Thanks for all the great ideas. We are also a very small PTO. So we have to plan ahead. We have in the past done things like tumb drives, a build your own sandwich bar and lapel pins with cards.
Just as a thought, the most popular items on our auction is the pottery pieces that our younger grades made with thumbprints/animals and names that are really a keepsake for teachers. The cost is minimal and just need to a volunteer to create the piece one afternoon at school and take to fire.
There are also quite a few websites that show case art pieces that the olders kids make as a class, and again these are such a keepsake for teachers. Ceramic tiles decorated to make a mirror etc.
From one small PTA to another, I feel your pain. We are planning for our Teacher Appreciation Week now as well. This year we have decided to keep it simple.
~We start off the week with Thank You/Appreciation Postcards in their mailboxes with truffles attached.
~On Wednesday, which is an early release day for us, we host a luncheon for the entire staff.
~Each classroom has a Room Parent who has organized with other parents within the class to donate items to create a basket (chocolate, gardening, movie, baker's, etc.). The baskets are then put together by the children in the class or by the parents and dropped of in the PTA Workroom. Then everyday that week, we pull names from a hat and announce the winners of the baskets over morning announcements. Teachers come down to the main office and pick the basket that they like!
Monday - a parent made/donated breakfast, 30 minutes before school starts. On Sunday we decorate the teacher's lounge like a french cafe w/ table cloths from one mom's church, single stem daisy centerpieces, etc. We send them an invitation for each day's events the week before so they know when to stop by.
Tuesday or Thursday - we set up a chocolate fountain. We picked up a couple of small ones, since we can't afford to rent a professional grade one. Ask parents to donate the chocolate, strawberries, pretzels, graham crackers, cream puffs, etc.
Wed - staff luncheon. The past 2 years we have gotten two restaurants to donate the lunch. It can be too much for one to incur the whole expense, but if you ask for 1/2 the amount we've had more success. The lounge is usually still decorated from Monday.
We also solicit gift card or other donations from community businesses and have a daily drawing.
Finally, some years we've had luck getting a massage school to send in their students who need training hours to do chair/neck or hand massages, also had a new chiropractors office do the same thing. Also had a gal who sells skin care products come in and do a hand treatment/massage - it gives them a chance to promote their business (no pressure sales allowed) and write off their supplies as a charitable donation.
Good luck! If you get one parent to head up each day and then recruit some help, it doesn't get overwhelming for just the PTO board members.
As a small PTA, we need to plan early for events because we don't have a lot of parent volunteers. However, we decided to try some new things this year for Teacher Appreciation Week because in years past, the PTA always seemed to follow the same 'blueprint' for the week. We'd like to make it more exciting and a lot more thoughtful.
Can you share some of your Teacher Appreciation Week ideas? We would really appreciate your help!
