I am the room mom for my son's kindergarten class. We have decided as our end of the year gift we are going to each get a gift card to somewhere and put it in a flower pot display for her. Each family will get their own card so they can decide how much they can afford to spend or how much they are willing to spend. (I am hoping this takes the pressure off for some families). Usually when I collect things for the class, the teacher facilitates this for me. Obviously, she can't do that in this instance. I pick up my child every day after school, but we have day care kids and car riders too. I feel silly asking this, but how can I go about collecting these cards?
**The secretaries at the school know me and may be willing to help, but I'd rather not put more on their already busy schedules.
This wasn't my idea. I had several moms in our class approach me about it. I am simply facilitating things since I have email lists easily accessible. I contacted parents last week to see if most of the class was on board. I emphasized that participation was voluntary (I did mention in the email that some people already had a gift in mind and others simply did not buy teacher gifts). The max you could spend on a card was $25, but ANY denomination would be accepted and no one would really know who gave what. So letting them know isn't a problem. I just need to know how I can collect the cards and get them in our display before we give it to the teacher. I
Put a note to each parent in a sealed envelope. Tell teach they're b-day invites and please distribute at the appropriate time.
Enough with the gifts already. I'm sorry, kinda, but I just don't get it. We have NEVER bought a teacher/educator/provider a gift. The kids may have made them something from home, but that was it.
No offense S B, just my .02
I really don't think giving each person their own card is going to take off pressure it will add to it. Think about it, if it goes into a pool no one but you knows who gave what so you can give what you want, each person with their own card they will feel like they have to give more so they have the same as everyone else. Then they don't know what that is so they give more than they maybe can afford.
Just do what my school does, give by a date with enough time to count and buy and make it from the class.
Give everyone your home address and have them mail or drop off their donation. Kindergartners can't be trusted to give it to your child, and you're right, the office staff have enough to do already. We always just mail them to or drop them off at the home of whoever is collecting.
I would feel terribly put out if I got a letter stating I needed to contribute to a fund. I like the idea of the gift card so much better. I might already have one that I have no use for that I could use.
I actually got one to a little boutique that has clothes that would never fit me a hundred years but the teacher would love it. It doesn't have any kind of writing on it and it's only a couple of months old. I got it for my birthday in February from an old friend. It has just been sitting there in my card.
I think this is an awesome idea. That way if lots of people even do a $5 one to Walmart they would add up for her.
I would get a student directory or find some way of getting email addresses, phone numbers, addresses, etc...and take care of this by the end of this month so that the parents who get paid on the first of the month can budget for it.
I am really not understanding how any parent (only one so far) does not think to give a teacher a gift! We tip at restaurants to people who are clearly only doing what they are tasked to do--but teachers help your child if he is bullied, give crackers when your child forgets his snack, buys Girl Scout cookies from every child in her class who sells them, waits late hours until you show up due to traffic issues, writes letters or recommendation, chaperones field trips, etc. Wow, you need to home school your kids if you think so little of the person who is really only hired to teach your child math, spelling and geography!
IF you can email everyone that makes it infinitely easier...this way you can shoot reminders out if you find that people have not turned them in yet and people can easily let you know if they have planend their own thing instead. Has the teacher ever done an email to the whole class? THis is what I use to get all of the addresses.
Do the note as dadonpurpose said. But do not not not do individual cards to various places! Set a reasonable amount $5 or $10 - and it is NOT mandatory! If people want to do their own thing, that is absolutely fine. 90% will pay in to you. Get it all collected up by a certain time, and voila, you're done.
At my daughter's school, the room parents sent a note home in a sealed envelope with the kids. We sent back the money in a sealed envelope, addressed to that kid's Mom. The teacher just distributes the envelopes into their back packs, same as anything else. I'm sure the teachers have an idea what its about... unless they are brand new.
I second Jo W. below, however. I think the end of the year gift should be pooled. Otherwise, you end up with a bunch of small denominated gift cards, which is probably what people do at holiday time. I would just ask for cash/check and then buy one VISA card the teacher can you anywhere, for anything.
I love your idea. I think Dad on Purpose has the right idea.
In my experience, it's better to let each family do their own thing.
If you insist, get the email/phone numbers and collect directly from the families (as in get in your car & go to their houses, meet them somewhere, etc.) That's just part of the room mom drill.
You could have another K teacher help you out getting the kids to sign a poster or card.
I gave a manila envelope to the secretary and the parents are just turning their items into her. Our school is pretty small so it may be easier than at a larger school ... but our secretary didn't mind and it makes it easy on everyone.
Have them place it in an envelope with your name on it and give it to a secretary.
At my kids' school, each class has a Room Mom.
And the Teacher of that class... has a box, for the Room Mom in her class.
THAT is where, anything goes, that is for the Room Mom, that she may be collecting for etc.
And, it is understood by the Teacher that these things are generally for the end of the year party. All teachers know that. Although they do not know exactly what it is for. So it is still a surprise.
The Room Mom, via the kids' cubbies or mail slots in class, puts fliers about what is going on per event, and it goes home with the child. And it is in an envelope. So that the Teacher does not see it.
Then, the Room Mom puts instructions on that flier, that the parents can return the correspondence, via their child returning it to class, and it goes in the Room Mom's box. And that, the parent put the Room Mom's name, on the outside of the envelope. So that the Teacher knows it is for her. Then, the Room Mom's in-class box, is where, the Room Mom goes to pick up "her" forms that she hands out, in the classroom.
Each Teacher at my kids' school, does this and each Room Mom does this.
And of course, any flier that the Room Mom sends home, it is stated that any contributions are voluntary.
Per the Room Moms at my kids' school, they only suggest $5. Or whatever the parent wants to.
When you say the teacher facilitates it for you, do you mean by e-mail or hard copy? If hard copy (a note/flyer for each child to bring home to their parents), you can still do it through the teacher, just put it in an envelope so she can't see it. She may suspect it has something to do with end of year, but she won't really know and certainly won't know the details. And in your instructions to parent make sure to tell them to return their gift card in an envelope with your name on it. I'v done this and it worked fine.
At our school we leave money in an envelope with the school and they distribute it to the appropriate room mom. Another possibility if you have email addresses is to have people send $ to you via PayPal. One your account is set up it is soooo easy to transfer money that way.
