Photo

Click on photo to enlarge

Special to the Daily Journal/Messenger

Elliott Southard, Central principal, Peggie Albrecht from OfficeMax, Susan Moore, third-grade teacher and Amy Kessler of OfficeMax pose with some of Moore’s students to show off some of the items received as part of the 'A Day Made Better' award.

CENTRAL — Susan Moore, third-grade teacher at Central Elementary School, was selected by her principal, Elliott Southard, to join hundreds of teachers at 1,000 other schools across the United States in being honored on Oct. 1 during “A Day Made Better.” Moore was surprised with an in-class ceremony, received nearly $1,200 worth of OfficeMax classroom supplies and was selected as a teacher who exemplifies a passion for learning and innovation in classroom techniques.

OfficeMax kicks off a campaign to eliminate “teacher-funded” classrooms. According to National Education Association national studies, teachers spend nearly $1,200 out of

their own pockets each year for basic classroom supplies – adding up, nationally, to teachers spending about $4 billion a year. In a move to end ‘teacher funded’ classrooms, OfficeMax associates -- working secretly with area school principals to ensure the element of surprise -- honored teachers with donations of much-needed school supplies.

“It’s astounding that teachers have to reach into their own wallets to buy basic classroom materials such as markers, posters and pencil sharpeners,” says Bob Thacker, SVP-Marketing for OfficeMax. “Our ‘A Day Made Better’ campaign has one message: it’s time to act together so that our teachers can focus on educating our children, without worrying about where their classroom supplies will come from.”

Mrs. Moore was nominated by her principal and selected by OfficeMax’s non-profit partner, Adopt-A-Classroom (adoptaclassroom.org), to receive this award. “Outside of the home, the teacher is the primary influence on our children,” said James Rosenberg, founder and executive director of Adopt-A-Classroom, which has to-date raised more than $6 million on behalf of classrooms. Congratulations to Mrs. Moore for being selected to receive this generous donation and thank you to OfficeMax for its support of our teachers!