Thanking Volunteers and Community Members

To honor those community members who have helped the school throughout the year, parent group leaders at Gullatt Elementary developed the GEM Awards (for “go the extra mile”). Administrators, teachers, custodians, and other staff members nominate individuals or organizations for the honor. Though one parent and one community partner are noted as standouts, all nominees are recognized for their contributions with a certificate and a small gift. The process has another benefit: If a teacher has only a few (or no) nominees, the principal and the parent group offer ideas on encouraging more parent involvement in the classroom.