On Thanksgiving Day, Alaskans will pause to give thanks for the many blessings of living in the United States. One of the greatest blessings is our public schools. The American system of public education opens the doors of opportunity for all children.

This week schools and communities across Alaska are celebrating American Education Week. We celebrate coming together as educators, parents, and communities to acknowledge the importance of Alaska's public schools.

Teachers nurture and inspire children. They help students learn essential skills which help them throughout life.

Working alongside teachers are the education support professionals. These include classroom aides, food service workers, school secretaries, maintenance staff and custodians. Support professionals help children learn in a safe and supportive environment, and they also serve as positive role models.

Parents are a child's first, and most important, teachers. When parents are involved in their children's schools, student achievement improves and absenteeism and drop-out rates are greatly reduced. When parents work in close partnership with educators, it is a great formula for student success.

Communities with high expectations for children to work hard in school provide a powerful incentive for students to graduate.

During American Education Week, we invite parents and community members to support their local schools. We encourage them to visit classrooms and partner with the hard working teachers and support professionals making Alaska's schools successful.

Barb Angaiak is President of NEA-Alaska, which represents more than 13,000 teachers and education support professionals from Ketchikan to Kaktovik. She can be reached at barb.angaiak_neaalaska.org.