Our class “mom” has a PayPal that we add funds to for stuff like this. $10 contributed to this account and my holiday shopping for DC’s teacher is done in seconds.

Sometimes the parents who give the most over the top amounts are apologizing for behavior or excessive helicoptering. It makes me feel uncomfortable to receive anything over $50 from one child at a time.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lots of voluntary changes in our school each year, barely any teachers over age 30.

This is our very first year having a teacher with experience. What a difference!! She is phenomenal.

We have had good teachers before who were young, but there is no comparison. Experience makes a difference in my job and I thinknit’s The same for Teachers.

A teacher with less than five years of experience is considered "green".

Anonymous wrote:I plan to give the PTA parents $100 each. They do a fantastic job bridging the curriculum gaps w great before and after school options.

Haha, touché

I will be giving $150 to each of my children’s teachers. Happy holidays, they are super!

Beverly Farms parent here - typically $75 per teacher, including for specials, because they are doing amazing things for our kiddos. Most families give at least that amount here, if not, people will frown about it. Everyone knows.

I plan to give the PTA parents $100 each. They do a fantastic job bridging the curriculum gaps w great before and after school options.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here's a link to the ethics policy: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/policy/pdf/bbb.pdf

Teachers may accept an unsolicited gift that does not exceed $20 in value, or an unsolicited series of gifts not exceeding $100 in value in a calendar year, or trivial items of informational value.

It looks like the BoE adopted this part of the ethics policy in October 2012, in response to a state law from 2010 requiring local boards of education to have a policy about conflicts of interest, financial disclosure, and lobbying.

Does this apply to PTAs, too?

We got this policy clarification from school by email: "We recognize that many families wish to share their appreciation with staff by giving holiday gifts. Although XXXXX staff members do not expect to receive gifts, we are extremely appreciative of the holiday wishes. MCPS policy prohibits staff from accepting gifts from individuals that are greater than twenty (20) dollars in value or more than one hundred dollars cumulatively in a calendar year. This value limit is per individual and does not reflect group’s collective efforts. Please contact school admin if you need clarification."

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lots of voluntary changes in our school each year, barely any teachers over age 30.

This is our very first year having a teacher with experience. What a difference!! She is phenomenal.

We have had good teachers before who were young, but there is no comparison. Experience makes a difference in my job and I thinknit’s The same for Teachers.

I've had it go both ways. One of my kids best teachers-- who really made an effort to challenge him on his level-- was a brand new teacher.

Anonymous wrote:Lots of voluntary changes in our school each year, barely any teachers over age 30.

This is our very first year having a teacher with experience. What a difference!! She is phenomenal.

We have had good teachers before who were young, but there is no comparison. Experience makes a difference in my job and I thinknit’s The same for Teachers.

For our school, in our principal's newsletter, he reminded parents that gift limit is $20.

PTA sent out schoolwide email reminding all parents that the gift limit in MCPS is 20$. At our school, the rule is known. (I will give a gift card for target for that amount.)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is a good amount to give the full time teacher?

I think you should give whatever you're comfortable with! Some people can afford $5, some people can afford $40. We are at a FOCUS school, so a large variety of income.

I like my kids to write a short note saying Thank You, so it's personal.

I really love the personal notes and keep them in my desk. On the tough days, I reread them. They energize me. I give the Starbucks cards to homeless people.

So they can pee on more parts of silver spring?

If you use a gift card at Starbucks, then you're a customer at Starbucks. If you're a customer at Starbucks, then you can use the bathroom at Starbucks. Win for the homeless person, win for you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is a good amount to give the full time teacher?

I think you should give whatever you're comfortable with! Some people can afford $5, some people can afford $40. We are at a FOCUS school, so a large variety of income.

I like my kids to write a short note saying Thank You, so it's personal.

I really love the personal notes and keep them in my desk. On the tough days, I reread them. They energize me. I give the Starbucks cards to homeless people.

So they can pee on more parts of silver spring?

Lots of voluntary changes in our school each year, barely any teachers over age 30.