Teachers and staff play a critical role in shaping our children’s lives, and it is essential to show our appreciation for their hard work and dedication.
As a PTO volunteer or Staff Appreciation Chair, you can easily plan a fun and creative teacher appreciation event that will leave a lasting impression on your school’s teachers and staff.
A super fun theme you can use to celebrate your school staff and teachers is Cheers to You and mix in a few touches of cheerleading. Because both concepts are pretty similar and easy to combine into an entire week’s worth of events to shower your school with love!
Here are some tips for planning a successful cheers to you themed teacher appreciation event:
Develop the Theme
Come up with a few punny and fun slogans for the week, for example “Cheers to You” or “We’re Cheering You On.”
PTOs act as cheerleaders for teachers and staff, so you can take a cheer themed appreciation week to a few different places, all while keeping it on theme without being confusing.
Decorations
Next, be sure to budget for fun decorations to set the tone for a fun week of celebration and appreciation.
Gold foil curtains can dress up the entrance to the room or disguise wall spaces.
Layer pennant and tassel banners over the tinsel wall or along the edge of a counter.
This star garland is a nice decorative option too.
If you have access, extend the decorations up to the ceiling with some gold swirls.
Balloons are a pretty quick and easy way to decorate any space and these confetti filled balloons are especially fun.
Add this cheers balloon if you have the space to make sure you really drive home the cheers theme!
Set the Table
At the start of the week, be sure to decorate the main serving table and really deck it out so it can be enjoyed all week long.
This black and gold glitter tablecloth is a nice foundation on which to layer other decorations.
Sprinkle on some star confetti for an added decorative touch.
Daily Ideas
Show the staff and teachers how much you appreciate them by planning an entire week of cheer themed events!
Monday
Allow the staff to raise a celebratory glass with a round of mocktails!
A toast is a great way to show your appreciation for your school’s staff.
Prepare a short speech that highlights the contributions of your school’s teachers and staff.
Raise a glass and invite everyone to participate in the toast.
Setting up a well stocked school appropriate beverage bar is pretty simple with the right supplies and recipes.
Here’s a few resources for mocktail recipe ideas:
This mocktail recipe book has some refreshing ideas.
If planning to open the “bar” at the end of the school day, you can also offer some to go beverage packets.
You can also simplify the whole fancy beverage process by using these tasty mixers.
Pair the mixers with La Croix or other bubbly water and you’re good to go!
Don’t forget to have a healthy supply of cups on hand for thirsty staff.
As well as some napkins.
Adding some non-beverage treats like this cocktail inspired Jelly Belly jelly bean mix in another fun accompaniment.
Cut through all the sugariness and offer a sale balance with some popcorn.
Pre-pop some popcorn and serve in these cute popcorn boxes.
Tuesday
Give each staff member an insulated travel tumbler for their beverage of choice.
Wednesday
Put on the most fabulous luncheon to treat all of the teachers and school staff.
Fill their bellies with delicious dishes that flexibly meet dietary restrictions like gluten-free and dairy-free and be sure to offer several vegan and vegetarian options too.
Also add food labels using these mini chalkboards so everyone is clear on what the various dishes are, making note of allergens, etc.
This tableware set is spot on with the cheerleading theme.
Thursday
Don’t let the week go by without personally meeting each staff member know how much the parents and PTO appreciate their contribution to the school.
Get the help of other parent volunteers to write everyone a personalized handwritten note.
The staff will really appreciate the thoughtfulness of this gesture.
If your budget allows, deliver a small along with the note like this “Thanks for being awesome bag.”
Mini pouches are so fantastic for keeping all of their things organized, so the staff are sure to love them!
And for an extra surprise, tuck a megaphone keychain with tassel into the pouch. The cool thing is that you can personalize with a Cricut so they’ll always remember that you have their back.
Friday
Wrap the appreciation week up on a sweet note with a dessert bar!
Cupcakes are a great choice for teachers and staff to enjoy during their lunch break or as a take a go treat.
Add a healthy dose of these fun sprinkles to each cupcake.
And then add a cupcake topper to boot for some extra fun flair.
Over to You!
A “Cheers to You” cheerleading themed staff appreciation event is a great way to show your support for your school’s teachers and staff.
By following these tips, you can plan a fun and memorable event that will leave a lasting impression on your school’s staff members.
Remember to keep the focus on appreciation and support for your hard-working educators, and have fun celebrating their contributions to your school community!
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