Teacher Snack Bar

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if this is our school. I don’t mind it on occasion, but to do it for back to school, November work days, teacher app week, Xmas, etc - is a little excessive.

I think it’s nice, but excessive too. But it’s not mandatory so simply ignore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The PTA at my DC's school is asking for donations for a "teacher snack bar" for this Monday and Tuesday, which are teacher workdays in Fairfax County. I'm curious why PTAs do things like this. I already am finding alternate care for my kids on those days, which is absolutely my responsibility, but I'm also expected to provide snacks for grown adults who are being paid to go to work those days? They aren't volunteering their time, they are just showing up to work on a paid work day. I already think that it should be teacher appreciation day, not week, why in the world would the PTA think this is a good idea?

There is nothing compulsory about this, so I’m wondering why you’re taking such offense if some other parents want to show their appreciation this way. Just ignore the solicitation. The teachers know which parents are supportive of their work and it never comes down to one thing.

But you are giving off a pretty negative vibe here, and teachers do pick up on which parents view teachers as the hired help rather than partners in their kids’ education.

I actually don't view teachers as the hired help, I view them as paid professionals. I'd happily contribute to snacks for "the hired help," who usually are not paid well for the jobs they do.

If you view teachers as paid professionals, then you'd support better pay and benefit for them as well. FCPS has increased teacher pay in recent years, but it's still below the levels in DC, Arlington or Montgomery.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if this is our school. I don’t mind it on occasion, but to do it for back to school, November work days, teacher app week, Xmas, etc - is a little excessive.

I think it’s nice, but excessive too. But it’s not mandatory so simply ignore.

The one email asked for contributions to three different events. They aren't mandatory, but shouldn't the PTA at some point worry about donor fatigue and show some care in how many donation asks they make? I don't think teachers should have to buy supplies. I would be perfectly fine if at the beginning of quarters 2, 3 and 4 the PTA puts together a teacher supply request list and asks for donations. All these random solicitations make me want to just delete the emails without reading them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The PTA at my DC's school is asking for donations for a "teacher snack bar" for this Monday and Tuesday, which are teacher workdays in Fairfax County. I'm curious why PTAs do things like this. I already am finding alternate care for my kids on those days, which is absolutely my responsibility, but I'm also expected to provide snacks for grown adults who are being paid to go to work those days? They aren't volunteering their time, they are just showing up to work on a paid work day. I already think that it should be teacher appreciation day, not week, why in the world would the PTA think this is a good idea?

There is nothing compulsory about this, so I’m wondering why you’re taking such offense if some other parents want to show their appreciation this way. Just ignore the solicitation. The teachers know which parents are supportive of their work and it never comes down to one thing.

But you are giving off a pretty negative vibe here, and teachers do pick up on which parents view teachers as the hired help rather than partners in their kids’ education.

I actually don't view teachers as the hired help, I view them as paid professionals. I'd happily contribute to snacks for "the hired help," who usually are not paid well for the jobs they do.

If you view teachers as paid professionals, then you'd support better pay and benefit for them as well. FCPS has increased teacher pay in recent years, but it's still below the levels in DC, Arlington or Montgomery.

I don't have to support better pay and benefits for FCPS teachers because I view them as paid professionals. There are many professionals with PHDs who make less than teachers.

[Anonymous]

Let me make sure I understand.....Some parent volunteers at your child's school would like to do something nice for the teachers. They sent out an email to let others know and give them an opportunity to participate if they would like to. And you're pissed? That says much more about you than it does the PTA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our ES does this for all TWDs and the SUG for it fills up fast so obviously many people are happy to contribute. Don’t contribute if you don’t want to. No they are not volunteering, yes they are paid to be there, but teaching is a pretty difficult job for pretty crap to mediocre pay. And I for one appreciate my kids’ teachers quite a bit and am happy to show it on any way suggested by the PTA.

I'd be happy with the crap $60K + pay and three months off in the summer as well as most other federal holidays and winter breaks -- even without a snack bar.

Wait..teachers have three months off in the summer? Who is there watching the kids for that third month then? My kid only has about 2 months off...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our ES does this for all TWDs and the SUG for it fills up fast so obviously many people are happy to contribute. Don’t contribute if you don’t want to. No they are not volunteering, yes they are paid to be there, but teaching is a pretty difficult job for pretty crap to mediocre pay. And I for one appreciate my kids’ teachers quite a bit and am happy to show it on any way suggested by the PTA.

I'd be happy with the crap $60K + pay and three months off in the summer as well as most other federal holidays and winter breaks -- even without a snack bar.

Wait..teachers have three months off in the summer? Who is there watching the kids for that third month then? My kid only has about 2 months off...

Fine - ten weeks, or 2 1/2 months. Let's keep nit-picking. Most people don't get as much time off as teachers - AND they also work extended hours each week....so don't give me the sob story about how much extra time outside of school teachers put in during the school year. I know it's hard work and god bless them for doing what they do. But that doesn't mean they don't receive some really nice built-in perks along with it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if this is our school. I don’t mind it on occasion, but to do it for back to school, November work days, teacher app week, Xmas, etc - is a little excessive.

I think it’s nice, but excessive too. But it’s not mandatory so simply ignore.

The one email asked for contributions to three different events. They aren't mandatory, but shouldn't the PTA at some point worry about donor fatigue and show some care in how many donation asks they make? I don't think teachers should have to buy supplies. I would be perfectly fine if at the beginning of quarters 2, 3 and 4 the PTA puts together a teacher supply request list and asks for donations. All these random solicitations make me want to just delete the emails without reading them.

Agree with this so much. PTA, pick your battles. I would look askance at this request and then be pretty uninvolved in every request after that since it tells me their priorities are so out of whack.

Teachers should not be spending their own money in the classroom. Let's solve that problem first, as PP said. I give right to the teachers at this point. So done with PTA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our ES does this for all TWDs and the SUG for it fills up fast so obviously many people are happy to contribute. Don’t contribute if you don’t want to. No they are not volunteering, yes they are paid to be there, but teaching is a pretty difficult job for pretty crap to mediocre pay. And I for one appreciate my kids’ teachers quite a bit and am happy to show it on any way suggested by the PTA.

I'd be happy with the crap $60K + pay and three months off in the summer as well as most other federal holidays and winter breaks -- even without a snack bar.

Wait..teachers have three months off in the summer? Who is there watching the kids for that third month then? My kid only has about 2 months off...

Fine - ten weeks, or 2 1/2 months. Let's keep nit-picking. Most people don't get as much time off as teachers - AND they also work extended hours each week....so don't give me the sob story about how much extra time outside of school teachers put in during the school year. I know it's hard work and god bless them for doing what they do. But that doesn't mean they don't receive some really nice built-in perks along with it.

Ok so the kids get 10 weeks off. Teachers still don’t. They work during the summer when your kids are off. At the beginning and the end of summer. Yes, they get winter break off and part of summer, but that’s always been the way it is for teachers. Why does that make you so mad. You’re weird and probably unhappy about a lot of things in life. That’s your choice. You choose to be miserable. Weirdo.

[Anonymous]

As long as the snacks are wine and cheese, it's all good.


-a teacher

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if this is our school. I don’t mind it on occasion, but to do it for back to school, November work days, teacher app week, Xmas, etc - is a little excessive.

I think it’s nice, but excessive too. But it’s not mandatory so simply ignore.

The one email asked for contributions to three different events. They aren't mandatory, but shouldn't the PTA at some point worry about donor fatigue and show some care in how many donation asks they make? I don't think teachers should have to buy supplies. I would be perfectly fine if at the beginning of quarters 2, 3 and 4 the PTA puts together a teacher supply request list and asks for donations. All these random solicitations make me want to just delete the emails without reading them.

Agree with this so much. PTA, pick your battles. I would look askance at this request and then be pretty uninvolved in every request after that since it tells me their priorities are so out of whack.

Teachers should not be spending their own money in the classroom. Let's solve that problem first, as PP said. I give right to the teachers at this point. So done with PTA.

I agree. We've now been part of many schools, and some PTAs are better organized than others. But here would be my suggestions for maximum donor participation:

1) A calendar with every single PTA event/donor activity (gifts/food/money)/meeting. Preferably one online you could subscribe to, and a print one, but a full calendar somewhere.
2) A letter at the beginning of the year that makes it clear that participation at any level and for any number of events is appreciated. This letter should also explain how gifts of money and food are distributed, to make it clear when your child's class benefits and when it's a whole school activity.
3) A way to opt-in (or out) for reminders for different types of help. So, if you can never volunteer in person, you never even see those requests. Ditto if you will never donate money. Or, if you're great with calendars and won't forget, and just get annoyed with the announcements, same deal.
4) A suggested total amount to be donated at the beginning of the year to cover all requests for the rest of the year, broken down into amounts for each activity.
5) A really good social media presence that posts pictures, and thank yous, and doesn't nag, or sound patronizing, or treat parents like students -- it should actually make people feel like their money/time/gifts are appreciated.

Yes, I know PTAs are volunteer organizations, but set this up once and tweak each year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

You want to show appreciation? Send your kid ready for the day. Back up the teacher. Don't bitch about how easy their job is and how much "time off" they have.

THIS.

Signed, LCPS elementary teacher

+1. My job is to send my children to school, dressed bathed, brushed, fed with homework done and a high expectation of respectful behavior toward teacher and peers. I ask the teacher what I can do for her, not what she can do for me. If she sends out an urgent email for help in the classroom -- stuffing folders, etc. -- I offer my help. If she emails me about my child, I respond right away to address the issue. Snacks are superficial.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Let me make sure I understand.....Some parent volunteers at your child's school would like to do something nice for the teachers. They sent out an email to let others know and give them an opportunity to participate if they would like to. And you're pissed? That says much more about you than it does the PTA.

+1000.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let me make sure I understand.....Some parent volunteers at your child's school would like to do something nice for the teachers. They sent out an email to let others know and give them an opportunity to participate if they would like to. And you're pissed? That says much more about you than it does the PTA.

+1000.

No, it says the PTA has no clue how to prioritize what they ask for and how often they ask. As I said in a prior post, the one email asked for contributions to three different events. At some point people will stop reading the emails and contributions will drop, even for worthy events. Also, posting +1000 doesn't make your post 1000 times more valid than a +1 post, it's still only from you

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our ES does this for all TWDs and the SUG for it fills up fast so obviously many people are happy to contribute. Don’t contribute if you don’t want to. No they are not volunteering, yes they are paid to be there, but teaching is a pretty difficult job for pretty crap to mediocre pay. And I for one appreciate my kids’ teachers quite a bit and am happy to show it on any way suggested by the PTA.

I'd be happy with the crap $60K + pay and three months off in the summer as well as most other federal holidays and winter breaks -- even without a snack bar.

Wait..teachers have three months off in the summer? Who is there watching the kids for that third month then? My kid only has about 2 months off...

Fine - ten weeks, or 2 1/2 months. Let's keep nit-picking. Most people don't get as much time off as teachers - AND they also work extended hours each week....so don't give me the sob story about how much extra time outside of school teachers put in during the school year. I know it's hard work and god bless them for doing what they do. But that doesn't mean they don't receive some really nice built-in perks along with it.

You do realize not one teacher is here on this thread complaining about salary or the work calendar, right? I just want to make sure.