paigepea
Drama Llama
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Posts: 5,609
Location: BC, Canada
Jun 26, 2014 4:28:55 GMT
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Post by paigepea on Jan 27, 2019 6:48:29 GMT
I like the umbrella idea.
I was going to suggest water bottles.
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snyder
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,285 
Location: Colorado
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Post by snyder on Jan 27, 2019 8:13:01 GMT
Items that I have received in the past and was quite please with were a nice first aid kit that could be used at home, placed in the car or kept in the office, though we had those big one on each floor; a Galileo Thermometer, the tall tube with liquid and different colored balls with temp charms; a 15" ornate hour glass; Harry & David's basket; Cheryl's Cookies; chocolate covered apples, the ones that have like an inch think of goodies on them; gift card to local burger joint; glass cutting board; Wolferman's muffins. I had a very generous boss and she was always gifting us with something.
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Post by gar on Jan 27, 2019 11:16:32 GMT
Do teachers in the UK buy supplies from their own pockets? I honestly don't know.
I'm not keen on the umbrella idea - it's very practical but a bit dull maybe. I like the picnic blanket idea...I think women might like a throw but not so much the men. Something garden-y maybe..something in a pot so that even people who might only have a balcony could enjoy it.
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wellway
Prolific Pea
Posts: 9,014
Jun 25, 2014 20:50:09 GMT
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Post by wellway on Jan 27, 2019 11:25:31 GMT
Since you said London, how about a wallet for their oyster card. School colours, logo? gar I'm not aware of teachers here buying supplies out of their own pocket. Certainly, parents don't get requests to buy stuff for the classroom. When I was in the PTA we would ask the head teacher to canvas his teachers for their "would really like" requests. Then PTA would buy them during the year, we had requests like a CD player that would allow six children to plug in headphones at the same time or very large sand timers measuring one minute, three minutes, five minutes etc. |
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Post by dudleypippen on Jan 27, 2019 12:16:24 GMT
Another vote for the umbrella. Maybe not the most exciting gift to receive but practical and the kind of thing that everyone needs/will use.
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ellen
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,734
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Post by ellen on Jan 27, 2019 12:38:02 GMT
I've been given several teacher gifts over the years and my favorite one that I still use is an umbrella. It is big and done in school colors.
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muggins
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,861
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Post by muggins on Jan 27, 2019 12:46:18 GMT
Thanks for all your great ideas. Many I hadn’t thought of.
These gifts are for the entire staff, so that includes security, custodial, admin, etc, not just teachers.
Last year they received a picnic blanket which cost around £5 ($6.60). There were 370 staff last year so I’m not sure if the overall budget will stay the same. I will have to check with the PTA treasurer.
As an aside, I was a teacher for 15 years, both in the U.K. and the USA. In the U.K. teacher appreciation wasn’t and to my knowledge still isn’t a ‘thing’. In the small private school I worked at in the US, the parents provided a catered lunch but no gifts. Although they were very generous at Christmas and end of year.
In both places most teachers always bought extra supplies for the classroom.
I haven’t had any experience in catering or planning a meal for so many people. It’s really not my thing, but since no one else stepped up..... and I know the peas will give me all the good ideas I need:)
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Dani-Mani
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,709
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Post by Dani-Mani on Jan 27, 2019 14:01:01 GMT
Do teachers in the UK buy supplies from their own pockets? I honestly don't know. I'm not keen on the umbrella idea - it's very practical but a bit dull maybe. I like the picnic blanket idea...I think women might like a throw but not so much the men. Something garden-y maybe..something in a pot so that even people who might only have a balcony could enjoy it. Our umbrella had the school colors and name on it. Wasn’t dull at all and apparently a lot of us who have received one didn’t think it was dull either. Definitely my favorite and most used gift. |
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Sept 30, 2024 13:29:36 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jan 27, 2019 17:31:50 GMT
Hi,
Just my two cents....none of the above. Before y'all bite my head off, hear me out.
I have chaired the Hospitality Staff committee at all of my girls schools except one. So that is 7 schools times 17 years.
I don't believe in one week staff appreciation. These teachers take care of our kids all year, let's show them appreciation all year.
I start in the summer with my plan and present it to admin and PTA. Yes, I have had pushback from some admin, that want Staff apperication week to be be the main focus but I always explain with the above. My committee results from previous schools always show that the way we have approached it is loved by all.
So this year all my funding came from parents and local businesses. Below is our year:
August: sausage n peppers subs, with salad and desserts.
Septmber: pulled pork sandwiches and all the fixings.
November: breakfast buffet, muffins, pastries fruits, yogurts and drinks. Each teacher took home a Sweet bread for Thanksgiving break.
Christmas: Monday: Doughnuts n fruits
Tuesday: Netflix gift card, popcorn and old navy holiday socks.
Wedensday: Sandwiches n Soup
Thursday: coffee gift cards, Chick-fil-A gift cards and a homemade gnome ornament.
Friday: ziti n meatballs.
Janury: Pizza and a plethora of toppings. Kind of a top your own pizza and salad.
Feburary: A parent is making Tamales and all the sides.
March: Salsa Bar
MAy Staff Appreciation week
Monday: Waffle bar...students are making posters & banners
Tuesday: Students are making mad libs for each teachers door,specifically for them. They will have removable words so they will change all day.
Wednesday: Panini bar
Thursday: Attarctions book...huge coupon book for our area.
Friday: Pasta Bar & the students are building an escape from for the staff to do. The kids get out at 1:15 this day but the staff has to stay till 4:30. So the principal agreed to make it a team building thing.
July/August: we are moving into a new building so the students and families will be at the school for a work day. We have some dads that are donating hot dogs and rolls and the familes and students will be bringing everything else. A big school pinic
We feel giving the staff sometime to be together helps form that community sense. You would be amazed at some of the ideas they come up with during the meals. Some nights are when they hve to stay for a meeting, we do not get out till 4:30 & this alleviates the rush to get back.
No huge gifts just lots of love through the year.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Jan 27, 2019 20:04:22 GMT
I would think anything that would require various sizes that has been suggested (gloves, boots, etc.) would be problematic with that many people and both genders. If you can get a nice umbrella or an insulated water bottle with your budget that would be what I would choose if I couldn’t have a gift card or cash. We got a really big golf type umbrella as a spiff once from a vendor at a trade show for DH’s business probably 20 years ago and we have used the heck out of that thing ever since.
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Post by 950nancy on Jan 27, 2019 20:21:09 GMT
It is appreciation, because they are getting something for their classroom, of their choosing, without having to spend their own money. Less one size fits all and more you get to pick what you want. ::  ::: We will have to agree to disagree on this one... in my book providing a teacher with the supplies they need and want isn’t how you show them appreciation for their hard work. It is how they should be treated everyday. Sometimes it is the thought that counts, even if it is a one size fits all gift. Did I get some pretty useless stuff that wasn’t what I would have picked out during Nurses Week? Sure, but I knew it was a thoughtful gesture. If they would have used that money to buy more gloves and masks and put a bow on it for me, I would have been pretty offended. Riding the fence on this one. Honestly getting the supplies you needed (and didn't have to pay for yourself) would have been awesome. In March we usually ran out of Kleenex (provided by the kids in August) and I started buying two boxes a week. Not a single kid either reminded their parents we needed more or no parent wanted to donate more. By April I brought in a roll of school funded toilet paper (that the school had to provide) and after one day of that nonsense, the boxes came rolling in. While having a thoughtful gift of an umbrella or chair would be nice, just having the needed supplies would make me feel more valued. I'd be good with either. |
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muggins
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,861
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Post by muggins on Jan 27, 2019 21:20:17 GMT
Hi, Just my two cents....none of the above. Before y'all bite my head off, hear me out. I have chaired the Hospitality Staff committee at all of my girls schools except one. So that is 7 schools times 17 years. I don't believe in one week staff appreciation. These teachers take care of our kids all year, let's show them appreciation all year. I start in the summer with my plan and present it to admin and PTA. Yes, I have had pushback from some admin, that want Staff apperication week to be be the main focus but I always explain with the above. My committee results from previous schools always show that the way we have approached it is loved by all. So this year all my funding came from parents and local businesses. Below is our year: August: sausage n peppers subs, with salad and desserts. Septmber: pulled pork sandwiches and all the fixings. November: breakfast buffet, muffins, pastries fruits, yogurts and drinks. Each teacher took home a Sweet bread for Thanksgiving break. Christmas: Monday: Doughnuts n fruits Tuesday: Netflix gift card, popcorn and old navy holiday socks. Wedensday: Sandwiches n Soup Thursday: coffee gift cards, Chick-fil-A gift cards and a homemade gnome ornament. Friday: ziti n meatballs. Janury: Pizza and a plethora of toppings. Kind of a top your own pizza and salad. Feburary: A parent is making Tamales and all the sides. March: Salsa Bar MAy Staff Appreciation week Monday: Waffle bar...students are making posters & banners Tuesday: Students are making mad libs for each teachers door,specifically for them. They will have removable words so they will change all day. Wednesday: Panini bar Thursday: Attarctions book...huge coupon book for our area. Friday: Pasta Bar & the students are building an escape from for the staff to do. The kids get out at 1:15 this day but the staff has to stay till 4:30. So the principal agreed to make it a team building thing. July/August: we are moving into a new building so the students and families will be at the school for a work day. We have some dads that are donating hot dogs and rolls and the familes and students will be bringing everything else. A big school pinic We feel giving the staff sometime to be together helps form that community sense. You would be amazed at some of the ideas they come up with during the meals. Some nights are when they hve to stay for a meeting, we do not get out till 4:30 & this alleviates the rush to get back. No huge gifts just lots of love through the year. Wow, that’s an impressively huge amount of appreciation and organization. How many people are you catering for and what’s your budget? |
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Sept 30, 2024 13:29:36 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jan 27, 2019 22:06:50 GMT
This year is all parent funded and some local businesses...25 staff and 900$ ( that's cash and store donations)... I get creative and search for bargins.
My last high school we had 160 staff and a 3000$ budget. My last elementary school was 110 staff and 1800$
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marimoose
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,282
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Post by marimoose on Jan 27, 2019 22:50:56 GMT
Not sure what your budget is, but maybe you could give each teacher a dollar amount, have them buy something for their classroom and then submit their receipt for reimbursement. Most teachers spend their personal $$$ on classroom items, so this would be a nice gift if they are wanting/needing something for their classroom. I like this idea. So many of us have too much stuff in general so the thought of having money spent on something that has a 50/50 shot of it being used seems wasteful. I know I would never wear a scarf personally and seldom use an umbrella. I am more likely to tuck my head and make a dash for it BUT it seems all teachers buy things for their classroom/students. I would welcome that kind of surprise. |
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marimoose
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,282
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Post by marimoose on Jan 27, 2019 22:55:49 GMT
What about a portable battery bank for their phones? They could even be personalized with a name or logo. This is a handy idea! |
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