This year we are hosting a staff appreciation each month. It was our hope that we would be able to get more parents involved throughout the year while showing the staff we appreciate them on a continued basis. We do something for the entire staff so everyone is included and they are always so thankful.
It's not hard to think of things since almost every month has a holiday. We are allowing a different parent to chair it each month and letting them choose the theme and make most of the decisions for the event.
We are trying to avoid having each event be a "food" event. Last year we did a few things that were well received like: A small potted plant for each staff member, a raffle and a "secret student" program-where every child who was interested was assigned a STAFF member (both my kids got people they didn't know-but do now) and they had to write them a series of 3 letters. First with a "Thank You" for what they do and a clue about themselves, second with more clues (they honestly thought "I’m in the 1st grade and I have brown hair-would give it away) and a third with their "reveal" and a self portrait. Both of my children got thank you notes from the person and the staff said they loved it. The kids were all so creative about it.
We are planning to scale back the actual Staff Appreciation Week and just do the luncheon and the maybe the ice cream social. We do other things like thank you notes to all the staff and class posters and will continue to do those during Staff Appreciation Week.
My email is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. I would like the company that you used for the tote bags. Thank you.
Our school honors classified personnel (aides, drivers, etc.) during a "classified appreciation week" which is usually in the fall. We still do Teacher appreciation week as well, but having the separate times enables us to pull in some of the classified to help out with the Teacher appreciation days. It also gives the teachers a chance to thank their "staff" separately, too. Ironically, classified week has usually fallen on a short school week (conferences) so t hey don't get as much fanfare as the teachers do.
We have something different for the teachers each day but Friday is the big lunch event.
We have a different theme each, we done Hawaiian, Mexican, Italian, but this year we
are doing a 50's theme, and covering the gym floor with black paper and painting lines like a parking lot, then we'll decorate the front of each table like a car so it looks like a 50's style drive in. All of the volunteers will be dressed in poodle skirts and bobbie sox and we're going to serve burgers and other "drive in" type food. And our big lunch is for teachers, teacher aids, custodians and anyone else that we can find and want to be sure they know how much we appreciate all they do for us during the year.
JHB- actually saving and keeping every reciept is what saved our back side last year when our school went through a MAJOR audit. Per the school district our books are kept with the school so our books were looked at with everyonelse's.
As far as Appreciation Week- if you recieve a paycheck from the school you are apart of Staff Appreciation Week! We spend $300 and have fun with the week!--It can be done and the staff love being spoiled!
