Maybe our PTO is missing the boat. We don't do anything academic. We provide a "Welcome Back Breakfast" for staff the day before school starts and give them little token favors like chocolates and notecards. For the students we provide "Snow Cone Day" the first Friday of school. Teachers bring their classes outside after lunch and each child receives a snow cone. We also provide sugar-free Italian Ice for diabetic children. Their favor is a coupon for free ice cream they can redeem anytime during the year. Not sure how much longer our county's wellness policy will allow us to give them these things though! [img]smile.gif[/img]
At our school, the PTA purchases some school supplies for each student -- a folder, loose leaf paper, glue stick, pencil, eraser, crayons -- for each of the 440 students in the school. Then they get another item from the school supply list that is determined by grade level, for example, third graders get a correcting pencil and a highlighter, the fourth and fifth graders get the required assignment notebooks.
In addition, each teacher gets a classroom gift. Useful items such as extra kleenex, paper towels, several note pads, some reward stickers, ziploc bags.
Also, the PTA officers fill the staff lounge with treats -- usually water bottles, chips & dip, veggies and dip, and some sweets. This year we printed large stickers personalized to say "Welcome Back from the PTA" and pasted them over the labels on the water bottles and added a couple vases of fresh flowers to brighten up the room.
I love the carwash idea! Last year for Teacher Appreciation we did something similar. All of the PTO Board washed all of the teacher's cars and detailed the inside in a two day period. It was alot for us to do considering we had 31 teachers, but we managed by having an aseembly line. It was a real bonding experience as well.
This year we are giving each student 4 Streachable book covers. 2 regular and 2 Jumbo. We only have 183 student from K-8th grade. We have been hoarding all summer long when school supplies are on clearance sales. We've gotten each for 50 cents. Next year is our 125th year! We are developing a new, glossy, paper book cover with our school crest and Mission statement. On the back will be a picture of our school. I am designing it, the paper is donated and the printing will be 10 cents each since we are doing black and white....at Kinkos!
Last year we gave our teachers gift certificates for car washes-I think it was $7 or $8. A local car dealer came to school, picked up car, washed/vaccumed the car and returned it to school. It did take two weeks as they a few at a time. The teachers really loved that deal
-Diane
