To send these cards during the summer hols?

[Bocolatechiscuit]

I'm a secondary school teacher, and as you will know, the end of year gifts tend to tail off to almost nothing as children move to high school (I don't actually believe in teacher gifts as I see it as doing the job I'm paid to do and absolutely adore, but that's a whole other thread).

This year though, I was given presents from three students. They caught me in the corridor and gave me the gifts in pretty gift bags with a card inside. As it was the last day and I was rushing to lessons, assemblies etc I thanked them profusely of course but didn't open the bags there and then. When I opened them later, they have gone to huge effort, buying personalised gifts and have all written such lovely things in their cards about how they have enjoyed my lessons this year and learned so much etc etc.

So...I'd like to send them a thank you card. I've bought a pack of small cards and am thinking of sending them to their home address which I can easily get from the school system. I'm not going to be teaching them in September unfortunately and in any case feel it's too long to wait to say thank you. I'd like to send a card each, thanking them for their gift, telling them it was a delight to teach them (it genuinely was-fantastic students with lovely bubbly personalities, amazing senses of humour and such a desire to learn) and wishing them a lovely holiday.

Something's holding me back though and I don't quite know why. I've had the cards a week and still not sent them. Is this a nice thing to do like I think it is or is sending them to their home address a bit ott?

I doubt very much that even "in this day and age" a teacher would be disciplined or worse for sending a thank you card to 3 pupils.

"Last year's teacher zipped round on his bike and hand delivered the notes to all the children. I was really touched that he had done this - there were loads of kids in the class!"

I now have a huge crush on this teacher mawbroon mentioned. In my mind's eye, he's kind, and funny, ever so slightly tousled. A little bit nerdy in public, passionate in private. Don't run my daydream, mawbroon; I'm a little bit in love!

I get the DPA issues, but I think it's tremendously sad. I treasure a note I received, over 20 years ago (sob) from a much respected and like teacher.

I'm not sure it is a breach of data protection though.
It is within normal duties at a school to have access to pupils files including their contact details.

The gift was received from a pupil - it is directly related to work reasons. The OP didn't receive a random gift; it was linked entirely to her job/work.
Therefore the response, the thank you letter, is also linked directly to their work.

Personal misuse would be very different imo.

Thanks again all of you for the sensible responses. Just to clarify, every member of teaching staff has access to every student's contact details and can access them from home as well as at school. As I said earlier, I'm very sad about it but I won't be taking the risk that any parents feel the same way as the minority on here.

This is ludicrous. My DTDs received (separate - hoorah for their lovely teacher) cards from their teacher last summer, posted to our home address and they were thrilled. I was very grateful that the teacher had taken time to write them.

I teach secondary. I have access to home addresses and phone numbers and am expected to write/call home fairly frequently for any number of reasons. I sometimes do this out of "office" hours to avoid the inevitable answer phone tennis if parents are at work and I'm teaching when they call back.

The stalker/weirdo comments are laughable. I'm in a play this week, and two 15 yr old boys who I teach are also in it. I've driven them home after rehearsals and will be driving them home after the shows. So they're in my car, late at night, and I'm dropping them at their front doors. Does that make me unprofessional?

Very odd views on here. In secondary schools, we have access to students phone numbers and addresses and I wouldn't bother the office staff when I need to look them up. I can assess them from home but generally don't really need to, but what would be the difference between looking them up at work or at home.
Sending a thank you card is a lovely gesture.

Just email - I do this (parents' emails are on the system, and all kids have school email addresses) and it seems to me to be friendly but professional.

I would in fact prefer to send a handwritten card, but I don't lest parents take offence at my writing invading their personal space. Mind you, I miss the days of handwritten reports, too, as I feel they were more personal. "House style", my arse. Excuse for lazy teachers to use a bank of stock sentences phrases, more like.

Oh, and ds (7) received a lovely postcard a week ago from last year's TA who is on her hols. He was most chuffed, as was I.

I think it is a lovely idea. As a parent I would love it if my child received such a card.

I am terribly sad that it is thought of as 'stalkerish' (really??) and a 'misuse of the system'.

Is the school still open? Could you pop the cards into the office and ask them to send them? That way you are not accessing the system as it were...

If parents have allowed their child to buy a personalised gift they are not likely to be the type of parent who is going to go weird if their child receives a thank you card in the post for said present. They are far more likely to be the type of parent who will appreciate the gesture.

I just remembered that my son has had a birthday card in the post from his teachers over the past two years (birthday falls during the holidays). He loves getting post and has been so pleased that his teacher remembered his birthday. I would say that sending a thank you note is even more relevant than a birthday card. Fortunately I am a normal (some might disagree) person and I don't go making complaints when people do nice and thoughtful things for my children.
What bloody weird kind of person would be upset that a teacher sends their child a card to thank them for a present. Bloody weirdos.

Oh fgs. Get over yourself. Send the cards

What's with the data crap? We access this data 24-7

Altkinmum - I assume they are at many schools. I know that I have always had access to pupil files inc contact details at every school I have worked at - secondary and primary. I don't even work as a teacher now - I am a TA, but as teaching staff I still have access.

It isn't stalkerish at all but as a secondary teacher too I wouldn't do it. Somehow crosses a professional line and could be frowned upon by many. If they are still at the school next year even if you're not teaching them can you get them a thank yoy note through their form teachers?

I see why you don't want to send the cards following some of these replies

It is sad though, I have received thank you cards for the children and it would not occur to me that it would be an issue

Especially as I know teachers that are working this week and so would be in school anyway

Our secondary send congratulation cards out as well (don't see too many of those!!!)

Look them up in the phone book. If the address is freely available, then there are no dpa issues.

You're not far off Cheesetoastie123 . I have no idea about the passionate in private bit though lol

He's a fab teacher and ds is delighted that he will be in his class again next year.

If you're allowed to access data already for the purpose of communicating with the parents, I can't see that this would be against the act, so long as you addressed the letter to the parents? The act forbids a) people who shouldn't access the data accessing it and b) the data being used for purposes other than that for which it was collected (which presumably in this case is to communicate with parents about their child?) Am not a lawyer though!

I think it's very sad that many people feel it crosses a line. It certainly wouldn't for me personally, though I can see that (as PP alluded) some people would have reasons for being careful about who has their address.

Funnily enough, the postman just brought a card for my daughter from her teacher. Clearly, she is worse than Pol Pot. Or, at the very least, hasn't read this thread. I will complain immediately. Or, you know, shrug and think 'that's nice'.

my dc loved receiving postcards or thank you cards in the post from teachers , sad world if people think its wrong .

Send the note - parents/child freaked out or touched

Don't send a note - parents think teacher is rude/didn't like the present, child disappointed and assumes teacher didn't like the present.

Possible outcomes. No doubt others will think of more.

Goodness me, this thread! I wouldn't blink if my kids received a thank you letter from a teacher, mainly as we've received quite a few over the years.

I also didn't mind when my 14 year old son was hugged by his female English teacher. Obviously, on MN this means she's grooming my poor darling rather than recognizing an upset boy could do with a hug. I just emailed her and thanked her.

This paranoid MN reflection on life is so sad.

I think it's a beautiful idea. We focus so much on the negatives of what people do, in general, that we forget to say thank you when people have actually been kind and thoughtful.

I have been out all day and so it was lovely to get back and find that the thread had taken a wonderful turn and the sensible majority have come to the fore! It was very depressing to go out thinking that a teacher couldn't write a simple thank you letter any more.
to those who expect normal social interaction for their DCs.