I'm confused -- We do all sorts of 'appreciation' -- bus driver, teacher, volunteer...but we've never done a 'parent appreciation'. To be appreciated just because you're a parent. Anybody can do that! But the teachers and the bus drivers and even the volunteers go the extra mile. Teachers and bus drivers have to meet certain standards, or they won't work anymore. The volunteers...well, the least we can do for someone who helps without getting paid is provide a lunch at the end of the year and say 'thanks'....
We have one child in private school and one in public. What I find amazing is that the private school, which obviously has a tuition that I pay, is much more focused on donations, fund raisers and teacher appreciation than the public school. For teacher appreciation a very nice lunch is provided weekly, on a rotating basis with each parent providing the staff with a lunch day. We typically have to only take care of two lunches a year and it cost us $150-200 per lunch to feed the staff. The teachers do have a hard job and I’m satisfied with the results, so I’m glad to appreciate them, but I can’t help but think about the big check I give them every year and isn’t that “appreciation” enough?
On the parent appreciation front they really don’t spend any money on the parents, but the way I look at it is, they provide my child with a quality education and I have more control over what and how the school teaches my child, and I do appreciate that.
I don't expect the school or the teachers to do anything for the parents other than do there best to educate my child.
I'm with Michelle on this one. To me, any organization benefitting from volunteers should be thanking them in some manner. In this case, it's the school - not the PTO/PTA - who should be figuring out how they want to recognize volunteers.
It could be as simple as an end-of-the-year flyer, notes included in principal announcements or as complex as an annual volunteer appreciation event.
Also such thanks are due to not only for PTO/PTA volunteers (in my mind) but ANY volunteers, with the PTO/PTA group certainly being a key participant.
At our elementary school, the Principal and Administrative staff organized a volunteer luncheon once a year, held during the school day. The principal arranged for pans of those party-size lasagne pans. Cafeteria staff heated them up, along with bread. Teachers signed up to bring salad or dessert. One year it was done as a breakfast - coffee, muffins, OJ.
The luncheon was scheduled over a 2 hour period and people were encouarged to come and go as needed, rather than having a defined program. Teachers and staff rotated in and out according to their lunch schedules also.
The principal handed out some sort of a thank you note/certificate. My favorite was the year they handed out colorful mock checks good for 1,000,000 THANKS.
She didn't have long speeches or call out people by name. Just periodically (since the audience was changing) she'd mention how much they appreciated everyone's time and effort. This was held in the library and whatever staff were in the room at the time moved from table to table - visiting and making sure each attendee got whatever was handed out.
Aside from donating a salad/dessert, the teachers contributed to the list of invitees - anyone they could think of who helped in any way that year. There were personal invitiations sent home via the student as well as sort of general announcement to come to the volunteer luncheon (since you can never get every volunteer name listed).
This was not a great hardship to plan; nor did it take a huge amount of time and effort. Everyone - both staff and volunteers looked forward to it each year.
P.S. Note - some of us hard core PTO volunteers offered to help, but the Principal said "no way". This time we were the GUESTS and not allowed to do anything!
IMHO, having had a mother for a teacher, and now working closely with many teachers in our school, I would much rather they focus their time on educating my child than planning a party for me.
The PTO was formed to support the teachers...not the other way around. Being a teacher is HARD work...if you have ever been one, you know. If you have ever subbed for one, you REALLY know that to be true.
Yes, they are paid professionals, but I would wager that nowhere in their job description does it mention anything about planning and implementing an appreciation party for the parents.
Our PTO takes this expectation off the teachers. We have an "Appreciation-Students & Families" Chairperson who handles several events throughout the year to show our parents and families how much we appreciate them.
After spending day in & day out with kids, I think your teachers did an amazing thing by planning any sort of recognition at all. IMHO, it's unrealistic to expect the same thing from teachers to parents as PTOs give to teachers.
Just my two cents' worth...teachers have enough on their plates right now, with budget cuts galore, soaring classroom sizes, contract issues...it is a mess for everyone. Complaining that you only got cake seems a bit selfish and pointless to me when there are much more important things to be concerned about in schools today.
I almost completely disagree with the last poster.
The staff and teachers of the school are paid personnel. The fact that they have parents that care enough to take the time to be involved and participate in enhancing the school environment for the students makes them quite fortunate.
Just ask a teachers at a school where parents are not involved.
Parents have just as much on their plates as do teachers and staff. There is nothing wrong with teachers finding a suitable way to acknowledge the efforts of the PTO.
Almost all of our teachers, in their own individual way thank room moms for parties and also have their weekly volunteers in for an appreciation lunch at the end of the year. Those are a limited number of people compared to the others who are often less visible and work on other committees. PTO is not included in the overall volunteer appreciation. That doesn't mean that it isn't deserved. It is sad that it is improbable to think that teachers would do this. When parents volunteer and participate, it does not just benefit their own child; it benefits all of the children, the teachers and the school at large.
Unfortunately, where I do agree with the last poster. Rise above it! Hard to do when your feelings are in fact hurt. Teacher appreciation is important even when you're not feeling especially appreciative.
Why would the PTA not do something for parent appreciation? Do we not need to thank our parents for the helping hand that they lend us in our efforts to make a better school for our children?
Why do you automatically assume that task would fall into the hands of the teachers or school staff?
The PTO/PTA that would plan the celebration would consist of parents AND teachers.
Teachers and the school staff have enough on their plates with educationg our children everyday, that is why we as PTO/PTA's exsist. (I realize it is not 100% the reason)
If I were you I would try to get over your hurt feelings and do what you think is the right thing to do and go forward with whatever your plan would be WITHOUT taking into consideration what has been done for the parents by the staff at your school.
