Serving the teachers is a big part of our PTO. We have a back to school lunch for them and in May we have special treats for Teacher Appreciation week. We feel that by serving the teachers it helps with the activities that we plan for our students. The teachers are very appreciative of everything we do for them and buy for the classrooms or playground area. I am the President this year and I have had several teachers this year already tell me thanks for what we did last year and they can not what for this school year to see what surprises are in store.

Hello. I am new here but have been a member of my daughter's & son's school PTO for 6 years. One of those where I served as secretary and have been Chairperson for several committees.
I don't feel that your suggestion for the Life Savers or the bagels was out of line. We have always held a teacher's brunch where we have a theme & a door prize. We try to get teachers involved as much as possible so that we are truly a Parent/Teacher Organization. One year, we sent out surveys asking what the teachers think would benefit the school/children for either their room alone or the school in general. Out of 21 teachers only about 8 teachers responded. Whatever those 8 asked for - they received. I think the more the teachers are appreciated the more involved they will become??

At our school, this year I am asking a couple of parents to bring in a treat along with myself the first morning of school. We have a very low budget so asking the PTO to fork up the money I feel is out of the question. I have also printed up the welcome back poem for the teachers and will either frame it and set it on the table in the teachers workroom with the treats, or print up one per teacher and put it in their boxes. Haven't decided that yet. Have till tomorrow morning!

In our neck of the woods we joke that we are Parents Taking Over but in all seriousness we do A LOT to support the teachers and students.

Last year our heated discussions were more about if we do something for the elementary kids what are we doing for middle and high school!? This is the only time I actually hated beign apart of a K-12 charter school. It all balanced out (some how!).

(for what it's worth, I chew a lot of gum during board meetings! One night a good friend said "Okay, we need to move on, she's on her second pack of gum!" It's cheaper than smoking and I gave that up a long time ago!)

PTA - We spent around 10% of our budget last year on Teacher gifts and luncheons : <50 teachers. We spent about 1% directly on parents : > 500. I am working to even that out a little.

We have a membership lunch which costs $200-250 from which we get less than $50 in local dues. I changed this to a "Welcome Back" lunch this year - seemed silly to call it a Membership Lunch and I liked the idea of welcoming teachers back - so did the teachers.

I love and support our teachers. But if the "T" says we spend money on teachers, then shouldn't the "P" say we spend money on parents?

I agree with everyone else on this--you need to let the teachers know they are appreciated for all they do. We also do beginning of the year gifts, birthday cards, and a week of teacher appreciation as do many schools. You are on the right track with what you are wanting to do--keep it up!!