Seeking Advice on Heading up Teacher Appreciation or Reflections Program

At my son's last school I was chair for Hospitality which included Teacher Appreciation Week. I just LOVED it! It is not that hard but it does take some time. What I did was choose an event for each day of the Teacher Appreciation Week, e.g., Monday - I set out a continental breakfast for the teachers, Tuesday - I had a coffee cart in the morning with a server, Wednesday - I had Tea set up in the afternoon, Thursday - I brought I had messages for them, Friday - I did an all out luncheon buffet-style.

Basically on Monday I decorated the teacher's lounge with colored crate paper on the tables and flowers in the center of each table. I put balloons in each corner of the room and then set the food on the counters for them to serve themselves to include paper plates, plastic silverware, cups, napkins, etc. Some years I had help and others I did it alone. Although it was nice to have help, I had no problems going it alone, I just allotted extra time. Sometimes I ordered food from somewhere and other times I made it myself. It all depends on what you want to do and the budget.

One last thing I did was leave a gift for each teacher in their mailbox. This was always something super cheap but cute and memorable like a little clay pot with a ribbon tied around it and seeds inside to plant and a Thank You note saying "Thanks for helping our kids grow!"

I say go for it, it really is fun, no need to over think it or make it harder than it has to be.

Good luck!

P.S. Just by doing this, you will meet a ton of other parents that would love to help you.

If this is your first "big job" for the PTA, definitely do the Teacher Appreciation option. Parents are far more likely to contribute and volunteer b/c they know exactly what it is! Much of the communication is in writing (flyers, emails, website, etc) so you don't need to know a lot of people.

You can make it as "big" or "small" as you feel necessary. I know that at the school where I used to work, the Chair of the Appreciation committee send out a flyer and posted on the PTA website link "exactly" what she needed and asked people to volunteer by a certain date. Many people simply contributed $5 (to buy breakfasts and lunches quarterly over the year) and that was great! The ordered take-out for us and it was done. Some volunteered to come and help set-up/ clean-up and some donated food items.

It's a lot of work, but I think you may find it really fun. You can get to know some of the other parents without needing to immediately open your home (unless you want to)!

I have done it all for PTA, this is my 4th year as president and had previously Chaired Teacher Appreciation. Like the others say, it is one of the funnest committees to sit on. We did tons for our TA week, but we also had a budget.
Do go the a PTA meeting or contact the president, we love new volunteers, especially Kindergarten ones :) You can do as much or as little as you like. If you only want to organize fine you just need to recruit other parents to help out, once you get started, you will find lots of folks want to help. Let me know if you need ideas...I have lots :) And thank you for wanting to help.

I have done both at some point.. Actually headed the entire City of Austin PTA's Reflection program one year.

Personally, I think you should consider Teacher appreciation. You will automatically get Parent volunteers that want to help. The Reflection program is cumbersome and you do need a bit of a networking.

These are just suggestions based on what our elementary, middle and high school campus's do.

Does your school or PTA usually run Teacher appreciation? At our schools the PTA runs this, but works closely with the Principals secretary for approval on ideas. Previous chairs usually had a notebook that included all of the previous years and what they did. It was easier than reinventing the wheel to use those notes.

For instance, at the high school level, the PTA served a lunch to the teachers and support staff every other month. In the beginning we actually asked for food to be prepared, but then we realized, lots of people just wanted to write a check, so we had a budget to order food. Then we asked parents to donate the desserts. Some of the money came from the PTA funds.. Of course this was always a budget item each year, but it was always approved.

We had a committee of actual volunteers that went to set up, serve and clean up at the school on the day of the event also the volunteers to pick up the food at the business that was cooking for us. . Then we had a list of parents to email each month to remind them to bring in their desserts on a certain day. This is done through emails..

Usually this committee was included on the volunteer sheet handed out at the beginning and end of each school year (for returning parents). Parents could write a check, volunteer to be on the committee to help on the actual day and also a communications person to make the arrangements to inform the staff that it was their day.

We also had a teacher appreciation where EVERY teacher and staff member had a secret pal. Once a month these pals would send in a treat ($5.00 suggested cost) for their teacher or staff member. Sometimes, families would buddy up, so that if a family did not have a lot of money they could share this. Usually at back to school there were lots of 6 packs of soda, plants for the classroom, supplies for the teachers classroom.

We also had each teacher and staff member fill out a questionnaire about their birthdays, favorite snacks, books, interests hobbies.. etc.. It was nice to know their preferences.

Yes these included the office staffs, custodians as well as classroom teachers and and teacher assistants. The PTA and Booster clubs also pitched in each year to give school tshirts to the bus drivers and crossing guards. They LOVED this! They would wear them on spirit days.. It made them part of the campus.

I have made some of best friends by volunteering at the schools. Our goal was to "always be inclusive, never exclusive". Ask the moms AND the dads to volunteer.Meet them in the mornings and let them know youneed help. Also in the afternoons at pick up. Search for the parents, that seem to be new and quiet, people love being asked to help.

Even the parents that always moan and groan.. get them involved and when they complain they think things should be run a different way, Congratulate them on their idea and let them know "they can be Chairman next year!"

Have fun!