I just bought over $800 worth of gift cards for my kids teachers. I know I missed a few, so will make the list earlier next year.

It does seem like a lot of $$ but it’s mostly $25 gift cards with a couple $50 ones for the main teachers. We didn’t do aftercare, etc, but will think about for next year. We did do the bus driver.

These people all make a huge impact in my child’s life every day, so we prioritize gifting them to show our appreciation for the work they do.

You are very kind, OP. The specials teachers and aftercare people often get forgotten. Also, not every classroom has a room parent organizing a class gift (our school doesn't do this).

However, it's not typical, expected, or necessary to continue every year. Email gift cards would be easiest if you do wish to continue.

Op here. My kindergartener has IEP, so 18 pp includes 6 IEP teachers, 1 main classroom teacher, 4 special teachers, 5 aftercare staffs and 2 other staffs at school. There is no official room parent, but there is a parent volunteers to be room parent collecting contribution to the main classroom teacher. I don't want to contribute to group gift to main teacher only. I am aware of there is a limit of gift amount per policy, but I know that many teachers are happy to take whatever is given even over the limit.

I think you are right that aftercare staffs were a bit surprised and happy when I gave them gifts, maybe it us true as you say, normally parents forget about them. I am not rich. I just want to be fair, and not to exclude any staffs (I give more amount to staff/teachers that seem to care about my kids, a bit less for staff/teachers that seem to just do their job only).Not to mention that I spend thousands $ every year on my kid's private therapies, so to me, gifts to staff/teachers at public school are my appreciation and also hopeful they tolerate and treat my kid better because of one's special needs. I wish I could gift more, but I am not rich.

Well, it seems like that I could be one of the unicorn doing like this, do only k parents do that because first child entering public school.

OP, we give gifts to all our DC teachers also.

You are a K parent so they will smile and joke about it after they get the gifts.

You want way overboard and tbh yu know you did. It’s ok. It’s your kids first year and people understand.

Yes, you are crazy but in this year a lot of classes failed to do room parents. Usually classes collect money and give a gift card from the class.
It was nice of you to include extended day because they are probably forgotten.

I contribute to class gifts. I don't usually do individual gifts.

No gifts for teachers. It just makes the poor kids look bad and promotes favoritism.

You are very kind, but most people don’t do this.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DH says that once I start it, I have to continue to do it every year going forward

He is 100% wrong about this. What's done is done, but you absolutely can choose to do gifts differently in the future.

Totally agree he's wrong.

Anonymous wrote:DH says that once I start it, I have to continue to do it every year going forward

He is 100% wrong about this. What's done is done, but you absolutely can choose to do gifts differently in the future.

You are very generous and thoughtful.

I typically did gift cards in the following denominations:
$25 teacher and co-teacher (people who were primarily in my child's classroom)
$15 for each special teacher
$20 for each aftercare person who were primarily in my child's group. (I would get the pictures out and ask my kids). On occasion my child would mention a floater - and if my child had enough of a relationship with a floater that they knew their name - the person also got $20

I never give physical gifts as I did not know people well enough to feel confident with something.

If you're spending $500 on teacher gifts, then you're spending at LEAST $400 too much.

Way over the top. I ordered email delivered target gift cards for the specials teachers and contributed to the class gift. Done.

This is over the top.