School appreciation days can be an excellent way to keep morale high in the classrooms or workplace. Use our quick reference downloads for teachers, aides, administrators, nurses, counselors, and support staff members! Click the Planner Playlist icon for immediate access – then follow its activities!
National Teacher Appreciation Day
Teacher Appreciation Day is an occasion to recognize teachers for all they do to educate our children. Teachers put in long hours under tremendous pressure, so we must show our thanks by writing thank-you notes or giving gifts in appreciation. Alternatively, host an event to honor them!
National Teacher Appreciation Day was first observed in 1953. Although its origins remain unclear, many believe that its campaign began with a teacher from Arkansas advocating for such a day and writing letters to political leaders, including Eleanor Roosevelt, supporting the idea that Congress set aside this day as a tribute to their educators.
The National Education Association adopted this idea and made it part of school life. Originally celebrated on March 22nd, but after four years, it was moved to May’s first whole week by NEA.
Teachers often rely on spending their funds for classroom supplies, making it extra meaningful when the community pitches in with gifts or cards of support one. Some individuals have even been making these efforts by “love bombing” teachers using services that allow users to record messages for them before sharing them with them via social media platforms such as Snapchat.
One way to show your teacher your gratitude is to create a scrapbook showcasing how much their impact means in your life and vice versa. Many educators keep this special memento on their desks, so when they need a reminder as to why they chose this profession, they can refer back to this piece as well.
People have taken it a step further by creating video tributes to their favorite teachers, featuring parents, children, and educators all paying their thanks. Some have even uploaded these videos onto YouTube or other social media sites – an effective way of reaching a wider audience and spreading the message that teachers matter!
National School Nurse Appreciation Day
School nurses play an invaluable role in keeping our children safe and healthy, so this day serves to recognize them for all of their hard work and dedication to the nursing profession. Students also get to gain more insight into what school nurses do to keep our school communities healthy while keeping students focused on learning.
The National Association of School Nurses created this day to recognize school nurses and their efforts. Celebrated annually during National Nurses Week from May 6th to 12th, it serves as an excellent way to show appreciation for all they do on behalf of schoolchildren and communities across America. It serves as a unique way for us all to thank these outstanding women for all they do – we salute you!
School nurses may seem like a faceless part of the educational system, but they play a vital role in student safety and well-being. Serving as first-line defense against illness and injury, school nurses play a pivotal role in keeping students focused in class while supporting families dealing with illnesses or injuries.
PSEA recognizes and honors school nurses for their invaluable service and care, which we share across the nation. In recognition of this dedication and service to patients, PSEA provides resources that support school nurses’ professional needs, including access to quality education and training, safe working conditions, and compensation that allows them to provide top patient care.
One word can make an immense difference to school nurses. Show yours by sending a note or phone call, showing your thanks, or commemorating this important day by donating to one or more school nurse organizations or programs.
If you have children, why not encourage them to write a letter or create a poster for their school nurse as an unforgettable present that they will remember? Perhaps this will also inspire them one day to become nurses themselves.
Create an engaging experience for your students and let them design a digital bouquet for their school nurse with this free Google Slide deck. Assign one slide per student, allowing their creativity to flourish, to craft flowers that say, “Thank You, School Nurse.” They can even add extra flare with emojis!
National School Counselor Appreciation Day
School counselors play an invaluable role in student success, according to the American School Counselor Association (ASCA). Their expertise enables them to aid students in assessing their abilities, strengths, interests, and values, work with parents in creating healthy family relationships, address complex emotional issues affecting today’s youth, and address complex behavioral problems affecting today’s students. ASCA certifies degree-holding educators whose focus is helping their students achieve academic, career, and social/emotional achievement.
National School Counseling Week takes place each February and is an ideal time to promote the unique contributions made by school counselors while also honoring them and acknowledging the positive effects that school counselors have on schools and students.
Now is an excellent opportunity for students, parents, and fellow educators to show their school counselors they appreciate them in any way possible – from sending a note or calling them directly to hosting an official NSCW celebration in your school, district, or state. Here are a few ideas to get the ball rolling:
EDUCATE- Take this opportunity to educate colleagues, community members, and students on what school counselors do! Hang a poster by ASCA in your office or staff lounge highlighting all they do as school counselors; share research about its impact as well as free downloadable resources like this research article about school counseling impact:
DONATE- Celebrate! Give your school counselors something special: give them gifts, host a luncheon in their honor, or create an exhibit showcasing their work. If your school has social media, post an image and some fun facts about their job on it; otherwise, buy them a book with students signing inside the cover for signatures – they will love it! ASCA provides customizable NSCW materials and announcements – posters, stickers, bookmarks, door hangers – that you can customize yourself as part of National School Counselor Week activities – contact them, and we would be more than happy to assist! If you have any further ideas on how you’d like to recognize school counselors, please reach out; we would be more than glad to help!
National School Support Staff Appreciation Day
Education support staff are an integral component of schools across the nation, keeping students healthy, ready to learn, and safe from harm. From cooking meals and cleaning buildings to driving buses and bandaging scraped knees – education support staff represent over 40% of public school staffing positions but often go unnoticed – that is why National ESP Day was created – it seeks to recognize their contributions towards our education system and offer recognition.
American Education Week, established by the National Education Association (NEA), celebrates this special day on Wednesdays every year since 1987 when its Representative Assembly first recognized and honored education support professional work in our schools. Their hard work was honored through National Educational Support Professionals Day, which was designated to show appreciation. In 2002, this day was further elevated and made national.
Schools should use this day to recognize and thank their ESPs through school bulletins or intercom announcements, and teachers, students, and parents can show their gratitude by sending thank-you notes or gifts directly.
Research demonstrates the positive impacts of parental involvement in education processes. Studies reveal how parental engagement increases student performance while building trust between parents and schools. Teachers can offer parents an invitation to visit classrooms with their children on this special day; many may even remember what school was like as children themselves! It can also serve as an eye-opener experience.
Educators can encourage parents to become actively engaged in their children’s education by offering after-school programs or community workshops for parents to attend. These events can help reinforce what students have been learning in class while giving parents a greater insight into what’s happening at home; educators may even offer tutoring services for any subjects in which children struggle, ultimately providing all students with an improved education experience.
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