Need back to school gift ideas for teachers

[BernardandMissBianca]

SO I have been voluntold to make/buy back to school gifts for the teachers this year. It is new territory for PTO this year, we are trying to build a good relationship with the teachers (it's been very much us and them in years past).

Anyway, I'm making post it note holders, but what else should I do? we have 16 female teachers and 4 male.

 

[joyah]

Buffy love the volutold!!!

Anyway alot of our teachers use stickers and stamps for great job, excellent and what not. or if the school has the single cup coffee makers how about a few boxes of mixed, they even have them in teas now.

Just a few thoughts off the top of the head I'll try coming up with some more if the brain allows.

 

[rlovew]

If you have dry erase boards in the classroom a back of dry erase markers is nice. I always needed extra pencils and paper as the school year started.

If you want something cute like this:

You are all SweetTarts for all you teach our children.
You deserve 100 Grand every Payday.
We know sometimes our kids act like Airheads orNerdsor like they're from Mars(we do, too!)
You bring them AlmondJoy; when you teach about the Whatchamacallit and ignore their Whoppers

I have seen a few others but this is the one I foun d in the google search.

To be honest durring the first week of school- someone providing a little breakfast (friut, pastries, juice, and maybe a breakfast casserole) would have been the most awesome thing they could have done short of working in my classroom.

Rebecca
****** We really <Skor> to have such a great staff at (School Name).
****** <U-NO> we think you're great!*

 

[PinballFamily]

OK - I'll bite (and probably put my foot in it!)

What is your budget?

The primary reason I ask is that teachers usually have SO much of the crafty stuff/candles/mugs/candy that they're ready to spit! The kind ones smile and say thanks when given yet more of these items, but secretly are thinking "More of the same...! Ugh!!! To the Goodwill I go...")

IMHO, teachers *always* are spending their own money on supplies for the classroom. If you're already making a post-it-note holder for each teacher, perhaps along with the post-its inside, there could be a gift card - even if only for $10 - to Staples or wherever you think most of your teachers would be shopping. THIS would definitely be appreciated by teachers of any gender! And would help your PTO get off on the right foot for the beginning of the year...

Just my two cents!

 

[lovingthemouse]

OK Buffy - first you head up to my school and run all these gifts by me - i'll give you personal opinions!!! Truly, i have never been given a gift at the beginning of the yr - not in 32 yrs! Teaching in an urban school, i rarely get them at the end of the yr, so a thank you is much appreciated!!
So Buff - you know how to get here, just let me know what time you want me to sample them!!! What a great "voluntold" you are.

PS Pinball Family - you are right on the money there!!

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

The principal is doing a welcome back breakfast for the teachers, PTO is doing a welcome back coffee for the parents.

No real budget. This is kind of a last minute make-it-up-as-you-go thing. I could do staples gift cards maybe.

Rebecca I've seen the back to school survival kit poems but with such an age range (pre-k to 8) I don't think everyone would get it, ya know.

No mug shall ever be given on my watch!!! LOL I come from a long line of teachers so I know that rule. I did give out 2 paint cans to the pre-k teacher one year, hers had margarita mix and her aide's had gift cards to local restaurants. If I had more time I would alter mini paint cans but school is back 4 days after I get back from Disney so no time to do much.

I think all of our chalkboards have been converted to dry erase but I'll have to double check. I can't be positive about that one. What about chalk? Red pens?

Caroline, awe. I'm sorry you don't get goodies from your kids. I know a lot of them can't afford a big gift but a hand made card would be nice. If you come to Lisa's next crop I'll have a bunch of goodies for you!! You know you are one of my most favorite teachers!!!

LOL, I did hand made invites to our Shopping fundraiser last year, they all looked scared when I hand delivered them instead of stuffing their mailboxes. Especially the counselor I almost had fired and almost sued last year. That is a fun story! honestly they don't know what to make of me and the President of PTO. I think, they think we have an ulterior motive when we don't. We just want to make the school a better place.


OK ideas so far:

Tissues - cause let's face it, I'm practical and every class needs tissues

clorox wipes - Yes, no?? I usually donate a bundle to my kids classes but hey that's 4 out of the 13 so why not all of them.

post it note pad - Should I wrap this one, or stamp handmade by on the back?

gift card - Dunkin donuts and Staples or just Staples?

stickers - motivational

I was also thinking of doing a flower pot with cricut flowers and something like Sowing the seeds of knowledge or teacher's are the sunshine, student's are the flowers. Something, I don't know.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

I also have one more question. the second grade teacher is only coming back for a month before her maternity leave. An aide is moving up into her position for the rest of the school year. Should I make 2 gifts, one for Mrs. K and one for Miss D, or just one, and if just one then who does it go to?

 

[joyah]

Buffy I've done the cricut flower pots that said thanks bunches for the end of the year and they had flower seeds in them. I think all the teachers kept them as they were and planted the seeds in their gardens at home.

I have pictures somewhere of them.

 

[rlovew]

I also have one more question. the second grade teacher is only coming back for a month before her maternity leave. An aide is moving up into her position for the rest of the school year. Should I make 2 gifts, one for Mrs. K and one for Miss D, or just one, and if just one then who does it go to?

I would get stuff for the aide now - so that you have the same stuff as for anyone else but I would present it to her when she takes over the class so the other aides don't feel slighted.

Rebecca

 

[rlovew]

I think all of our chalkboards have been converted to dry erase but I'll have to double check. I can't be positive about that one. What about chalk? Red pens? Chalk is helpful if teachers use it- I never did- I covered any area of the chalkboard that wasn't converted. Colored pens are always helpful- many elementary schools are encouraging moving away from red pens to using various colors but any of them are helpful.

Caroline, awe. I'm sorry you don't get goodies from your kids. I know a lot of them can't afford a big gift but a hand made card would be nice. If you come to Lisa's next crop I'll have a bunch of goodies for you!! You know you are one of my most favorite teachers!!!

LOL, I did hand made invites to our Shopping fundraiser last year, they all looked scared when I hand delivered them instead of stuffing their mailboxes. Especially the counselor I almost had fired and almost sued last year. That is a fun story! honestly they don't know what to make of me and the President of PTO. I think, they think we have an ulterior motive when we don't. We just want to make the school a better place.


OK ideas so far:

Tissues - cause let's face it, I'm practical and every class needs tissues

clorox wipes - Yes, no?? I usually donate a bundle to my kids classes but hey that's 4 out of the 13 so why not all of them.

post it note pad - Should I wrap this one, or stamp handmade by on the back?

gift card - Dunkin donuts and Staples or just Staples?

stickers - motivational

I was also thinking of doing a flower pot with cricut flowers and something like Sowing the seeds of knowledge or teacher's are the sunshine, student's are the flowers. Something, I don't know.

Those all sound like good useable things- the biggest thing is making the gift things they can use instead of things they have to find a place to keep.

Rebecca

 

[morgansmom2000]

I decorated a metal DVD case and put a small steno pad in it for Morgan's 2nd grade teacher. I also altered a checkbook/calendar pocket and gave that to her. She LOVED the notebook case.

 

[Mom-to-2-Princesses]

Would you be able to make personalized notes for each teacher?

You can do it easy, doesn't need to be notecards, envelopes, just a cute paper for them to staple to papers, send a note home, reply to a question, etc.

One year my girls sat down with a Disney print studio program, chose a cute clip art, typed their teachers name, and printed 50 sheets. Each sheet had 4 of the items in it, then we cut the paper, placed in small box and voila! the teacher had a personalized set of 200 notes. Both teachers told me several times what a thoughtful, personalized, useful gift it was. It would be even easier to do know with the cool printshop programs most of us own.

Good Luck with whatever you do -- it's the thought that counts and the teachers are going to love it!

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

Oh good idea! I could make note paper.

I was going to have the goodie bag all set for the aide at the same time, I just wasn't sure if I should give one to the regular teacher since she'll only be there for a month.

 

[Lisa]

I like the idea of giving practical items; notecards, tissues, wipes, sticky note pads, the cricut flower pot, a staples or DD card.

 

[DisneyIsTerrific]

I like the idea of giving practical items; notecards, tissues, wipes, sticky note pads, the cricut flower pot, a staples or DD card.

I think these items are a good idea too. I also think something should be given to the teacher who is going out on maternity leave and her aide who is taking over. I think it would be awkward to leave either one out.

 

[BernardandMissBianca]

The pregnant teacher was there today. I don't think she'll make it to October. She is having lots of problems and the baby is really big. She's having multiple ultrasounds and stress tests.

But I will have a goodie for both teachers ready and available. I already gave baby gifts to the 4 teachers who were/are pregnant.

 

[party of 3]

I decorated a metal DVD case and put a small steno pad in it for Morgan's 2nd grade teacher. I also altered a checkbook/calendar pocket and gave that to her. She LOVED the notebook case.

did you take pics of these things?? i'd love to see them if you did!

 

[morgansmom2000]

did you take pics of these things?? i'd love to see them if you did!

I'll have to look for them on my other computer. I'm sure I have them somewhere

 

[logan&tylersmama]

i made logans second grade teacher an altered 2 liter soda bottle. inside it i included - hand sanitizer, post it notes, dry erase markers, pens, penciles
i covered it with fall paper - put her name on it -
will drop it off in the office next week - since next week is the last week of summer vacation.
DH called me a suck-up
I guess i am trying to butter her up - before i tell her we are taking logan out of school for 4 days at the end of september to go to disney

caroline - if you were my sons teacher - i would give you gifts - no matter what my DH called me

jennifer

 

[Lisa]

while cooling my heels at the dr's office, I was looking at June/July issue of Family Fun. One of their suggestions for an end of the year gift was making truffles and put into a cute little paper box. I thought that would be a good thing for a nice welcome back to school gift for the teachers.