It’s so nice to be appreciated. Sure we know that our kids love and appreciate us and we know that our employer appreciates us, but knowing and being told are two entirely different things, and I’m proud to say that the administration at my school knows how to make sure that their teachers feel appreciated. They’ve done this all year with small gifts – a lottery ticket at Christmas in hopes that we’d win what they wish they could pay us, small snacks from time to time, and then on Thursday of Teacher Appreciation Week, they did it again. We had been told all week we would have a faculty meeting after school – well no one ever looks forward to faculty meetings so we all trudged over to the library for our meeting.

After calling the meeting to order, we were told we were in for a multi-step surprise. Step one took place there in the library where they handed out gifts to each of us – new school shirts. They had our school name on the front and then on the back and very touching saying – “True heroes are not on the field or the television but in our schools.”  This in itself was a super awesome treat in my opinion, but after receiving our shirts, we were instructed to head over to the gym for the next part of our surpise. So as each person received their shirt, they left the library and crossed the sidewalk to the gym.

The gifts got even better.   In the concession stand of the gym, Marble Slab (not sure if they are nationwide, but this is an awesome ice cream chain) was set up and serving each of us sundaes. Yum! Yum! They had two different flavors of ice cream and all kinds of great toppings. But still our principals were not done – there was one more part of our apprecation afternoon.

As everyone was served ice cream, we were instructed to gather together in the bleachers in the gym so off we headed.  Once we got there, we found that all of our names had been put into a box and we would know be having a drawing for a ton of gift cards. They had Wal-Mart, Chili’s, Olive Garden, and Cheddars. I even won a Wal-Mart one (and I NEVER win anything so I was quite excited). After using up all the gift cards, we found out there was one more prize. Everyone’s names went back into the box for the “grand prize” – a large screen flat tv.  No, I didn’t win this, but just the fact that our principals had gone to so much trouble for us was so touching.

The school year is ending, and I know I’m now planning a few gifts for my girls’ teachers to thank them for a year of hard work. Teachers really work so hard for our children, and truthfully are told “thank you” so infrequently.  If you’ve been happy with the job your teachers have done for your children this year, please be sure to express this to them as the year comes to an end. Gifts are nice, of course, but a simple note or card of thanks is just as appreciated.