Teacher Snack Bar

[Anonymous]

The PTA could organize a cart (if it has to be a cart) with supplies instead of food? It could have tissues, wipes, post-it notes, hand sanitizer, pencils, whatever. I'm not a teacher but I can only assume that parents making an effort to replenish supplies would be more welcome by teachers than fattening them up with cookies. Maybe make a small care package for each teacher filled with much needed supplies, and then the PTA moms who love busy work can roll the cart to each classroom to hand out the supplies in person. Win for everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We do the snack cart at my school and it's always filled with junk food! Do teachers really want this?

Generally, no.

PTA's need to start cluing in.

PTAs are run by SAHMs with nothing to do all day. They pretend this is a "job." 99% of what they do is busy work they create for themselves and the teachers neither ask for it or want/expect it. Almost none of the teachers in this school will visit this snack bar because we are there to work those days which is what we are doing. We don't want snacks, we aren't juveniles. If you don't like this proposition, and I don't blame you, tell the PTA. The teachers have nothing to do with it and don't care at all about it.

Our PTA is majority working mothers, as is the one where I teach. I don't know if you are bitter that you have to work, you have a crappy school or it's something else but your attitude sucks. I say this as a former SAHM who returned to teaching (and I like the snacks but don't expect them)

Until just as many men as women participate in the PTA and organize snack carts, I’m not getting involved.

Oh wait, men don’t typically perform unpaid labor. I won’t be either.

Enjoy the busy work, bake sales, dumb meetings, stupid teacher perks no one wants (they want cash!) etc.

[Anonymous]

I posted earlier that I’m a teacher who has never heard of a “snack cart”. I was under the impression that this was a once in a while thing, but now am I to understand that the snack cart is on going and continuously replenished?

Typically our PTA provides a lunch or breakfast at the beginning and end of the year and that is appreciated. Snack carts, Thanksgiving pies, etc are not things I’ve experienced.

[Anonymous]

I'm a teacher and am not a fan of PTA providing food, but a lot of teachers in my school seem to love it. I have allergies and other dietary restrictions, and the PTA never asks the staff about that and I can almost never eat what they provide. It can be awkward for me during whole staff events like the back to school lunch because I can eat almost nothing they provide and it either looks like I don't appreciate what they did, or when someone asks why I'm not eating the food I have to tell them about my allergies etc and then they feel badly that there's nothing I can eat but still don't take that into account for the next event. When it's something like a dessert bar in the lounge, I just don't go. I'd much rather provide our own food like we do every other day and have the PTA donate things like gift cards for supplies or the actual supplies we need and buy ourselves (things like cardstock, paper towels, tissues, laminating sheets etc.)

[Anonymous]

Another teacher here.

It's really nice of those of you who want to honor your students' teachers by giving them snacks. However, please don't feel you need to do this. We don't expect this...it sounds like the sort of thing that must be happening at schools in wealthier areas.

If you don't want to help with these types of things, don't. Teachers honestly don't expect it. A kind note from you or your student means much more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I posted earlier that I’m a teacher who has never heard of a “snack cart”. I was under the impression that this was a once in a while thing, but now am I to understand that the snack cart is on going and continuously replenished?

Typically our PTA provides a lunch or breakfast at the beginning and end of the year and that is appreciated. Snack carts, Thanksgiving pies, etc are not things I’ve experienced.

Snack carts are rolling carts that are stationed at various locations in the school on "special days" like teacher work days and during teacher appreciation week when teachers (apparently) need snacks.

[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.

which school system has three months off in the summer for teachers?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We do the snack cart at my school and it's always filled with junk food! Do teachers really want this?

Generally, no.

PTA's need to start cluing in.

PTAs are run by SAHMs with nothing to do all day. They pretend this is a "job." 99% of what they do is busy work they create for themselves and the teachers neither ask for it or want/expect it. Almost none of the teachers in this school will visit this snack bar because we are there to work those days which is what we are doing. We don't want snacks, we aren't juveniles. If you don't like this proposition, and I don't blame you, tell the PTA. The teachers have nothing to do with it and don't care at all about it.

Our PTA is majority working mothers, as is the one where I teach. I don't know if you are bitter that you have to work, you have a crappy school or it's something else but your attitude sucks. I say this as a former SAHM who returned to teaching (and I like the snacks but don't expect them)

If your PTA is working moms then I guarantee it doesn't do stuff like this. Because they're actually busy with real work. I choose to work, I LOVE my job. I do not love PTA moms who insist on doing this stuff for their own need to feel busy and then we the teachers who don't even want it (or a weeklong teacher appreciation, or Starbucks gift cards at Christmas ) get blamed for the work the PTA moms make you feel like you have to do. People love to act like the teachers demand this stuff and we don't even WANT it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I posted earlier that I’m a teacher who has never heard of a “snack cart”. I was under the impression that this was a once in a while thing, but now am I to understand that the snack cart is on going and continuously replenished?

Typically our PTA provides a lunch or breakfast at the beginning and end of the year and that is appreciated. Snack carts, Thanksgiving pies, etc are not things I’ve experienced.

Snack carts are rolling carts that are stationed at various locations in the school on "special days" like teacher work days and during teacher appreciation week when teachers (apparently) need snacks.

That's cute, but 100% not necessary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teachers are more likely to be treated as professionals when others view them as professionals --- these special favors, special caretaking, doesn't help with their image. It's excessive.

My non-teacher husband gets special meals, treats and gifts at work all the time as do many other professions

How are these paid for? Do they come from solicitations for donations or does the employer pay for them? That makes a difference in perception. If the employer pays for it, it's a perk. We only ever solicit donations/contributions for gifts/treats for nonprofessional staff.

Sometimes the company, other times it's gifts from vendors or trades.

I'm pretty sure there is no soliciting donations involved.

[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.

It sounds like you have an issue with your PTA. PTAs are run by parent volunteers. So instead of complaining about the well-meaning parents who do spend their precious time volunteering for the benefit of your children's school and teachers, go volunteer with the PTA yourself and make the changes you would like to see.

The PTA parents volunteer for the benefit of their kids. They hope that by volunteering their kids will get special treatment. Also, if you volunteer for a job, you should try to do a good job, including not inundating parents with requests so they start ignoring your emails.

[Anonymous]

So let me get this straight: If someone wanted to provide you, at your job, with some kind of food, like lunch, snacks, pizza, candy, doughtnuts, fruit...whatever...you wouldn't like that?

Let's say your clients, whoever they are, wanted to do that to show appreciation. Or maybe your boss or company owner wanted to do it.

You wouldn't like and appreciate that?

Just wondering.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So let me get this straight: If someone wanted to provide you, at your job, with some kind of food, like lunch, snacks, pizza, candy, doughtnuts, fruit...whatever...you wouldn't like that?

Let's say your clients, whoever they are, wanted to do that to show appreciation. Or maybe your boss or company owner wanted to do it.

You wouldn't like and appreciate that?

Just wondering.

I’m always happy when someone gives us treats at work.

[Anonymous]

At our APS elementary, they did something like this for teacher appreciation week. One day was “stock the keurig”, one was pieces of whole fruit, one was desserts I think, and I cant remember the rest. I usually brought in a bag of apples or clementines on my way to work. Sometimes sent in a box of K-cups so they could get their caffeine fix on.

At our middle school, they have the “Kenmore Store” which is a sign up genius for random things that teachers want for their classrooms. Seems like it’s moderately successful - sometimes the requests seem a little bizarre, but I just don’t buy those.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a teacher and am not a fan of PTA providing food, but a lot of teachers in my school seem to love it. I have allergies and other dietary restrictions, and the PTA never asks the staff about that and I can almost never eat what they provide. It can be awkward for me during whole staff events like the back to school lunch because I can eat almost nothing they provide and it either looks like I don't appreciate what they did, or when someone asks why I'm not eating the food I have to tell them about my allergies etc and then they feel badly that there's nothing I can eat but still don't take that into account for the next event. When it's something like a dessert bar in the lounge, I just don't go. I'd much rather provide our own food like we do every other day and have the PTA donate things like gift cards for supplies or the actual supplies we need and buy ourselves (things like cardstock, paper towels, tissues, laminating sheets etc.)

Feel bad. Feel bad. As a teacher, please learn this.