How To Celebrate your Teachers & Staff this September
“Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work”
Make Your School Awesome Staff
August 19, 2021
Hello there, positive teachers and morale-building principals! It’s back-to-school time and we all need to roll out the welcome wagon to build team camaraderie and building morale among our staff. There are several fun activities you can do with your teachers and support staff at the beginning of this school year. The ideas are seriously endless. Much planning and effort will go into each year, and it is our job as lead teachers and school administrators to make every new school year unique and special. Remember, a school filled with happy and engaged staff members that feel valued and respected will transfer that same love and gratitude to their students tenfold! So get ready to plan! Here are some great ways to celebrate others and to have fun at the start of the school year.
● To Theme or Not to Theme — Send out a survey with a list of ideas and get staff to help you pick a school theme that will carry throughout the year. Having a part in the process will mean more staff are likely to participate. Creating a school-wide theme each year is uplifting and engaging for staff and students alike. Theme ideas can shape creative lesson plans, inspire unique student-centered activities, encourage school-wide contests.
● Make the first day back extra special. Host a back-to-school brunch, or create a photo booth for teachers and place it in the lounge! Save these festive pictures for a last-day photo op in June and do a side-by-side comparison. Proudly hang these photos in your teacher’s lounge. Remember always to celebrate the special moments.
● Celebrate “Summer Milestones” — share with your staff news about newlyweds, tenure achievements, graduations, births, new pets, engagements, new homes, and so on among building staff. Place these announcements in your back-to-school staff newsletter, make a digital announcement card, or simply share the great news during your faculty “welcome back to school” meeting.
● Contact your local PTA and small businesses and request donations, such as $5 gift cards or small items. Look for packaged cookies, candy, treats, or coffee vouchers to local cafés. These will come in handy for using as staff prizes throughout the year, so stock up!
● Download a digital spinning wheel and import your teachers and support staff members’ names. There are multiple free online spinning tools to assist when awarding random staff giveaways. They are exciting to watch and will make the first five minutes of any staff meeting thrilling.
● Build a Food Cart - Who doesn't appreciate a delicious surprise snack? Refurbish a small rolling cart, add some cheerful decor and fill it up with snacks (for example: chips, cookies, water bottles). Roll around your school and share some sweet treats with your building staff.
● First Day of School Dance Party! Shake your pom-poms, clap those hands, get the blood pumping, and celebrate. Host a dance party as your students enter the building on the first day. Have fun and incorporate your theme whenever possible.
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Important Teacher Takeaways!
The excitement you generate for your teachers and staff will simply roll over into the classrooms and community. This is why it’s so important for schools to be inspirational and appealing places to work. When teachers are having fun, their students will share that same excitement. A school with a positive culture is something that everyone wants to be part of. Invest in your staff’s well-being and keep the morale elevated!
TEACH, SHARE, INSPIRE
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