Group Teacher Gift

[kimsuenew]

Be careful with teacher gifts, find out in advance what policy is. In both my teaching contract and in our board policy we are not (any employee, including teachers, aides, administration, support staff, bus drivers, ect...) can receive a gift valued at $20.00 or higher (was $10.00 until recently). Any gift reaching $20.00 value must be turned in. If able to be shared (such a large candy or snack basket or box of school supplies for instance) it must be group shared agency wide. In this case an email is sent out to all staff and the gift to be shared in put in the break room for everyone to enjoy. We had one teacher receive a large Vera Bradley tote and she had to return it to the family that gave it to her.

 

[wide awake]

I am a teacher, and I would hate it if I knew a parent was asking other parents to contribute to a class gift. If a parent or child wants to get me something, great. If not that doesn't mean they don't care, or don't appreciate what I do. It might mean they are just really busy...I've had times where I wanted to buy a gift/show appreciation and it just didn't happen. Or it could be that there isn't any money, and really, do any of us truly know another's finances? I agree w/ many of the PP, the note or card written by a student is the best. My first year of teaching I got a note from a student and she'd enclosed her school I.D. since that was the only picture she had of herself. So sweet, and yes, I still have the note and I.D.

 

[SEA333]

Now as a pp mentioned there is no better gift than handwritten notes or letters from parents. I am lucky that I receive several of those each year. They typically bring me to tears and reaffirm my love and dedication to the children and my choice of teaching careers! I[/QUOTE]
I agree! I taught preschool/latchkey for several years, and the gifts/cards I still have are the handwritten ones from students and parents who put thought into saying thank you to me for something that their child liked or learned that year.

With my own kids, I have always declined to contribute toward a group gift (sorry OP!). What I have done instead, since my oldest was in Kindergarten, was a typed letter (so that I could fit as much as I wanted to say and still keep it to one page - otherwise, I would have hand-written it!) thanking the teacher, talking about what DS/DD loved about them and their class, what *I* liked about their teaching and how they treated my child, and I always try to convey to them that they will never be forgotten, they will forever be part of the foundation of my child's future academic success, and that they are a hero to our family. I make 3 copies - one to be delivered to the teacher on the last day of school with a gift card or flowers, one to be delivered to the principal for the teachers' file, and one to keep. I have all of the letters that I have ever written and will give them to each of my kids when they are of an age that they can appreciate the priceless gift their teachers have given them over the years and give them insight as to the influences that have helped shape their lives.

Every single teacher I have given a letter to has cried (LOL), and most of them have told me that it's the best gift they could receive. DS1 is going into 8th grade this year.