I sent a $20 digital Amazon card, which was easier for me than cash, but I don’t see cash as a problem. I ignored the million pta emails about things each day, luncheons, etc. I appreciate their hard but just find that stuff overwhelming.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No on cash but I do give a GC to every teacher at the start of the year, including prior year primary teacher for like breakfast/coffee at Open House Night or the first morning of school. Xmas I give a small gift card to current primary and his favorite special teacher, usually PE. TAW I donate something to the PTA. EOY nothing.

*not every teacher, just the grade-year teachers my son previously had and his current year (!)

I used to do that too. I would give the current year teachers a bigger GC ($100 Amazon), but I was also giving lesser amount to all the previous years teachers.

For the lesser amounts - I would give two $10 starbucks GC in each envelope. This was because I thought that $20 was a sort of decent token amount to convey our regards. I chose Starbucks because people find it easier to accept GCs for food items and Starbucks is ubiquitous. Two gift cards of $10 because many teachers are not fans of starbucks, so they can pass on the GC to others or share with their family members etc.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No on cash but I do give a GC to every teacher at the start of the year, including prior year primary teacher for like breakfast/coffee at Open House Night or the first morning of school. Xmas I give a small gift card to current primary and his favorite special teacher, usually PE. TAW I donate something to the PTA. EOY nothing.

*not every teacher, just the grade-year teachers my son previously had and his current year (!)

I used to do that too. I would give the current year teachers a bigger GC ($100 Amazon), but I was also giving lesser amount to all the previous years teachers.

For the lesser amounts - I would give two $10 starbucks GC in each envelope. This was because I thought that $20 was a sort of decent token amount to convey our regards. I chose Starbucks because people find it easier to accept GCs for food items and Starbucks is ubiquitous. Two gift cards of $10 because many teachers are not fans of starbucks, so they can pass on the GC to others or share with their family members etc.

I would go personally with my kid to hand over the gifts to the teachers. Mainly because gift cards, cash etc gets stolen from the teacher's mail-box. Some years (COVID) I also sent out the Amazon gift card links on emails to the teachers.

Do not give money - cash, check or gift card to teachers, if you cannot hand it over to them personally.

Anonymous wrote:No on cash but I do give a GC to every teacher at the start of the year, including prior year primary teacher for like breakfast/coffee at Open House Night or the first morning of school. Xmas I give a small gift card to current primary and his favorite special teacher, usually PE. TAW I donate something to the PTA. EOY nothing.

*not every teacher, just the grade-year teachers my son previously had and his current year (!)

No on cash but I do give a GC to every teacher at the start of the year, including prior year primary teacher for like breakfast/coffee at Open House Night or the first morning of school. Xmas I give a small gift card to current primary and his favorite special teacher, usually PE. TAW I donate something to the PTA. EOY nothing.

My kids school does a TON for the teachers all year round. The pta is asking for donations of food seemingly every other week to do some kind of treat day for the teachers. Based on the amount of anonymous complaining from teachers in my local facebook groups it makes me not want to do ANYTHING, it's so off putting. We are asked for things all year long - donate food to this special day, please buy some things from the amazon wish list, now it's the holidays and we're supposed to do something for the teacher in addition to donating to the cookie/cake/hot chocolate bar or whatever, and that's on top of tracking all the things for our actual KIDS. I am tired. Stop asking me for stuff.

Anonymous wrote:It is interesting to read all these responses. In our DCPS, people donate insane amounts of money for class gifts. One of our teachers was going on a medical leave, and he received $600 as a gift. I thought it was insane but clearly I am in minority in our DCPS. I wish it was appropriate to give a box of chocolates and flowers and a card. Why money? This is such a tip culture mentality.

Not all teachers work in wealthy schools. We don’t even have a PTA so the only things we get come from our admin. They do a great job with occasional meals and treats.

OP - cash is absolutely fine so are gift cards to the teachers’ favorite stores. It’s the thought that counts. I’ve given either based on what I could sense the teacher likes. We have teachers complete a favorites list for ideas of physical gifts. I don’t understand why so many PPs are telling others not to give gifts or not to give certain gifts. Why is it okay to give cash gifts to nannies, au pairs, daycare workers but some people are against doing so for teachers? I even give gifts to the bus driver, front office staff, other support staff. Everyone deserves appreciation.

Anonymous wrote:I once sent a gift card with a nice note and never received any acknowledgement (ie a thank you), so that was the last time I have done anything.

You’re making a blanket decision based on the actions of one particular person?