Preschool gift pool vs individual gift

[Anonymous]

My son’s preschool class is collecting money to do a joint gift card for the teachers. If I contribute money, should I do anything individually? I typically have done a small box of chocolates with a card and gift card… If I do a card and chocolates, will it look like I didn’t contribute to the class gift?

[Anonymous]

I’m giving some money to the pool but I will still give a good amount in gift cards to my kids’ classroom teachers, along with a card.

[Anonymous]

We give as group gift card once but switched to give individually afterwards, since the group gift card will be listed as “from everyone in the class” but not everyone gives. Most just give on their own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m giving some money to the pool but I will still give a good amount in gift cards to my kids’ classroom teachers, along with a card.

I would just caution to see if your preschool has any limits on what families can give to individual teachers. Ours has a $25 limit. Most families at ours just give to the pool. We still can't go in at all so this is easier anyway than entrusting my 3yo with the gifts.

[Anonymous]

What’s the point of doing both? Genuinely curious. The whole point of the group gift is to make everyone’s life easier. You are defeating the point

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What’s the point of doing both? Genuinely curious. The whole point of the group gift is to make everyone’s life easier. You are defeating the point

To be able to say thank you? I feel weird just Venmo-ing a cash amount to the class organizer, with no idea how much money gets given to the teachers, never having read the card (Will there be a card?), etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s the point of doing both? Genuinely curious. The whole point of the group gift is to make everyone’s life easier. You are defeating the point

To be able to say thank you? I feel weird just Venmo-ing a cash amount to the class organizer, with no idea how much money gets given to the teachers, never having read the card (Will there be a card?), etc. [/quote


Then do literally just a card. Otherwise you are making people who trust the group gift look cheap, and gift giving creep is annoying. I donate generously t the group fund but it’s not important to me that the teachers give me “credit” for it. That’s not why I give.

[Anonymous]

My child interacts with about 15 teachers, obviously some much more than others. Some she probably spends very little time with but they greet her in the morning and are very sweet to her since she used to be in their class when she was younger. It's hard to figure out how to do a good gift for everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s the point of doing both? Genuinely curious. The whole point of the group gift is to make everyone’s life easier. You are defeating the point

To be able to say thank you? I feel weird just Venmo-ing a cash amount to the class organizer, with no idea how much money gets given to the teachers, never having read the card (Will there be a card?), etc. [/quote


Then do literally just a card. Otherwise you are making people who trust the group gift look cheap, and gift giving creep is annoying. I donate generously t the group fund but it’s not important to me that the teachers give me “credit” for it. That’s not why I give.

+1

[Anonymous]

My kid's preschool does not do pool gift, and I know that there are always a few floaters/PT in and out of her classroom. I just give gift to 2 homeroom teachers because I don't really know who is taking care of her.

For preschool, yes, I don't mind doing a small amount for group gift since there are many helping hands. And, I will give extra gifts to 2 preschool classroom teachers. But for my older kid at ES, I am not contributing to group gift because I know who the teachers are inside my kid's classroom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid's preschool does not do pool gift, and I know that there are always a few floaters/PT in and out of her classroom. I just give gift to 2 homeroom teachers because I don't really know who is taking care of her.

For preschool, yes, I don't mind doing a small amount for group gift since there are many helping hands. And, I will give extra gifts to 2 preschool classroom teachers. But for my older kid at ES, I am not contributing to group gift because I know who the teachers are inside my kid's classroom.

Do you really know everyone? I know my kid's main teacher, but there are a bunch of specials teachers plus occasional paras/ESOL teachers that float in and out. We are in MCPS which has a limit on what you can give to teachers anyway, so we contribute to the pool that the PTA collects for all the school staff and then give a gift card to the main teacher.

[Anonymous]

When my kids were in preschool I liked doing individual gifts because I really wanted to show my appreciation for all of their hard work. I felt like the pool gift was a little more impersonal.

[Anonymous]

Our first year in public PK my DH gave $250 to the pool. Total contributions for the class: $300. We are not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination. We laugh about it now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid's preschool does not do pool gift, and I know that there are always a few floaters/PT in and out of her classroom. I just give gift to 2 homeroom teachers because I don't really know who is taking care of her.

For preschool, yes, I don't mind doing a small amount for group gift since there are many helping hands. And, I will give extra gifts to 2 preschool classroom teachers. But for my older kid at ES, I am not contributing to group gift because I know who the teachers are inside my kid's classroom.

Do you really know everyone? I know my kid's main teacher, but there are a bunch of specials teachers plus occasional paras/ESOL teachers that float in and out. We are in MCPS which has a limit on what you can give to teachers anyway, so we contribute to the pool that the PTA collects for all the school staff and then give a gift card to the main teacher.

PP here, unfortunately, it is classroom mom (not PTA) organizes the pool gift, and I would rather be more personal & have my kid writing a card plus a giftcard sending it to homeroom teacher. It is just once a week special teacher like 30 min or so, and I only know by their names through student portal. I will skip special teacher this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What’s the point of doing both? Genuinely curious. The whole point of the group gift is to make everyone’s life easier. You are defeating the point

The pool is for the entire staff across all classrooms at my center. I don’t know how much will end up going to DD’s specific teachers. I did give something for the group gift but I’ll be making a larger gift to her individual teachers.