Essential Ingredients

Teamwork is crucial for the success of your school. Your staff members probably have some thoughts on what a team needs. Request that they submit “Recipes For An Outstanding Team.” For example, a recipe might incorporate a cup of patience, a tablespoon of reliability and a pinch of humor. Another recipe might mention three cups of energy, two teaspoons of flexibility and a dash of thoughtfulness. Thank each of your employees for his or her contributions to the team with a “Together We Create A Better Tomorrow” 3-Piece Stationery Set.

Sensational Substitutes

Hire a performer who can put the guests of your appreciation dinner in stitches–a comedian. Try to find someone who has a wholesome performance consisting of material about his or her humorous experiences with children. Consider planning the meal just for your school district’s substitute teachers. While these valued people are gathered, give out “Substitute Teachers: There When You Need Us” Dot Gripper Tumblers and “Substitute Teachers: There When You Need Us” Deluxe Lunch Bags along with heartfelt gratitude.

Shining Role Models

Light up your Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week activity. Begin by purchasing votive candles in glass holders, one per employee who will be attending. Use a computer to type up and print out labels that read, “You light the way to our children’s futures.” Stick the labels on the glass holders. Line the walkway or hallway leading to your event with the candles. Light them right before everyone arrives. During the event, distribute either “You’re An Essential Part Of Our School” Key Ring Lights With Gift Boxes or. In addition, invite everyone to take home a candle afterwards.

Randomly Chosen

Call upon local businesses to help you with your gift giving. Decide on an appropriate amount of money and ask the businesses to donate gift cards, all at that same amount. Gather as many cards as you have teachers. Specially mark one with a sticker. Place the cards in a “Teachers: Shaping Minds, Touching Hearts” Mini Tote Bag. At your event, let people reach in the bag and grab a gift card. Allow trading later in case a vegetarian gets a gift card to a steak restaurant, for example. Award the tote bag to the teacher who grabbed the marked card.

Goodies Galore

Assemble a collection of baskets, most likely available at thrift stores. Line the baskets with fabric. Arrange for parent volunteers to bake or buy goodies. Fill the baskets with the goodies, and place one on each secretarial staff member’s desk. Also place baskets on the principal’s, assistant principal’s, and nurse’s desks. Refill the baskets with more goodies throughout your appreciation week. These could include “Thanks For Your Commit-‘mint’ To Our School” Treat Packs and “Thanks For Keeping The Students On The Path To Success” Trail Mix Snack Packs.

Best Of The Bushel

Start a new tradition this Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week by creating Red Apple Awards. Divide your teachers by grade level and separate non-teaching staff into categories, such as cafeteria, administrative, etc. Let students vote for who they think is the most deserving of an award in each grade level and category. Hold an assembly in which you announce the winners, presenting them with “Great Staff, Great School” Apple Key Tags. Give an Apple Candle And Basket to everyone who received at least one vote.

Renewing The Room

Evaluate your school’s staff lounge. Are there any improvements that could be made? For example, is the microwave old and on its last legs? If you don’t know where to begin because there are so many things, survey the employees to see what is a priority. Hold a fundraiser to pay for the desired improvements. After you’ve accomplished your goals, take group photos of the people who use the lounge. Place the photos in “100 Years From Now” Wooden Frames and Appreciation Message Frames. Add a final touch to the lounge by hanging the framed photos in there.

Greeted With A Gift

On the Sunday evening before the Monday of Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week, prepare a cute and sweet surprise for your teachers. Using helium, inflate three Celebration Balloons per teacher. Attach a string onto each balloon. Tie the sets of balloons to the doorknobs of all the classrooms. Also hang a Hershey’s Kisses® Tote on each doorknob with the balloons.

Sincere Advertising

Create a booklet that will be a keepsake. Title the project “A World Of Thanks.” Through your PTO, sell ad space to parents and students for $1.00 per line of text. Encourage them to write personal words of gratitude in their ads. Suggest that they not only place ads for teachers but also non-teaching staff who have made an impact. Use the money collected to pay the costs of printing the booklet. Distribute the “A World Of Thanks” booklets with “Teachers Change The World One Child At A Time” and “Together We Create A Better Tomorrow” Lapel Pins, which have designs featuring the world.