We cut small (14" tall) surfboards out of cheap wood and had one decorated for each teacher, personalized with that teacher's hobbies and interests. We displayed them all together on tables outside of school for the first week of Teacher Appreciation Week. We decorated the tables with flower leis (from Oriental Trading Company) and other Hawaiian stuff. We had a big banner that said "Our teachers make (name of school) paradise!" We had Beach Boys music playing and small stickers by each surfboard identifying the teacher and "artist" who decorated the surfboard. The parent-teacher organization paid for the wood for the surboards, but the decorating parents covered the cost of their materials. It was a huge success, and a lot of fun. We actually had a vendor visit the school that day who wanted to buy several of the surfboards!
We collected jeans and cut them into 10" squares and had the kids sew them or you could have someone else do it. Fill them with rice and sew up the last seam. These are great for heating up for sore muscles.
We also found this company Bizzy Lizzy Bakery that makes delicious Breakfast Cookies and they made special labels with our school logo on them and a message that said "Sweets for the Sweet." The teachers loved them both.
One thing we have been doing is to contact other businesses for donations for teacher appreciation week. Some actually provide us with gift cards and supplies for the teachers. One company that has been very helpfull is ezschoolsupplies.com don't know the number off hand but we called in to ask for donations and they helped us out alot. also try local businesses.
Make your own sundae bar
Call a local massage school and have the students give free chair massages( they need hours to graduate)
Gift cards to local office supply store( even $5 helps)
Dessert Day- ask parents to bring in desserts
Fill the bucket- we asked for donations of items for each day of the week. For example: Monday -pen or marker, Tues.-sticky pads, Wed. - fresh fruit , etc.
I Heart My Teacher Day- Each Student got a sticker as they arrived to school, I heart my teacher,and each teacher received a small gift donated by parents/ pto funds
Coffee Break- sponsered by Starbucks, baked goods by parents
Book Day- Each student donated a book to the class library
Flower Day- Bring a flower for your teacher
Luncheon- end of the week activity, catered and donations by parents, each teacher/ staff member's name was entered into a drawing to win one of 5 gift baskets.
We also had a Teacher Appreciation Week Banner made by a parent
and a large Posterboard "card" made for each teacher/staff member
that hung outside the teacher's door and around campus that students
were allowed to sign and write little messages to their favorite teachers
and staff members.
Flowers,
Cakes
School Supplies
Candy Poem
Luncheon
This year we purchased the "In 100 years..." photo albums from Positive Promotions. They were about $.60 each. Last year for supplies we gave each teacher and pen and pencil from Office Depot, the Foray Collection, that looked really nice, but were only about $1 for each set.
