You could get the children involved by having them draw pictures for the teachers or write letters. You could put the letters and drawings in the teachers lounge at school for them to look at during lunch. You could also try to send a letter home to ask parents if they can donate food on certain days or during certain times during the school year.

Our PTO bought teachers and staff welcome back gifts. We purchased cups from the dollar store and filled them with tea bags, gum, granola bars, hot chocolate, apple cider, and candy. We wrapped them really nice so they looked professional. Everyone loved them! You could buy cups and fill them with pencils, pens, post it notes, chalk, etc. Our PTO spent approximately $130 for 59 cups and all the goodies that went in them. You could even send a letter home to parents asking them to donate these items or start a collection from parents to purchase them.

You could also ask local businesses or Wal-Mart to donate items for the teachers and staff at your school. I hope this helps. Good luck!

I've been doing Staff Apprciation for over 3 years now and the response from the teachers is so gratifying!

What I generally do is go to local businesses with a letter and our tax exempt "letter" and ask for a specifc type of donation. Walmart is great for a gift card that can be used in the store (candy, small things). Several local businesses "sponsor" a turkey in Nov. for a drawing the teachers do.

How I do it is that every month something happens for the teachers. It might just be a bagel and fruit breakfast in the lounge. Since its Oct - everyone will get a small bag of "treats" for Halloween.

So try and think in small doeses. I find it much easier to manage small tokens vs really big ones. I tend to save the "big stuff" for staff appreciation week. But that is another story!

When you say local businesses, do you refer to mom & pop places or are you able to get participation, from let's say, Dunkin Donuts?

This position kinda throws us into public speakers/solicitors/directors and it's a bit intimidating at times. Knowing specific retailers that are open to involvement, might take some of the edge off.

What if you asked local businesses, markets or restaurants for donations. You could put together a nice breakfast or afternoon tea. Our local businesses are very helpful to our PAC.

Wow--good for you and hang in there. We did valentine heart cookies one year that we put on a lollipop stick and baked. You can either do sugar or butter cookies. Then we attached a teacher appreciation poem I've listed below that you are welcomed to use....

This one is special,” he thought as he tugged
and pushed in more kisses and smiles and hugs.”
“This one will love those she just barely knows,
she’ll give them the gifts that they’ll need to grow.”
“She’ll smile at their smiles, she’ll wipe off their tears,
she’ll give them her heart, keep them safe, quell their fears.”
“She’ll let them each hear just how special they are,
and for some that don’t know that; her words will heal scars.”
“She’ll cradle my children, with a soft gentle spirit,
She’ll tell them she loves them—and make sure that they hear it.”
“Yes this one will quietly touch lives every day,
In the kindest of manner, in the loveliest way.”
“But I’ll not make her path be easy you see,
for each year they will leave her, somewhere else off to be.”
“In turn I’ll show daily how special her reach,
I’ll make sure that she knows I made her to teach.”

“She will walk with my children and for the joy that she brings,
They will call her their teacher, an angel less wings.”

Hope this helps...d

I am in an interesting situation that I am trying like all heck to do something about but I was hoping for some advice on part. I am new to a school this year because of a move. I attended the PTA meetings to discover that there is 1 other non-staff member involved and that is a parent who's youngest child has been out of this school for over 5 yrs! The rest of the PTA is staff, teachers. Since this initial shock at the beginning of the year I have been trying to suggest ways to get parents involved and I think we might just be crawling in that direction. OK, I am not the best "networker" out there and literally know 2 other parents at this school and that is because of the kids so I don't have a base to call on for help. This is where I need your help...

I have been hit in the face with the fact that every teacher at this school is suffering from a severe case of nobody cares about what or how I do this all they care about is the FCAT scores. Many of the teachers seem to really put the effort out there to be great teachers and I know from recent experience that 2 in particular are great teachers. How can I do some type of a teacher appreciation that the teachers will feel is coming from all of the parents or atleast more than just maybe 3? I don't have the money to do a whole meal but I have considered just making cookies treats etc and dropping them off in the staff lounge with a Thank you card. What do you think good idea? Do you have any ideas?

Thanks!