Teacher Appreciation Done Right

To be meaningful, teacher appreciation must be more than a once-a-year activity. These tips and creative ideas will help make a lasting impression.

by Joy Underhill

03/19/2018

Teacher appreciation is a simple idea. It means showing teachers you value their work. If your group’s goal is to enhance the educational environment at your school, it makes sense to help energize the teachers.

Teacher appreciation activities can be elaborate, weeklong events or simple gestures throughout the year. What matters isn’t how much you do but how thoughtfully you do it. We’ve collected some ideas to add pizzazz to your next event—plus keep those treasured teachers and staff members smiling.

Planning Ahead

Jennie McClelland, PTO president at St. Mary Catholic Academy in Port Huron, Mich., recommends setting a budget for teacher appreciation at the beginning of the year. Knowing the budget in advance lets your group decide whether to have several smaller activities or, as St. Mary did, plan ahead for a larger event. “We’ve had success holding an off-site luncheon during teacher appreciation week,” McClelland says, “with parents supervising kids during a schoolwide movie.”

The St. Mary PTO also understands the importance of recognizing other staff members besides teachers. “We thanked our custodial staff with a meal to help build relationships. Then we presented them with gift cards to a home improvement store,” McClelland notes.

50+ teacher appreciation ideas, plus planning tools, flyers, and more

Many PTOs find it easier to plan staff appreciation events and prizes for everyone at the school instead of recognizing teachers, administrators, custodial staff, and kitchen staff individually. There’s no wrong way; just base it on what works best for your school.

A few more options:

  • Budget for a welcome-back treat—muffins, cookies, or candy—at the start of the school year for each teacher. At the end of the year, present a snack box of fresh fruits, nuts, and bottled water.

  • When the school year begins, ask teachers to fill out a survey about their likes and dislikes. Use this information to create personalized gift baskets or other items.

  • Run a schoolwide raffle to raise money for something useful, such as gift cards to a local grocery store.

  • Put up a “bravo board” near the school entrance. Select a teacher (or teachers) of the week and decorate the board with photos and personal information, such as hobbies, favorite books, and pets. Ask other staff members and parents to write short notes of appreciation.

  • Get a list of birth dates from the school secretary, then leave a card in each staff member’s box on her birthday. Bonus: Have students make their own cards, and let their teacher discover a class set of notes in her mailbox.

(See “Gift Guide” at the bottom of this article for general tips on selecting gifts for teachers.)

Staff Appreciation Week

A lot of parent groups focus their appreciation efforts on a week of activities and events. Teacher appreciation week falls during the first full week in May.

At Southwest Elementary in Howell, Mich., planning begins two months in advance. “We request donations of gift cards, merchandise, and services from businesses in the community,” says PTO Copresident Laurie Ackerman. “Our goal is to give each of our 75 staff members a prize during the week.”

During those five days, Southwest treats its staff to themed luncheons sponsored by each of the grade levels. “We announce prizes won by staff members each morning and make sure they find notes of appreciation and candy in their mailboxes,” Ackerman says. “This year, we created a cookbook of the items brought in during the week and gave each staff member a complimentary copy.”

The parent group at Myers Park Traditional Elementary in Charlotte, N.C., launched a “love letters campaign,” for which students were encouraged to write a note or draw a picture showing their appreciation. “For a week, children placed their notes in a large moving box at the school entrance,” says Corey Stewart, who chairs the PTA’s staff appreciation committee. “The response was overwhelming.”

First-grade teacher Susan Caskey already knew that teachers were appreciated. “But to have so many take the time to put their gratitude into words, words that we could take home and read over again, was fantastic!” she remembers.

Other activities during the week included daily treats for the staff, breakfast donated by a local restaurant on the first day, low-cost baseball hats customized with the school slogan, and a cake and ice cream party. A local TV station even came in to film some of the events and interview staff. The week culminated in a party at Stewart’s home that included spouses and baby-sitting services.

“We work together every day and consider each other family, but we rarely have time to meet socially,” says fifth-grade teacher Susan Laney. “This was truly a special occasion for us!”

Themed Meals

Luncheons are a traditional way to honor teachers and staff, but they don’t have to be ordinary. Creating themed meals can turn them into something special. It’s a great place to be imaginative and even involve the students, who can help with invitations or decorations.

The best meals include a few main dishes with plenty of sides, salads, and desserts to accommodate food preferences and sensitivities. Although most lunches are serve-yourself affairs, have volunteers on hand for setup, replenishment, and cleanup.

Some themes to start with:

Western. Serve grilled burgers with baked beans, barbecue potato chips, and coleslaw. Use tablecloths that look like denim, and make centerpieces from miniature hay bales and toy horses or put cut flowers inside cowboy boots.

Tex-Mex. Provide build-your-own-taco fixings and salads. (Don’t forget salsa and guacamole!) Turn 10-gallon hats and sombreros upside down and fill with basic classroom supplies. Or leave them right-side up and pile the party favors around the brim.

Italian. Try deep-dish pizza, stuffed shells, lasagna, and eggplant parmigiana. Serve on red-and-white-checked tablecloths and play music by Frank Sinatra or Dean Martin.

Soup and Salad. Get volunteers to bring in pots of homemade soups and chilies, and serve salads and breads on the side. Slice up a few 6-foot sub sandwiches, as well.

Hollywood. Roll out a red carpet leading to the staff lounge and decorate with stars signed by kids. Announce teachers as they come down the “Walk of Fame.” Post movie-themed cards to identify each dish, such as Million-Dollar Meatballs, Lemony Snicket’s Lemon Bars, and Harry Potter’s Magic Muffins.

Around the World. Create invitations that resemble passports. Have volunteers bring foods that represent their ethnic or cultural heritages. Include cards that describe what’s in each dish and its origins. Hang flags from different countries and geographic stickers like the ones put on old-fashioned luggage.

If volunteers bring food, ask them to use disposable containers and serving utensils to avoid the hassle of returning items. As an added treat for staff, offer doggy bags or place leftovers in school refrigerators for later snacking.

More Time

Sometimes the best way to say thanks is as simple as making every minute count. “In the past, we’ve given gift cards and carry-in luncheons to show our appreciation,” says Melissa Turner, PTO president at Washington Elementary in Vincennes, Ind. “But when we spoke to some of our teachers, what they really wanted was time.”

The Washington PTO decided to give teachers a couple of hours alone in their classrooms to work on grades and catch up. “Toward the end of the semester, we rented a large-screen TV and some movies. Then parent volunteers took three grades at a time to the gymnasium for a movie, popcorn, and drinks. “After the movie, we took the students outside for recess,” Turner explains. Teachers had about two hours in their classrooms, and they agreed that it was the best gift they had ever received.


Gift Guide

Without knowing what a teacher loves or loathes, it can be difficult to pick out a present she’ll treasure. So for those times when you’re flying blind, here are some suggestions for gifts that are generally pleasant surprises—and others that don’t always make the grade.

Gifts To Give

  • Homemade gifts, such as small plants in pots decorated by students

  • Notes of appreciation from students (for example, a class photo with the children’s comments written around the edge)

  • Certificates for practical gifts (like car washes, groceries, and dry cleaning) or indulgences (coffee treats, restaurants, movie theater passes)

  • Classroom supplies or gift cards to a store that sells them

Gifts To Avoid

  • “One size fits all” items; they aren’t picked out especially for someone, so they don’t make the receiver feel special, either.

  • Perfumed items such as candles, colognes, and fancy soaps—they’re a big allergy trigger.

  • Christmas ornaments and other religious or holiday-themed decorative objects

  • Items with a teacher or apple theme; most teachers have plenty of these gifts already

Originally posted in 2007 and updated regularly.

Comments   

# Tonyah Moore 2008-04-04 08:23
This was helpful with our up coming teacher appreciation week approaching. I found it quite insightful. Thank you pto today.
# melissa 2008-04-15 21:24
Last year we let our students vote on teacher of the month all during the school term. The winner of that month got a gift certificate to eat lunch on us at our local cafe. That teacher couldnt win another month, but the students were still able to vote for that teacher. At the end of the year the teacher with the most votes won a $500.00 gift certificate donated by our local walmart. They werealso honored at our awards ceremony. We also do dinners for our teachers during both parent teacher conferences, Another thing we do is a themed basket for the teachers lounge right before any Holiday. The teachers seem to love the goodys whether they observe the Holiday or not. We have learned its the little things that make them feel important. Also on these Holidays we try to take something to our Superintendants office to let them know they are special ...
# Kathryn Lagden from PTO Today 2008-04-16 08:34
Thanks Tonyah - glad you found this article useful!

Melissa - thanks for jumping in and sharing what your group does to celebrate and recognize the teachers at your school.
# Loran 2008-04-17 09:29
Thanks for this article. We are trying to plan our teacher's week and these ideas were a great mind starter!
# tammy pardue 2008-04-18 09:18
Each year our pto assigns one day of the week for a couple of grade levels ( ex. monday- k and first). We pick a theme for the week, and the parents in each grade level send items to school on their day.
On Friday we have a huge luncheon for the entire staff, with party games, entertainment, and a prize table. All grade levels contribute on that day.
Themes in the past have been Kentucky derby days, island resort, country music,
mexican, italian,
We try to keep the theme a secret as long as possible, and the teachers get a big kick out of anticipating the theme for the week.
# Lisa Couch 2008-04-18 13:07
This was a great article. I found many new ideas not only for appreciation week but for things I would like to start in the fall. What a great resource your website is. Thanks!!
# jill 2008-04-19 17:09
One year we had a certified massotherapist who gave 15 min massages. Boy did the staff love that!
# Ann Knepp 2008-05-04 22:25
This ia an excellent article to find new ideas! Thank you!
# David Hampton 2008-05-22 14:46
I would like to ask for opinions on this situation that I encountered during our teacher appreciation week. We had a week long event planned on Monday we provided Breakfast for our entire school staff. On Tuesday our local Board of education provided the staff lunch. On Wednesday we hosted an ice cream social with ice cream sundaes,cookies,cakes etc.. Then on Thursday we provided a lunch for the whole staff. A little of everything from mexican, italian,american, etc.. then on Friday we gave the staff an extended lunch hour. An extra hour for lunch. It went great!! But our principal said he felt we should have only had a 1 day lunch and no more. He felt we were taking money away from the children and spending too much for our teachers. What is your opinion about this. Thanks alot
shocked in Sale Creek
# Anna Russell 2008-05-22 19:40
These are some excellent ideas to implement next year. This year the staff and teachers were treated to continental breakfast every morning Monday through Friday of the week. Each day there was a different package with a token of appreciation for every member of the theme. Monday was a certficate to kick off the week, Tuesday was a book and monogrammed mugs, Wednesday was backpacks, Thursday was Cards with book marks and other items, and Friday was surprised packet of goodies.
# Kathryn Lagden from PTO Today 2008-05-23 14:33
Thanks everyone for jumping in and sharing what you did for teacher appreciation week! Lots of good ideas.

David - sorry to hear all your efforts weren't appreciated by your principal. Have you seen our message boards? They're a great place to ask specific questions - tons of folks with a lot of good experience to share. If you post your question I'm sure you'll get feedback and opinions from a bunch of folks. http://www.ptotoday.com/boards.
# kelly 2008-06-19 21:14
Thanks for all the great ideas! I'm taking over "Staff Appreciation" next school year, and these are good ideas.

In the past, our PTO has picked one day per month to provide snacks & treats for the entire staff (not just the teachers). We usually pick the day after our monthly meeting. We get a list of parents who said they would like to help with staff appreciation at the beginning of the school year. We then contact those parents, and give them their times to donate during the year. We usually get enough parents to sign up...and they only need to contribute once a year...which is great, so they bring in GOOD snacks! This way, no one really gets burnt out on donating stuff.

I really like this monthly idea, but I would also like to do a little more next year. I think I'm going to try to contact a local massage school, and see if they will donate a student's time. I think even if it's only once during the year, the teachers will think it's a GREAT idea!!
# Lisa 2008-08-14 18:34
Our parent club did a teacher car wash
during teacher appreciation week.
The teachers had super clean cars by the end of the day. They Loved It!!
# Diane 2008-10-22 02:03
Last year our PTO sent the teachers out for lunch. We worked with the principal so that we had her approval and she picked the days per grade level, we had parents come in and cover the classes for the time the teachers were out. Most of the time the parents were with the class was during lunch or special. The teachers loved being able to leave the building and enjoy a lunch with colleagues.
# Patty Poorten 2008-12-03 00:50
One year, we left a note in the teachers mailbox with a ribbon. The note said:
"We can clearly see that we have the best staff around. If you would like your windows washed tomorrow, please tie this ribbon on your antenna." If a teacher wanted their windows washed, we washed them. Parents brought Windex and step stools and the teaches had a "clear" window to drive home with! They loved it, and it was thoughful and easy.
# Candy Richardson 2008-12-17 02:30
I have gleaned a number of great ideas for Staff Appreciation. At our Jr HS we do something 4 times a year. The most appreciated is probably the Holiday Cookie Jar. Parents donate 3 dozen cookies and all the staff get at least 2 dozen to take home for the holidays. Plus we host a punch and cookie reception. All our luncheons are themed and we change the dates each year to keep it freash.
# ron Santi 2009-03-10 23:10
At Pinon Hills Elementary in Minden NV. we start the year off with a welcome back lunch and then at Christmas time we provide our staff with what we call holiday treat which is made up of baked goods from our parents. Then in May we provide breakfast for the staff and then a big lunch another day that the parents cook and bring to school. This year it is going to be western. All during the year on bithdays this year we are giving Certificates for car washes. We believe it should be an all year program, the teachers teach all year.
# anon 2009-05-05 18:29
I'm supportive of our teachers, but I'm surprised that the other PTOs aren't breaking the bank on staff appreciation. Breakfast EVERY day? A gift each day? No wonder David's principal thought it was too much. Think of all the programs/library books that could be purchased with the excessive amount spent on teacher gifts throughout the year.
# Lori 2009-05-06 23:20
We spent 70.00 this yr...we used 50 to get huge bags of prepared salad, croutons, bacon bits, plastic bowls & forks, napkins *the good kind* , 4 diff kind of salad dresssings, 2 cases of bottled waters and 3 diff kinds of bottled water flavor mixes. The rest we spent on a custom made cake (which turned out smaller then we'd thought, so we'd have been better off buying one at a grocery store). This will provide lunch for our teachers and staff the entire week! so ONE lunch but avail four days. (we have 4day weeks) We also put up posters thanking the teachers and staff for all their hard work and dedication! Some of the staff members & parents are deciding to bring in a huge batch of something to add to the salad (one brought in spagetti in a crockpot). I'll be making brownies at home and taking them in as an extra treat on Friday. We also did not want to spend much from our budget and wanted the majority to go to the kids, so we feel 70. is not too bad, but still more then we really wanted to spend!
# Barbara 2009-08-31 20:34
We purchased this item for our teachers. They were whimsical flower pots with a teaching quote. They loved them.
# Criss 2009-09-18 02:41
This is a wonderful article and I found all the comments very useful . We have done everything from sending the teachers and their spouse out to dinner to having different things each day of appreciation week . I really like the idea of doing small things all year long . We are a small school with only 8 teachers and one aide so doing things year round would be very easy to do . Thanks for all the great ideas !
# Tina 2010-04-17 03:26
So many wonderful ideas! We already have our week planned out but I will certainly take the ones everyone mentioned for next year. We are trying to be as cost-conscious as possible so we are doing a "gift of time" at lunch and recess for our teachers and aides, mints with a cute poem, a carnation from each student upon arrival at school and a continental breakfast (our principal was worried about differing tastes and well, cleanliness standards in home kitchens). The car-washing idea is great, practically free and I'm sure very appreciated!
# Marilyn 2010-07-19 04:23
I love all of these ideas! We used to have a formal lunch for our teachers. Something really fancy. But a couple years ago we got a new principal and she suggested that maybe it would be better to have a quick dinner for our teachers on the nights of parent/teacher conferences. They usually only have about 30min from the end of the school day til the 1st conference so a lot of them wouldn't eat anything until after. We have done this ever since and the teachers absolutely love it!! It is very much appreciated by our teachers!
# Dana Hennelly 2011-04-04 16:47
I implemented an adoption program at our school. We have two staff members for every classroom teacher. I felt the teachers were feeling appreciated, but the important staff members weren't. I gave two staff members to each class and printed their picture and a little info/bio on each person including the teacher. They were distributed to all families. Now, the classrooms & kids think of their adopted staff members when buying a starbucks latte or bringing in lunch. The adopted members are invited to classroom parties, etc. It has been a HUGE success at our school. I'm in charge of the teacher appreciation committee. Hope this helps!
# John 2011-04-08 14:22
There's a really cool contest that White Pages is running this year called Run and Hug. They're taking nominations to name "America's Favorite Teacher" in time for Teacher Appreciation Month. To nominate their favorite teacher, the entrant must submit a memory of their teacher with either an appropriate photo or video. The winning nomination will win a trip for both the entrant and the teacher to New York City so they can be reunited. Also, for every entry received, White Pages will donate $5 to the educational non- profit, Digital Wish, so they can help even more teachers.

I encourage everyone to nominate a teacher that has made a lasting impact on their lives at http://www.runandhug.com/
# sher 2011-04-20 00:21
this year we have:
1. A luncheon on tues of teacher appreciation week, this year's theme is fiesta - we will decorate the teacher lounge ^ parents bring in dishes. Last yr we packaged leftovers in fridge and the teachers ate well for the next few days!

2. We asked for donations for appreciation week. We put a big box in the front of the school for parents to donate snacks, bubble bath, notecards, gift cards, etc and put together baskets 4 the teachers.

3. We sold carnations to the student body for any teachers they want to send to & will deliver during teacher appreciation week.

4. Make big banners that say 'thank you' & have every student sign the week before during lunch then hang for them for the whole week.

5. Print up inspirational quotes for the teachers on note cards and put in their mailboxes daily as a small thank you.
# Anjilla 2011-05-02 16:31
Sharing a Thank a Teacher video is a unique way to thank teachers in today’s digital age. This video, created by Mudpies & Butterflies, a social networking that connects parents and educators together, reminds us that teachers have the ability to inspire greatness and change lives.

It can be seen on You Tube by searching for “Thank a Teacher.” It can also be passed along by visiting www.mudpiesandbutterflies.com/thankateacher.
# LAURA MAYBERRY 2011-09-14 19:43
I"M TAKEING MY G.E.D HERE IN APACHE JUNCTION ARIZONA AT CENTARL ARIZONA COLLAGE HERE IN APACHE JUNCTION ARIZONA AND I HAVE THIS WOUNDERFUL TEACHER MS.GIAIRRIZZO..IF THERE IS SOMEONE IS STRUGGLERING IN CLASS MS.GIAIRRIZZO IS RIGHT THERE FOR THE STUDENTS TO HELP THEM OUT IF THEY WANT TO GIVE UP SHE MAKE SURE WE DONT GIVE UP THE TEACHE IS ALWAYS THERE FOR US NO MATTER WHAT THE CASE MAY BE SHE IS A LOVEING CAREING TEACHER SHE HAS A HEART OF GOLD EVERYONE LOVES HER TO DEATH

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