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Original poster

Want to show my DCs secondary schools how much I appreciate everything they're doing

29 replies

Blanketyblankblankety · 02/12/2020 19:58

I think their schools have been absolutely fantastic handling all aspects of Coronavirus this term. Both my DC have been happy, unfazed and unstressed
since being back. Both have had a couple of self isolating episodes where they received brilliant home learning so their learning hasn't been effected. DS has had mock GCSEs which were handled really well. Both schools literally couldn't have done more. I'd like to send in something to show how grateful I am, but haven't a clue what is allowed during the pandemic. What would make teachers and staff feel appreciated?

OP posts:
SadSecretSanta · 02/12/2020 20:00

How about a card to individual teachers?

wonderstuff · 02/12/2020 20:02

An email or a card would do it, it's a hard slog at the moment and just telling them you appreciate it would be really fab. If you do want to give something physical snacks are always appreciated.

zaphodbeeble · 02/12/2020 20:04

Glue sticks (I’m not joking)

Fizbosshoes · 02/12/2020 20:07

I was wondering this about my DS primary school. I am so impressed with how the teachers have dealt with remote learning and 1 teacher in particular has been fab. I emailed the head to thank her and the other teachers (I named the particular teacher)
On MN I always seem to find threads where teachers say what they dont want (I wasnt planning on anything homemade btw!) ...but I'd like to get a small gift that she might like.

mnahmnah · 02/12/2020 20:10

We have had emails from parents to the head, who then sends it to all of us. It is much appreciated, we feel valued. It is very rare at secondary to get appreciation or thanks. In normal circumstances, parents have sent boxes of biscuits or chocolate for the staffroom, which goes down incredibly well!! But it wouldn’t be allowed in the circumstances. We aren’t even allowed kettles. Kitchen facilities are all closed off etc. Any food provided is in individual bags and we can’t use common room areas.

CousinLucy · 02/12/2020 20:10

I think a lovely, formal letter would suffice, but we did have a parent years ago who would make Christmas cakes for the staffroom. It was really touching she bothered with such care - marzipan, icing, the lot. We all loved her for it.

AlwaysColdHands · 02/12/2020 20:11

Email the head, email the head of governors, email the local authority.
Let the people higher up the tree know what a fab job the teachers are doing Smile
Then send a card to individual teachers. They’ll appreciate your appreciation through your words so much

CousinLucy · 02/12/2020 20:11

Oh - and I don't necessarily mean you should make Christmas cakes given the Covid situation 🙄

PineappleUpsideDownCake · 02/12/2020 20:14

Letter or email or card.

Anything homenade is suspect at the best of times but especially now.

I have kept my cards Smile

SnugglySnerd · 02/12/2020 20:15

A parent recently sent in a load of KitKats for us, we were allowed them as individually wrapped. That was a nice unexpected treat and we loved that they thought about what we would be allowed with covid rules.

PotteringAlong · 02/12/2020 20:17

Send me a card. Or just an email being nice. And if you send it to me copy in my head of department or even the head of school so they know how fab I am too GrinBlush

As a secondary teacher we don’t get a lot of cards. I’ve kept every one I’ve ever had.

BlackeyedSusan · 02/12/2020 20:23

dunno. mine have sent home the wrong child tonight. understandable as mine has only been in school three days in the last four weeks. this one is very quiet. I definitely sent a really noisy shouty one this morning.

herecomesthsun · 02/12/2020 20:25

Wrapped food items generally should be ok

LondonlovesLola · 02/12/2020 20:31

OMG... if someone sent me a box of glue sticks I’d love them forever!! I’m not joking either!
More realistically, a card is the best thing to receive. I really love getting cards from students and parents. ❤️

LondonlovesLola · 02/12/2020 20:33

Pottering
Oh God yes! Haha!

PrivateD00r · 02/12/2020 20:38

I emailed ours recently to thank them and got a lovely response back so it was clearly appreciated. I didn't like to send anything in as I assumed it wouldn't be appreciated, ours aren't even allowed to bring school bags in!

Abelard40 · 02/12/2020 20:42

Secondary here too (History) - nicest things I get are e mails (copied to my head!) about really specific stuff like zoom calls, zoom calls when there was half in half out, tutor well-being calls.. that sort of thing.. goes unnoticed but it’s been a bloody hard term with that sort of unusual teaching delivery..so positive feedback welcome xx

MrsHamlet · 02/12/2020 20:43

We were sent 4 large tubs of biscuits today by a parent. We have to pop in to see the head to get one 😂

RedskyAtnight · 02/12/2020 20:50

Do secondary school really use glue sticks, particularly at the moment (DC's secondary school is scarcely allowing them access to books) - or was the poster thinking of primary schools?

I'd also like to thank school - my issue is that it's not really a specific teacher or even teachers I want to thank - it's the way all staff have pulled together to make things work. I have already sent general thanks by email a couple of times, but don't know if there is anything else I could do?

mnahmnah · 02/12/2020 20:58

@RedskyAtnight

At my school the students are bringing their own glue sticks etc. We can’t give anything out.

But an email to the head, with your general sentiments for all staff, really is appreciated. Emails to individual staff with the head CC’d in really really helps Smile

UncomfortableSilence · 02/12/2020 21:09

I've emailed the Head, I've also emailed some subject teachers who have been particularly supportive and gone above for DD and Cc'd the Head into these.

I work in school finance and after helping a parent today on the phone she said that she was so appreciative of all the staff at the school including admin, it's been the longest slog of a term so any words of encouragement and support are so welcome.

Toughie · 02/12/2020 21:14

Letter / email.
I email parents a lot to keep parents informed of their child’s progress and parents are always grateful and thank me.
However, I almost never receive any letters of thanks out of the blue. Only ever had a handful and they mean a lot. I don’t think praise is given out much in schools to staff so it really counts when you receive it.

LondonlovesLola · 03/12/2020 18:24

Do secondary school really use glue sticks, particularly at the moment (DC's secondary school is scarcely allowing them access to books) - or was the poster thinking of primary schools?

Do your DC do any practical lessons at the moment Redsky?

lorisparkle · 03/12/2020 18:38

I emailed the head to thank him and his staff for the great job they have done. I specifically named particular staff who have gone above and beyond for my Ds who have SEN and said he was welcome to share the email. He responded with a lovely email.

Another parent has set up a PayPal thing that everyone can contribute to. The plan is to get a token individual gift for every member of staff, The school is a very large secondary and over £2000 has been donated.

TheGreatWave · 03/12/2020 18:48

I sent an email (actually on the back of one of the many school threads on here) just to say how much I appreciated everything. I had a lovely reply from the head to say he had read it to the staff at one of their briefings. Reading between the lines most emails are moaning so they appreciated a good one. I didn't specifically mentioned names but I did say that any staff we had had to contact (DS has ASD) had been really helpful. I didn't mention his key worker being a bit of a wet lettuce.