By Laura Bailey
Teachers at Bristol Eastern High School and South Side Elementary School were surprised on Thursday morning to find messages of gratitude painted on rocks placed around the school the evening before.
“I wanted to do something to help teachers know how appreciated they are,” Bristol Board of Education vice chair Maria Pirro Simmons said.
“The frontline, boots-on-the-ground people in the classroom work the hardest and they’re so caring. They’re amazing, and I just love to celebrate their efforts.”
Monday marked the beginning of Teacher Appreciation Week, an annual celebration of educators for their dedication to shaping young minds and going above and beyond the call of duty.
As commissioner liaison to Bristol Eastern and South Side School, Simmons said she wanted to surprise the teachers with something artistic and uplifting.
“I decided to reach out to artist Taylor Gauthier from the Facebook group ‘Rocking Bristol, CT,’” Simmons said.
“Her mom, Crystal, and I went to school together back in the day, and I knew that the family painted rocks together with cute designs and quotes. I just thought it was such a nice thing that Taylor was doing for the community.”
Bristol Eastern High School Students and community members volunteering to distribute rocks throughout the school to surprise their teachers. | Laura Bailey
Bristol Eastern High School Teachers with their favorite painted rock. | Laura Bailey
South Side School Students distributing rocks throughout the school to surprise their teachers. | Laura Bailey
Planning for the project began in February and continued through early spring. Over the course of two months, more than 200 rocks were hand-painted with bright colors, quotes and designs by volunteers.
Among the many quotes that adorn the rocks are, “You don’t just teach, you inspire,” “To teach is to touch a life forever” and “You make the world a better place.”
With the painting completed, Simmons partnered with Principal Michael Higgins at Eastern High School and Principal David Huber at South Side School to plan the next steps.
“They were both super excited about the idea and wanted to work with us,” Simmons said. “It was also great because Taylor is a graduate of Bristol Eastern, and Principal Higgins was there when she was a student.”
The rocks were distributed throughout Bristol Eastern High School and Southside School on Wednesday afternoon after the teachers had left for the day. Several students and community members volunteered their time to hide the rocks for educators to find at the start of their workday on Thursday morning.
“The hardest work is done by the people that are having the direct contact with students,” Simmons said. “Thank you to all the teachers.”
Laura Bailey can be reached at lbailey@bristoledition.org
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