Many restaurants will provide a luncheon for free once a year. Olive Garden is providing my Staff Appreciation luncheon in May. Entre, side, breadsticks and salad.

Check with the locals...you might find a goldmine!

We are an independent PTO, I know that PTA's are different.

When the idea was brought to you earlier in the year the answer was not likely to happen, and I don't see why having additional funds should change that response. Our PTO provides teacher appreciation meals twice a year in conjunction with parent/teacher conferences. The PTO provides the main dish, subs on night and pizza the next. All the other dishes are provided by parent volunteers as is bottled water. Our teachers are very appreciative!

I am sorry that you don't have the support from you principle. That to me would be the hardest part to swallow! I think if I were in charge of your PTA I would have to have a conversation with the principle and ask why they see this as a responsible request? Another question I might ask is if this is a necessary need, will the school be paying for it if the PTA doesn't? If the answer is no, then is it really a necessary need?

Lastly, do you have a mission statement? Ours states, Our mission is to promote a positive relationship between the home, school and administration. This is done through a variety of activities sponsored by the P.T.O throughout the school year. P.T.O also works to identify needs within the elementary schools and through fundraising efforts purchases items to enrich the educational experiences of our children. We invite parents to volunteer as much or little as they can. Our PTO board wouldn't even bring that kind of a request to the membership. Unless $1,000 for a teachers lunch was approved in out budget, it would not happen in our school.

We have sponsored three staff meals this year, for more than 45 people. The cost of all three combined was under $500, and one of those meals was fully catered.

We would absolutely say No to a $1000-for-one-meal request unless the committee could give a detailed accounting of the where and why of it all. I think they can throw a fabulous meal for less than that.

Perhaps since the principal and teachers are backing this idea it would be a wonderful idea to split the cost 50/50 with the principal. That would help him consider the cost as well since all principals budget for Teacher Appreciation week. I am concerned that parents who helped raise/contributed to those funds would think $1,000 is expensive for a one time lunch. Maybe a catered dessert or breakfast would be less pricey. Perhaps a pot luck with a cash drawing for those attending like four $50 random name drawings (have each attendee fill out a form. My concern is the future giving and participation for this PTO from parents if this lunch is deemed too extravagant. I personally believe a pot luck and drawing is a good compromise. A pot luck doesn't have to be soups & salad. It can be steaks on the grill with baked potato.

Hi,

My goodness, what part of gratitude dictates how one is to be thanked? The teachers may come to expect something, but that doesn't mean that's the only way to do it.

I don't know where your school is, or how large it is, but at my daughter's elementary school the pot lucks were *legendary.* With families from Vietnam, Armenia, and a variety of other countries, the food was bountiful and incredibly tasty. In fact, the volunteers were fed with the left overs and there was *never* a shortage of help for these events. We did one in February (it originated at Christmastime, but with so much other food going on, the teachers kindly asked it be moved), and then another one in May for teacher appreciation.

Do some preliminary legwork. Do you have the volunteers? Can you talk to the parents who will be doing the food? If you do, then don't buckle.

I'd take the $1000 and use part of it for a coffee cart--on a different morning--or bringing in a massage therapy school (with the chairs--like at the mall), and let the teachers have 5-10 massages.

But a catered affair? No way would that much be spend if I had that many volunteers at the ready.

Good luck, and let us know what happens.

While I understand your dilemma, I think you need to look at the big picture. Without teacher support your fundraisers WILL flop. You always want the teachers on your side. We make our teachers happy, and in return we actually make more money because they push our fundraisers. Now is the time to compromise. We do a $600 luncheon for 60 teacher and staff. Our luncheon is a mixture of catering and pot luck. Cater the main dishes. Get sandwiches, soup, chicken, and things of that nature catered. Get side dishes like salads, dips, and desserts sent in by parents. I can't emphasize enough that you want to keep your teachers happy (include secretary and janitor staff to that list of people to keep happy). Our teachers are actually getting together this year and throwing US a luncheon.

While buying things that are tangible may seem like a high priority, sometimes the intangibles can help you do more in the long run. I highly suggest going to that meeting with a plan and numbers and your own proposal to back you up. If you show up as el cheapo and say you will only do donations, you are sure to create animosity from the teachers. It is called Teacher Appreciation. If you say, I want to do Teacher Appreciation as cheaply as possible, what message are you sending to the staff?