Last year we had a 1st grade teacher retire. She was beloved. We threw a "Dessert Social" for her and invited former students from the middle and high schools to attend as well as her family. We asked for food donations from HSA families and wound up with a huge amount of food.
We gave her a beautiful "journey" necklace with aquamarines in it that cost less than $100 but was representative to us of the journey that she was completing as well as the one she was just beginning. In addition, one of our talented moms was able to get the school picture of the teacher from the first year she was teaching and turned it into a beautiful pencil sketch that we then framed for her.
It may seem like it was excessive, but the whole night cost the HSA about $125.00 with the gifts and the drinks to go with the desserts. She had a blast.
There are a lot of programs out there that will take a photo and do a sketch of it (like a drawing). That would be nice to do of the school, framed and with a small plaque thanking her for her service.
I also like the idea of flying an american flag over the school and then framing that it a flag frame and putting a plaque that it was flown in honor of her service to our children.
Can anyone offer any suggestions for a TPA gift to be given to a retiring 1st grade teacher who has been with our school for a long time? Thanks for any help and suggestions!
