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As the end of the school year approaches, it’s a great time to start thinking about how to show appreciation for the hard-working teachers and staff at your school.
A Summer themed teacher appreciation week is a fun and creative way to celebrate and recognize their efforts.
Here’s some creative ideas on how to plan a Summer themed teacher appreciation week for your school staff and teachers.
Explore the Theme
Start by announcing the theme of the week in advance to give everyone enough time to plan and get into the spirit.
You could create a fun announcement video with Summer-themed music and visuals to get everyone excited.
Combine your favorite ideas for a Hawaiian and Beach themed event too, since they’ll blend seamlessly with a Summer theme.
Decorate the School
Create a summery vibe by decorating the school and room where you’ll hold the appreciation events with bright, colorful and cheery decor:
An easy and pretty quick way to add decorations is with balloons and this set of balloons is theme-perfect.
Really wow them with a fruity balloon garland! If you have the space and time, this will really knock their socks off.
Haven’t created a garland or arch before? Here are some tips to make the balloon arch building much easier!
Group a few of these funny food in sunglasses by the event room door for a nice welcome for staff and teachers.
And sprinkle in some suns in sunnies too!
Decorate the walls and counters with this flip flop garland.
Layer in another bunting and garland and for a more detailed decorative scheme.
Add other summery decorations around the room.
Daily Plan
Stretch appreciation and gratitude for all the school staff does throughout the year into a week-long celebration for them!
Monday
Help staff indulge in their sweet tooth with a luscious dessert bar.
Include a mix of calorie packed cupcakes, cookies, as well as healthier fare too!
Skewer up some fruit into kabobs using these summer themed picks.
Or get some plain skewers and use some washi tape to decorate the ends with a flag.
If you choose to have a platter of fruit or one large cake, you can use some toppers to decorate pretty quickly.
Arranging the treats in a special way can really add a lot to the event and help guests understand that your PTO has put a lot of time and effort into making the event special for them.
This lighted cupcake stand can be used for this event, plus many others, making it a smart investment for your PTO.
And this tiered tray set can help you fit more on the table, eliminating the need to refill between lunch periods as often.
Not sure why these plates are labeled as being for kids since the pattern is Summer-perfect! Don’t let that stop you from getting them, especially since they’re perfectly sized for desserts.
Be sure to protect tables and counters in the event space to make clean up less of a chore. Using a disposable table cloth makes clean up happen in a few seconds.
Tuesday
Give each staff members a “love” note to let them know personally how much you appreciate them!
Bring a list of staff members and a stack of notecards to the March and April PTO meetings and ask for help in writing the notes.
Wednesday
Put on a wonderful luncheon for a midweek celebration.
A BBQ theme instantly reads Summer and you can bring in a food truck or outside caterer to eliminate the need to get donations of dishes.
Staff Appreciation is a cause many local businesses are eager to support and getting donations can be a great budget saver!
Don’t forget to add in on-theme tableware to round out the decor for the day.
This watermelon tableware set will certainly help with the festive feel!
Thursday
Show your appreciation by gifting the teachers and staff with beach and Summer-themed gifts.
You can give them personalized beach bags, hats, or water bottles with the school name or logo on them.
Put together a fabulous gift bag for every teacher and school staff member so they really feel loved!
Add a squishy watermelon stress ball.
Or how about a drink insulator to keep cans chilly inside or out of the classroom?
These flip flop sticky notes are sure to come in handy.
As will this bottle opener!
Making their building id easily accessible with an identification reel, another a thoughtful gift.
If your budget allows, get everyone this cute Beaching Not Teaching T-shirt.
Friday
End the week by hosting happy hour!
In this school appropriate version, you’ll be serving up some mocktails, of course.
Offer a selection of beach-themed snacks and drinks.
You can set up a beach bar with refreshing drinks like lemonade, fruit punch, or smoothies.
Take this set of Skinny Mixers and add some La Croix or other bubbly water and you have tasty and refreshing beverages for everyone to enjoy.
And don’t forget the frills and garnishes for the drinks! The details like drink umbrellas and flowers and fresh citrus toppers can really make the beverages more enjoyable.
Keep the cans or bottles of of bubbly water nice and chilled with this fun tabletop cooler!
For one final gift to end the week on a high note, offer color changing to go tumblers.
Over to you!
Planning a summer-themed teacher appreciation week is a great way to show your appreciation for the teachers and staff at your school.
With a little creativity and planning, you can create a fun and memorable experience for everyone involved.
