Teachers - random question (may contain @ in thread)

[sugarbear]

Nov 29, 2018 11:14:11 GMT -5 mbcdefg said:

So here's a question ... my DD is 1.5 so not in school, but she's in daycare. 

The teachers for her room shuffle around once in a while. So if I get individual gifts then I would need at least three or four, maybe more. If she had one single teacher then I'd do a $20-30 gift, but I don't have the budget to do that x4.

So is it better to give a $5 box of chocolates (Godiva, Lindt, Merci - not something like Hershey's) plus $1-2 in lotto tickets to each teacher? Or a $5 Dunkin/Target gc?

I feel like $5 is nothing. I could possibly stretch it to a $10 gc each, which feels better to me, but the budget is tight in December.

Last year we didn't do individual teacher gifts - instead we brought in bagels and coffee one morning for all of the teachers to share. That was my other thought for this year. They seemed to appreciate it last year, but the downside to that is a lot of other parents had the same thought and brought in pastries and other food - most of the bagels were still there the next day or two.

You just never know, though, who has dietary restrictions. So you may bring in bagels that 90% of the teachers love, but not everyone can enjoy.

A $5 gift card is awesome, truly. I get several each year and they add up. I typically give $5-$10 to my kids' specialists (there are 8-10 of them, including after school care), per kid, and $20 to the classroom teacher.

[definitelyO]

100% in the GC category - either BN, Amazon, Target, Starbucks. One year I did Home Depot for DS's teacher as they were in the middle of a DIY remodel and I'd seen her several times there..

and.. if I know them well enough to know they'd enjoy it I'll buy them a bottle of wine
we always include a handwritten note from DS (once he was old enough) and us.

[sugarbear]

Nov 29, 2018 10:43:13 GMT -5 candreco said:

Nov 29, 2018 10:40:24 GMT -5 meganew said:

I have SO MANY MUGS. Please, no more mugs. Or bags with my name or initials embroidered on it. It’s so sweet, and I’m so thankful for anything- but I have nowhere to put any of it.

I’ll take books. Or gift cards for books. Or an amazon gift card so I can buy more books.

I'm going to take this as permission to go with my usual amazon gift card, a some chocolate, and a note.

This is perfect. Baked goods are a strong NO, but chocolate, especially the good stuff, can be re-gifted or shared with neighbors or friends or at a holiday gathering.

[greeneggs]

I'm planning on doing what I always do and giving a Target gift card and a note telling her how much we appreciate her. I usually do about $25ish for his classroom teacher because I also get $10 cards for the SpEd teacher and para that also work with DS. I need to talk with the other room mom for the class about setting up a collection to make a basket for school supplies as a class gift to her; she's a brand new first year teacher and could use a top up on things like pencils, dry erase markers, and glue sticks.

[tamarindy]

I love that at my school the teachers fill out a Google form at the beginning of the year of their "favorite things" in different categories and the parents have access to it. We put down our favorite restaurants, hobbies, colors, drinks (I love a gift of alcohol, lol) etc.

This is a private school, though, and gifting is the norm. When I worked in public high school I didn't get as much. It's all good, though. Just want parents to know that nothing is really expected, but it's all appreciated.

[shauni27]

Last year for daycare, I happened to know that his three teachers all would drink wine, so I got them each a nice bottle of wine for Christmas. I did one of those silly wine labels that had a picture of S and it said "I know he is probably the reason you drink, so here you go!" or something similar. Every teacher in the daycare center told me how much they loved it or were jealous of it.

This year I will do wine again, but without the cheesy label, lol.

[smock]

We've always done a card with cash for preschool and daycare teachers. Here's a question: can you still give cash as a gift once they're in elementary school? Is there a limit on the size of gifts public school teachers can accept?

[mbcdefg]

Now I have the SNL Christmas Candle song stuck in my head:

[tessalb]

8th grade teacher checking in.

Please consider a thoughtful thank you note with your gift. Those mean a lot to me. Stick a coffee shop gift card or Target or Amazon.

Best gifts ever.

[Jalapeñomel]

Nov 29, 2018 12:12:52 GMT -5 smock said:

We've always done a card with cash for preschool and daycare teachers. Here's a question: can you still give cash as a gift once they're in elementary school? Is there a limit on the size of gifts public school teachers can accept?

Technically, we are not supposed to accept gifts of $50 or more (NYC city employees). 

I've never received a holiday gift, so take that for what it's worth, but I'd do a gift card.  Absolutely no food of any kind. 

[ssmjlm]

I emailed the kindergarten teacher and asked if they had any additional supplies they needed, since I would rather help with something I know they will need. I bought the 4 things she emailed and am also doing a gc for her and a gc for the aide.

[redheadk]

Nov 29, 2018 12:46:45 GMT -5 ssmjlm said:

I emailed the kindergarten teacher and asked if they had any additional supplies they needed, since I would rather help with something I know they will need. I bought the 4 things she emailed and am also doing a gc for her and a gc for the aide.

I do this, too. A gift for the classroom and a gift for her. Dd is 6 and isn’t exactly excited to give a gift card, she likes to give a physical gift. This way, she has something physical to give that is needed/useful AND her teacher gets something that isn’t junk.

[icedcoffee]

I always do Target gift cards for daycare staff--when they leave, at Christmas, and when he changes rooms. It doesn't have to be a lot. Even $5 is more than they had and everyone can find something at Target. I'll buy them 10% off this Sunday.

Last year we did $25 for his main teachers and $10 for anyone who helped out and the director. It was $100 total. I wanted to make sure I didn't miss anyone so I made my H ask who DS spent time with. I'm glad I did because they rattled off 2 names I had never heard before. It turned out when I said one of those names to DS he lit up and screamed her name while clapping so it would have been shitty to miss her. I'm going to have him ask again this year (I make my H have any awkward convos--LOL)

[fryjack2]

Nov 29, 2018 11:23:27 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

If you look at this purely from an environmental standpoint, how much trash are we generating from pointless gifts? Yeah, you're giving someone stuff, and making it look like a lot, but to what point? They're going to trash or regift, and honestly most regifted gifts just get trashed at some point.

To mb's point, if you have a good idea, more than likely 6 other people have had that idea as well.

Summary: Just give a gift card or cash.

My MIL and SIL refuse to accept that I don't want or need gifts and would rather they spent the money on something else or donated in my name or whatever it is that makes them feel good other than giving me yet another candle or bottle of lotion or kitchen towel, etc.  They all go into the donation bin.  Every single time I get something I tell them to please stop buying me things.  They just can't stop. 

To answer the original question, at our school, the class parents organize the gift.  Its always money for the holidays and money and a random gift from the class ( one year it was monthly fruit delivery) and money at the end of the year. 

I've given notes (or hand drawn pictures) from our kids to their teacher along with a note from H and I thanking them. 

[jezebel]

Please stop giving me plants. I will kill them and feel bad.

[bugmeetsworld]

Nov 29, 2018 10:53:21 GMT -5 mbcdefg said:

My mom is a grammar school phys ed teacher and gets a ton of gifts. She's also incredibly picky, so YMMV.

Basically she regifts or donates anything that isn't lottery scratchers, bagged Dunkin Donuts ground coffee, gift cards (she keeps Dunkin Donuts, fast food, gas station and supermarket GCs for herself ... she gives away Starbucks), or straight-up cash. One year a family brought a case of her favorite beer to the house and she was stoked.

As another elementary Phys Ed teacher who never receives any gifts, tell your mom she can send the Starbucks cards to me.

[AndyCohen]

Oh man! I’m so glad both our schools just have the room parent collect money (you give what you want) and they give it to the teachers from everyone.

[smock]

Nov 29, 2018 12:35:25 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

Nov 29, 2018 12:12:52 GMT -5 smock said:

We've always done a card with cash for preschool and daycare teachers. Here's a question: can you still give cash as a gift once they're in elementary school? Is there a limit on the size of gifts public school teachers can accept?

Technically, we are not supposed to accept gifts of $50 or more (NYC city employees). 

I've never received a holiday gift, so take that for what it's worth, but I'd do a gift card.  Absolutely no food of any kind. 

Thanks! Looks like it's the same limit in my district. 

And I'm sorry you've never gotten a gift. High school teachers probably get fewer gifts, and I'm sure teachers in rich neighborhoods get lots more gifts. Did you post a wish list in one of the threads for teachers? I bet lots of GBCN'ers would love to send teachers a holiday gift!

[erbear]

I get a lot of mugs but I am a coffee drinker and everyone knows it, so I never mind the coffee related gifts. Other than that, I prefer gift cards (Starbucks, Target, Barnes and Noble, Amazon). Several families gave me wine and beer last year but they are my friends as well as my students' parents.

I might be in the majority but I don't like to receive cash. It feels very strange to me.

I really appreciate an honest note. Maybe even more than a gift.

[isabel]

I have always given a small gift card to Target. $10-20 depending on our relationship with the teacher. I really can't think of a time where I haven't appreciated a gift card, personally, so I figure others appreciate them too. But I'm a parent giving a gift, not a teacher.

[mbcdefg]

Nov 29, 2018 13:42:33 GMT -5 smock said:

Nov 29, 2018 12:35:25 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

Technically, we are not supposed to accept gifts of $50 or more (NYC city employees). 

I've never received a holiday gift, so take that for what it's worth, but I'd do a gift card.  Absolutely no food of any kind. 

Thanks! Looks like it's the same limit in my district. 

And I'm sorry you've never gotten a gift. High school teachers probably get fewer gifts, and I'm sure teachers in rich neighborhoods get lots more gifts. Did you post a wish list in one of the threads for teachers? I bet lots of GBCN'ers would love to send teachers a holiday gift!

MH is a high school teacher and never receives gifts ...

Except once, a few years ago, when a student gave him a snow globe. MH is not a collector or anything like that. But he was very touched that the kid thought of him, and we put it out with our Christmas decorations every year. 

That being said, I imagine it's different for teachers who get snow globes and ornaments and Precious Moments figurines every year, lol.

[scm1011]

My daycare asks that everyone give cash and they distribute it equally to all the teachers. I really love it because then the floaters don't get overlooked. I also write a card to his teachers and people who interact with DS often. Easy peasy!

[akayf]

Nov 29, 2018 11:14:11 GMT -5 mbcdefg said:

So here's a question ... my DD is 1.5 so not in school, but she's in daycare. 

The teachers for her room shuffle around once in a while. So if I get individual gifts then I would need at least three or four, maybe more. If she had one single teacher then I'd do a $20-30 gift, but I don't have the budget to do that x4.

So is it better to give a $5 box of chocolates (Godiva, Lindt, Merci - not something like Hershey's) plus $1-2 in lotto tickets to each teacher? Or a $5 Dunkin/Target gc?

I feel like $5 is nothing. I could possibly stretch it to a $10 gc each, which feels better to me, but the budget is tight in December.

Last year we didn't do individual teacher gifts - instead we brought in bagels and coffee one morning for all of the teachers to share. That was my other thought for this year. They seemed to appreciate it last year, but the downside to that is a lot of other parents had the same thought and brought in pastries and other food - most of the bagels were still there the next day or two.

I’ve sent in the menu to a local restaurant that delivers and tell the teachers to pick a day they would all like lunch and send me their order. I call in the order for delivery and prepay the total and tip.

[mbcdefg]

Nov 29, 2018 14:49:33 GMT -5 akayf said:

Nov 29, 2018 11:14:11 GMT -5 mbcdefg said:

So here's a question ... my DD is 1.5 so not in school, but she's in daycare. 

The teachers for her room shuffle around once in a while. So if I get individual gifts then I would need at least three or four, maybe more. If she had one single teacher then I'd do a $20-30 gift, but I don't have the budget to do that x4.

So is it better to give a $5 box of chocolates (Godiva, Lindt, Merci - not something like Hershey's) plus $1-2 in lotto tickets to each teacher? Or a $5 Dunkin/Target gc?

I feel like $5 is nothing. I could possibly stretch it to a $10 gc each, which feels better to me, but the budget is tight in December.

Last year we didn't do individual teacher gifts - instead we brought in bagels and coffee one morning for all of the teachers to share. That was my other thought for this year. They seemed to appreciate it last year, but the downside to that is a lot of other parents had the same thought and brought in pastries and other food - most of the bagels were still there the next day or two.

I’ve sent in the menu to a local restaurant that delivers and tell the teachers to pick a day they would all like lunch and send me their order. I call in the order for delivery and prepay the total and tip.

Oh, that's a good idea!

Do you typically do it during the holiday season, or afterward? Because I might not be able to swing that in December, but a random day in January-February is doable.

[irishbride2]

Gift card and a thoughtful note.

[vamoose]

I’ve been class mom for a few years (elementary) and the class moms at our school get a questionnaire from the teacher with favorite stores, restaurants, flowers, etc. if you have a room mom and are stuck for ideas, she might have some. We do a class gift of about $100 using the class fund, but knowing that about half of families do an additional gift, I sometimes include ideas I. The email about the holiday party and class gift. It’s a fine line though to make sure I don’t make people feel like they are supposed to get something extra.

[undecidedowl]

Nov 29, 2018 12:55:03 GMT -5 icedcoffee said:

I always do Target gift cards for daycare staff--when they leave, at Christmas, and when he changes rooms. It doesn't have to be a lot. Even $5 is more than they had and everyone can find something at Target. I'll buy them 10% off this Sunday.

Last year we did $25 for his main teachers and $10 for anyone who helped out and the director. It was $100 total. I wanted to make sure I didn't miss anyone so I made my H ask who DS spent time with. I'm glad I did because they rattled off 2 names I had never heard before. It turned out when I said one of those names to DS he lit up and screamed her name while clapping so it would have been shitty to miss her. I'm going to have him ask again this year (I make my H have any awkward convos--LOL)

Ditto this, all the way down to making DH have those convos. lol

[undecidedowl]

DS1's school has a system where you can just send in cash and check names off a sheet of who you want the money split between. It's super easy and helps me remember all the extra curricular teachers. Then, I just send a card or nice email to the main teacher. No shopping. No waste.

[wambam]

Anyone, at anytime, is free to give me a Chipotle gift card.

No kids and not a teacher, so that's all I have to contribute.

[alleinesein]

2 of my good friends are teachers and they love gift cards. I get to reap the benefits from one friend; she gives me the gift cards that she won't use or gives them to me as payment for things I buy/do for her (I got a $50 nordstrom GC from her when I spent a week hanging out at her condo while she was having flood damage repaired). She occasionally gets GCs to our favorite dessert place and she uses that to pay for our annual birthday dessert fest. Last year the room moms got her a small Christmas tree and hung gift cards on it instead of ornaments; it had a mix of Starbucks, Regal, Target, Amazon, etc and she loved it.