Each day of this week of appreciation, we are meeting a teacher whom we admire and respect for how they use Parent Teacher Home Visits to make an impact on our kids and communities. Follow along each day to hear a new story of impact. 

Meredith Howe, Elk Grove Unified School District – Fostering Empathy Through Understanding 

Meredith Howe’s approach to teaching goes beyond academics; she embodies the role of a warm demander, striving to be the adult that she needed when she was a child. A middle school teacher for Elk Grove Unified School District, Meredith works hard to be caring and supportive while still holding high expectations for her students. This mantra guides her interactions both inside and outside the classroom. 

It’s also what fuels her “summer work” – completing hundreds of Parent Teacher Home Visits in the months between school years so that she better knows and understands her school’s entire study body. Meredith shares that the impact of those visits extends well beyond the obvious benefits for students and their families, but that they help her too. She acknowledges that her assumptions about families have shifted, “Getting to know families in this different manner, it has shown me that it’s not that simple. Things are complicated, and people, in general, are doing the best they can. After meeting so many families, you see how much love they have for their children and how proud they are.”   

Now, Meredith is more attuned to her privilege and how that influences her beliefs. Her self-awareness, coupled with compassion and accountability, allows her to reconnect with the human aspect of teaching and, in turn, help young people discover their fullest potential. 

In a world where high-stakes accountability measures are used to define teacher “success,” it’s easy to overlook the profound impact of everyday acts of kindness, connection, and dedication. For educators like Meredith, the true measure of success lies not in test scores or the highest career accolades but in the tangible difference they make in the lives of their students. As Teacher Appreciation Week reminds us to honor and celebrate educators, let’s not forget the quiet heroes who, through Parent Teacher Home Visits, are shaping futures and transforming students’ educational experiences, one visit at a time. 

Want to show appreciation to these inspiring teachers – and all others who share their belief in the power of home-school partnership?  

Leave a message at the Teacher Appreciation Hotline at 202-743-5371, sponsored by our national partner, the National Education Association, to share a story of an educator going above and beyond for their students. It will be shared with education leaders to help give teachers the respect they deserve. And shoutout all the teachers you know who go the extra mile on all platforms using the hashtag, #ThankATeacher 

Consider the resources that teachers need to successfully partner with families. Read about Elk Grove Unified School District’s family engagement work and visit Parent Teacher Home Visits’ website at www.pthvp.org to learn more about this proven family engagement strategy and how you can implement them in your school or district.