Hello Friends,

As we approach Teacher Appreciation Week, it’s a perfect time to start leveraging your parents effectively. Many parents want to help, but often they just don’t know what’s needed. Let me share three successful examples from my experience.

First, a few years ago, our teacher’s lounge was in dire need of new Keurigs, but I was not allowed to use school funds to purchase them. I decided to reach out to parents via email, asking for gently used Keurigs. The response was overwhelming: within just two hours, I received ten brand new Keurigs and one gently used one! This experience showed me that parents simply need specific requests to understand how they can assist.

Next, I heavily rely on parent donations for Student Appreciation Week each year. I provide a detailed list of items such as gift cards, socks, candy, snacks, chips, and fidgets that I think the students will enjoy. By sending this list and making specific requests, I’ve seen astonishing results over the past three years. This year, one parent even asked me to create an Amazon wish list of the exact items I am requesting, making it easier for them to contribute.

Another example occurred about a month ago when a parent wanted to "stock the lounge" for our high school. I cautioned her that our staff consists of 240 members, but she organized a SignUpGenius with specific items like candy bars, individually wrapped cookies, and flavored waters. The parent shared the sign-up on social media, and the response was fantastic!

With Teacher Appreciation Week just around the corner, I’m planning to implement a themed week for the first time. I’m creating an Amazon wish list of items needed to make the week special for my teachers, including items for gift bags for the teachers. By being specific about my needs, I hope to achieve a great turnout.

If you decide to ask parents for help using this approach, I would love to hear how it works for you. Together, we can make a meaningful impact! Please email me at Kathleen.Eckert@iCloud.com

Check out my book, School Transformation Through Teacher Appreciation, available on Amazon, for more teacher appreciation ideas.

Bring me to your District!

I offer engaging, fun, and hands-on professional development for campus leaders designed to increase teacher retention. You can find more information about presentations and workshops on my webpage.

Bring me to your School!

If you would like me to help you create a detailed teacher appreciation plan for your campus, or you would like me to mentor and work with your administrative team on your campus contact me at Kathleen.Eckert@iCloud.com.

Newsletters

Sign up for and view all of my Newsletters about Teacher Appreciation on my webpage.

Thank you for loving teachers,

Kathleen Eckert

Follow me on Twitter @EckertKathleen