OT: I am shocked about teacher gift request!!!!!

[eatright]

For DD's class the same note came around for $10. This was for two teachers which I thought was sort of 'cheap'. I always spend about $20 per teacher. IMO teachers have the most important job that there is, they don't get paid nearly enough, they are under appreciated and I don't think $20 is too much to ask for creating a lifetime love of learning and a foundation for which the child's entire life will be based. JMO.

 

[mrs.beast]

our school did a collection and DS teacher got 475 and DD teacher 450. Each family gave to the fund, if they wanted, and the money was given to the teacher.

 

[DisneyDazed]

Well at my sons preschool they ask for a donation for the teacher ... then a donation for the class mascott ( meaning gifts for classroom) and THEN late in the year they send home a note saying how if we would like to sponsor a service day lunch for the teachers that would be wonderful. I just sent in $20 and called it done. If my son wants to make a card he will but honestly.. his teacher this year is terrible so I doubt he will want to reach out to her.

 

[Worfiedoodles]

I have the ultimate irony -- school was just cancelled for tomorrow, which means we will not be presenting the gift to the teacher. Now, I'm wondering if I should send it in the first day they're back, or not...

 

[mom2aredhead]

Well at my sons preschool they ask for a donation for the teacher ... then a donation for the class mascott ( meaning gifts for classroom) and THEN late in the year they send home a note saying how if we would like to sponsor a service day lunch for the teachers that would be wonderful.

This is exactly why I (class mom) just donated a lot of the party items myself. I'm sure the parents start to get tired of hearing messages from me "Hello, this is Mrs. _______, I am wondering If you would be able to donate $5.00/juice boxes/cupcakes/tablecloths for the halloween/thanksgiving/holiday party." I feel like every time I'm reaching out to the parents, it's for them to go into their pockets. And after collecting $10 toward the teacher gifts, I just personally wasn't comfortable asking for anything else. There are some that I'm sure would have sent in something had I asked, but there are others that would have rolled their eyes at another request and immediately lost my phone number. So I donated my $10 for the gift, then probably another $15-$20 for party stuff. Thank goodness we have a bit of a reprieve until spring!

 

[tinytink]

I've been a class mom for my kids since they were in preschool and my personal experience is that you can send home the note but many parents will reach out and make the pledge but they don't follow through.

For example, my Kindergartner had a Thanksgiving party and I had a list of things requested, well I got 60 boxes of juice and and one tray of cookies for 25 kids. The next time I wised up and assigned stuff according to last name. I also had 95% of parents commit to purchase a book(that was used in the classroom) for teacher appreciation day so I ordered the books and sent home a letter stating the price was $x.xx please send in your $$ asap. Well, I ended up with 25% of parents who honored their committment so I ended up paying out of my pocket so the teacher would be able to replace the class copy of "Cricket In Time Square". I just learned my lesson to cover my end of the deal and not go above and beyond, very sad but true.