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Staff Appreciation

  • 1.  Staff Appreciation

    Posted 06-20-2021 09:44 AM
    Looking for new ideas for staff appreciation. Please share your ideas or any out of the box ideas. Staff has been such an intricate part of this pandemic, and we all know most do not make hourly what their worth.

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    Allyson Ball
    Director
    Imagination Station
    Indianapolis IN
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  • 2.  RE: Staff Appreciation

    Posted 06-21-2021 10:09 AM
    Pintrest has tons of great ideas!

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    Karen Rude
    Preschool & Tots Coordinator
    Palatine Park District
    Palatine IL
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  • 3.  RE: Staff Appreciation

    Posted 06-21-2021 01:02 PM
    Yes, I have seen a lot on Pinterest and done a lot, I feel like we need to be focusing on the children and staff, instead of this becoming a debate site. Each facility has their own right to do what's in the best interest of the community they serve.

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    Allyson Ball
    Director
    Imagination Station
    Indianapolis IN
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  • 4.  RE: Staff Appreciation

    Posted 06-21-2021 11:29 AM
    Our school provided a dinner meal for a family of four. It was great appreciated.

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    Brenda Boon
    Director of Lower School
    Oak Hill School
    Brentwood TN
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  • 5.  RE: Staff Appreciation

    Posted 06-21-2021 12:19 PM
    Hi Allyson,

    There are so many wonderful ideas out there in regards to staff appreciation.  This one is super simple and I find has a huge impact on your schools overall culture.  Our teachers and staff want to be seen and valued for what they bring to the classroom/center.  Create a habit of writing notes of gratitude.  Be specific, if you see a difficult situation handled well or see a wonderful interaction in the classroom, write them or send a voice mail about what you saw.  Purchasing things like bagels, lunch, and goodies are fun and expensive.  However the biggest impact on staff feeling appreciated will come from the simple act of gratitude.  

    Kim

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    Kim Rosholt, TOSA 
    (pronouns: she, her, hers)
    Preschool Education Coordinator
    Kids Place 
    St. Louis Park Public Schools

     "In the rush to NORMAL use this time to consider, which parts of normal are worth rushing back to."
     -Dave Hollis
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  • 6.  RE: Staff Appreciation

    Posted 06-22-2021 12:32 AM
    We do a theme for our teacher appreciation week. Each day has a specific thing that parents can do for the teachers and then my co-director and I have something specific for each day too.  We've done a Hollywood, sports, Willy Wonka and beach themes so far.  It can sometimes be expensive, but we also try to find thing that aren't too pricy-amazon and the dollar store become my best friends for this week😆.  I think the staff appreciates the time we put into it for them and the excitement/surprise of what each day will bring!

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    Sarah Disch
    Education Director
    Chanhassen, MN
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  • 7.  RE: Staff Appreciation

    Posted 06-22-2021 06:59 AM
    Thank you Sarah

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    Allyson Ball
    Director
    Imagination Station
    Indianapolis IN
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  • 8.  RE: Staff Appreciation

    Posted 06-22-2021 08:17 AM
    Allyson, 
    i have ongoing things for them as well as specials.  I keep a keurig in the kitchen with a variety of k-cups year round. I also have a candy dish that is kept full for those times the teachers need a sweet treat.  
    Throughout the year, I provide special treats- like decorated or personalized cookies, small bags with chapstick, items they can use (like hand sanitizers during covid).  We always celebrate birthdays and special occasions.  List is posted in kitchen and teaching teams typically do something special for their team mates. 
    We also use our staff meeting times to highlight different staff members.  It is fun to gather together and talk about accomplishments, struggles and successes.  

    Great minds coming together like this is very helpful. Staff are so important and work so hard. It is a privilege to honor them.

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    Pamela McCullough
    Director
    GSCC
    Holland PA
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  • 9.  RE: Staff Appreciation

    Posted 06-22-2021 10:38 AM
    Thank you so much Pam, great ideas!!

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    Allyson Ball
    Director
    Imagination Station
    Indianapolis IN
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  • 10.  RE: Staff Appreciation

    Posted 06-22-2021 09:19 AM
    Teacher Appreciation Week is a big deal for us.  One of the things our teachers love is a luncheon.  We do it by team so we can cover their classes with support staff.  They love sitting down for a nice meal without children and with their team.  In some years, I have prepared the luncheon, other years, I have it catered, and sometimes parents will provide.  If I was able to come up with a small gift for them, they might go on a scavenger hunt afterwards to find it.  

    Another thing they love is a gift card give away.  I'm sure everyone would not be able to do this, but I ask for $25 gift card donations from our parents.  Then we do some type of game that would give out the gift cards to everyone.  

    Every few years, I'll get parent volunteers to decorate their door.  I give them ideas, and will even cut out letters if they want.  One year, I asked parents to send in words that describe their child's teacher.  I took those words and made a word cloud, framed it, and gave it to them.  Another year, a parent volunteered to make a keepsake for all the teachers.  This time we had parents send in phrases about their child's teacher.

    During the year we will have special lunches.  Sometimes everyone will bring something like in a baked potato bar, salad bar or chili.  Sometimes we will make a run to Chick fil a or another nearby place that our teachers love.  Not all participate, but it is a treat for those who do.  We also have bowls of sweet treats out at different times of the year.  Some years we have had secret pals for a short amount of time.  Not all teachers want to participate, but those that do - love it.  

    Our teachers don't make near what they are worth.  If we can show appreciation to them with some small perks, it goes a long way.

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    Regina Houser
    Director
    Lakeside Baptist Weekday Ed
    Birmingham AL
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  • 11.  RE: Staff Appreciation

    Posted 06-22-2021 03:34 PM
    I have been the recipient of many staff appreciation gifts, luncheons, etc.   I will say those that I enjoyed the most were those that included a nice buffet luncheon that was not during a short and rushed lunch period, rather one in which we had a good amount of time to eat and converse!!  Of course gift cards are always appreciated as well since teachers do not make large salaries!!

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    Gina James
    Teacher
    NYCDOE
    Williston Pk NY
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  • 12.  RE: Staff Appreciation

    Posted 06-22-2021 04:25 PM
    Thank you so much for all ideas on staff appreciation ideas!

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    Allyson Ball
    Director
    Imagination Station
    Indianapolis IN
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