Our schools do take up collections. I just donate to the collections, but if it's any help typically the room parents use the collections to give monetary gifts at the winter holidays and end of the year. Teacher appreciation week tends to be smaller things, like each child brings a flower one day while the room parent brings a vase to put them in--most bring a flower from their backyard.

Yes a personal note!! We had our seniors appear EARLY during the two hour late start teacher meetings, stand before the faculty and publicly thank them for their support over the last four years. My students are all at risk and take a lot of patience!! We have them write notes, at the end of every term, to one particular teacher that got them through. They are always well received and mean more than any gift card. Teachers NEED to hear what they are doing matters. That is the bottom line.

I organized the week at my kid's private school for years. One day was a luncheon. one day we asked kids to make cards, one day we asked parents to send in supplies, one day was flower day and one day was a breakfast.

The card day was everyone's favorite. I think I would wait to send a gift card until the end of the year so the focus can stay on your kid's sentiments.

My daughter is a third grade teacher. She will always appreciate and treasure cards and personal notes, but kids in that age group (and their moms) love to buy cute little gifts, which is a problem for teachers - what to do with all that "stuff" (mugs, magnets, word plaques, etc). Mtn - she would probably love any gift you assisted with :)

I know this sounds mercenary, but she has never received a gift card she couldn't use :). Gift cards she would love: Sephora, Target, Visa card, specific mall card, teacher supply store, favorite bakery card, popular restaurant card, and she would not snarl her nose up at a Walmart gift card.

Tuesday, You are kind. I know, as well intended as they are, that physical gifts rarely make the mark and can be overwhelming.

I was ready to forego the giftcards till I saw your post! I wish Target still had the giftcard they used to sell, which looked like a wooden ruler and said on it "teacher's rule"!

Maybe I will go ahead with the notecards just from the kids, and then also buy a card from DH and I to put a giftcard in, so as not to detract from the real purpose, which are heartfelt notes from my kids to their teachers.

In our school district, all the teacher class gift collections stop completely once the kids hit middle school. At that age they have several teachers and it would be complicated. I am sure there are parents that send in individual gift.

At the back to school night in middle and high school, each teacher has a list of items/supplies they would like to have for their classes. The items are listed out and range in price from $10 for basic supplies to maybe a thousand for some specialized piece of equipment. Parents can choose what they want to buy/donate.

Chispa,

HI! How is your new baby running? I just ordered a 2016, coming in Aug or Sept. That must be the easiest "sales job" in the world, huh? At least I could find it locally!

When our kids were in k-4, public schools, we had those too ... teacher wishlists for supplies. I have not heard a peep about supplies from the private schools. We are hit up only for donations for capital improvements and scholarships, pretty much. The teachers seem to have all they need and want, a blessing I know.

Joining the PTO is mandatory iirc, and at a fee, and that fee funds gifts.

This is really about a spontaneous desire to do something for them, as my kids have so many great teachers. And teachers are underpaid, ironically even moreso in private schools (although most seem to choose it in part to send their kids to the school for free), so I always feel it's nice to pamper them a bit.

I think ive decided - sentiments from the kids, unsullied by filthy lucre! : )

But Mom and Dad can gift separately.

Thanks all!

MtnRd,

Two separate gifts sound like the best way to go. I am bad with teacher gifts ... I always gave the maximum they asked for when they did a class collection, but don't usually think to do it on my own. We do give a large donation to the town education foundation, which helps the students and teachers, as it pays for extra teachers to keep class sizes small.

As far as the baby, it spent more time at the service department after I met up with you. They mostly fixed the major problem, but I've had a few more crop up in the last 2 weeks -- scraping noise when turning right (suspension issue?) and a navi that froze up several times. I am waiting till I have a small list before taking it to the service department again. I like everything about it (comfort, space, V8, handling, etc.) except the annoying issues that should not be there in the 3rd year of this model and dealing with service!! A positive ... at least none of the problems are of the type that leave you stranded somewhere!

My DH is an educator. He cherishes the personal notes of appreciation from kids and parents. That's a great idea, particularly if the kids put real effort and specifics in their cards.

I agree with Tuesday that little gifts, crafts, etc, are very nice, but not very useful, and tend to accumulate and become a bit of a burden-- where to keep them, feeling guilty when you don't want to keep them, etc.

Teachers are so woefully underpaid, I think gift cards are greatly appreciated. Not at all tacky, IMO.

JLC, thanks for the input. It occurred to me today that I also know enough about a few of them to personalize the monetary gift, in a way. So for one teacher I gave her an Amex gift card and in the card I told her to use it for her vacation I know she is taking. For another, I got him one from Home Depot and mentioned his new house, etc etc.

And yes, my kids know that thank you cards have to be specific and genuine! Not too hard since they don't have any dud teachers. Kudos to your DH, JLC! What does he teach?

Chispa, Sorry to hear about that! Hopefully it all gets resolved soon!

Mtn, I think you've decided on the perfect plan-- and how nice that you know enough about them to make them personal and relevant! I am sure your kids' notes will be every bit as perfect!

On a side note, I only had one dud teacher (well, one prof in college as well but it was easy to just drop the course!). It's wonderful to have great teachers in our lives.

Sorry Mtn, I must have read your post too quickly-- I thought you were doing this activity with a whole group of kids, not just with your own! I'm quite certain your own children know how to write nice thank yous :-)

My DH taught special ed for students with severe/multiple disabilities for many years, now he is a coordinator for the same population at the district level.

Your gift cards sound perfect. Very thoughtful. I'm sure they'll be greatly appreciated! You are very kind to put this much thought into recognizing your kids' teachers.

We don't have this where I come from but it's common at the end of the school year for parents to give a gift of appreciation. Usually I try to ask my kids what their teacher's interests are. I know teacher's always, always appreciate gc for coffee shops. So last year one teacher loved chocolate, so with her coffee shop gc she also got some very nice chocolates.
I've also done for a coffee loving teacher a nice starbucks travel mug with 2 bags of brew at home and some home baked cookies. We don't live anywhere near a starbucks so this is a treat around here. He really loved it. For Christmas this year my youngest son's teacher got the normal Tim Horton's gift card, but we also include home made wood coasters that my son helped to wax. She's very earthy and they live off the grid and it was just a little personal thing to add to the gift card. If she hated them, well she could use them in her wood stove for fire starter. LOL
Another really good gift for teacher IMO is gift cards for office supply stores. Often teachers have to get supplies for their classroom and pay out of pocket so these make great gifts.

My DS is a senior, looking back, I'm so grateful for all the teachers he's had. We live in a fairly small town...all of the teachers go to a waterfront bar on the last day of school, so I used to always give them a GC for their dinner. This year I am thinking of showing up at school with orchids for his Guidance Counselor, English teacher and the tutor who fought her heart out for him while he was struggling with his concussions Sophomore year. I'm so sentimental about all of it.

I teach in a low income district. The PTA is minimal, and one year one of the members embezzled some money, so gifts do not exist. I have collected some of the nicest notes and letters from the students. Usually the English teachers have students write to a teacher of their choice. Most bring tears to my eyes. I have a large file labeled "student notes". Go with the card or letter!