Teacher Earns Praise For Compassionate 'Handle With Care' Notes

Updated September 8, 2021

Even before the pandemic emerged, teachers have had it pretty rough. Between having to cover more and more of their class supplies themselves and dealing with the perfect storm of unruly kids, demanding parents, and little help from administrators, it's clear that they've had their hands full for years by now.

But while it would be understandable if the additional stresses of the past year and a half took a toll on their attitudes, some teachers have nonetheless risen above their newest challenges and made some major differences in the lives of their students.

And one note that's garnered some significant admiration for the teachers who passed it out is also extending a helping hand to beleaguered parents.

As kids return to school in the wake of a traumatic pandemic, experts are recommending a more acute focus on their mental health.

Tourism Australia

As Kelly Vaillancourt Strobach from the National Association of School Psychologists told Good Morning America, "We don't know the level of trauma that individual students have had. We don't know their family situation, if they lost somebody, if parents have lost jobs."

And as one parent was pleasantly surprised to see, her child's teacher had a special way of addressing this need while also respecting their students' privacy.

Facebook | Ashley Thebeau

And as we can see, that was to send home this note encouraging parents to text her "handle with care" so she can be aware that they need some additional support or even just leeway as they try to adjust back to school life.

And in an update to her post, that parent credited the note to Kristen Driemeier, who teaches fourth grade at Festus Intermediate in Festus, Missouri.

Facebook | Festus Intermediate School

But according to Good Morning America, Driemeier isn't the only teacher there who's made a point of passing these notes out before the first day of school as her colleague Heather Steighorst — who has also taught fourth grade alongside her for eight years — clearly thought it was a good idea as well.

And it seems the public at large agrees as Driemeier said, "We’ve had so many positive text messages and e-mails. We feel like we’re getting Punk’d."

Driemeier and Steighorst said they got the idea from a user on the resource and lesson plan sharing website Teachers Pay Teachers, but don't know which user was responsible.

Facebook | Festus Intermediate School

Nonetheless, that person's idea already seems to be helping teachers make their schools a place where kids can feel safer learning and growing.

In Driemeier's words, "It is important to remember these kids are dealing with all the normal kid troubles plus the unknown, fear and politically-charged time caused by the pandemic. I feel like if I know about their day or their weekend or their morning we can talk about it….instead of keeping it all bottled up inside."

h/t: Good Morning America

Filed Under:

People & Society