4 Steps to Year-Round Teacher Appreciation

May is one of the busiest months of the school year - testing, extracurriculars, end-of-year festivities, it all gets a bit hectic! By the end of the month, Teacher Appreciation Week seems like forever ago, but that doesn’t mean the recognition and spirit of celebration should end with the end of the school year!

While implementing a monthly staff celebration system at school can seem daunting - it doesn’t have to be! Summer break is the perfect time to create a staff celebration plan that ensures every team member feels recognized and appreciated throughout the year.

Planning ahead is key, because once the school year starts back up, other priorities will arise, and staff celebration may fall to the wayside. Set yourself up for success in this year’s celebrations by designing an impactful and sustainable 6-month teacher recognition plan and easy-to-implement routine. Let’s get the celebration started!

1. Start here: what are your celebration dreams? 📝

Grab a coffee, your favorite notebook and pen (or blank document on your computer), and think to yourself, what would your ideal celebration look like? Dream big! If you could paint a picture of an ideal school celebration, what would it look like? Describe the atmosphere, the energy, how people interact with one another, etc. Make a vision board to gather all your inspiration and ideas in one place!

Now think about how your team most likes to be recognized - every school staff and culture is different! What are the words, acts, celebrations, or gifts that make your staff feel the most celebrated and rewarded? To make it easy, here are four “love languages” common to many teachers! Which ones describe your team?

Check out our Collaborate, Create, Celebrate Guide for fun, engaging ideas for each of these celebration styles!

2. Next, brainstorm ideas for your plan 💭

Now that you’ve generated some ideas, pick your favorites from the list and plug them in to a calendar template! Effective recognition programs operate seamlessly, creating a delightful surprise for your staff while maintaining easy organization for you! 

Don’t be afraid to reuse ideas you’ve tried before or ask a fellow school leader how they celebrate their team for additional inspiration! What past celebrations has your staff loved? Any fun ideas from fellow school leaders? Jot those down too!

3. Now, put it into a calendar 📆

Plan out your celebrations week by week with a list of action items to keep yourself accountable and stay on track! Use this calendar template to quickly jot down ideas from your vision board or categorize your staff into six different categories (grade level, specialists, etc.).

4. Time to celebrate! 🎉

Now that you’ve brainstormed ideas, explored celebration styles, and made a weekly plan, you’re ready to consistently and intentionally celebrate your staff for the upcoming school year, keeping the festive spirit of Teacher Appreciation Week going all year round! 

Don’t forget to take a peek at our Collaborate, Create, Celebrate Guide for staff celebration ideas and a 6-month template to get you started! Happy planning!