be the most meaningful way to say thank you.