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A New Home for the VolunteerSpot Blog

Check out the latest news and content at SignUp.com

The VolunteerSpot blog has moved and is still alive and well! We continue to add new helpful tips and ideas every month with the goal of making life a little easier for all you awesome (volunteer, PTA/PTO, teacher, faith group, league, workplace, neighborhood, and community) Organizers out there.

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SignUp.com’s Idea Center

We invite you to search our VolunteerSpot blog archive for past posts that may be of interest, and for fresh, up-to-date content, head over to the SignUp Idea Center. Here you’ll find fun ideas, best practices, smart planning tips, and free downloadable graphics, PLUS printable and fillable checklists, letters, coloring pages, appreciation certificates, thank you notes, and much more. 

We’ve got you covered when it comes to volunteer management (for nonprofit organizations, schools, teams, whatever your cause!), fundraising, holidays and other seasonal events, family reunions, picnics, potlucks… you get the point!


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Whatever your interest, Start Planning Now at SignUp!

Posted at 10:02 AM in Back-to-School, Charity Auction Ideas (Schools too!), Classroom Activities & Party Ideas, End of the School Year, Fundraising Ideas, How 2 VolunteerSpot - Tips, Tricks and Technical, Online Sign Up Feature Friday, Personal Organization Tips, Potluck, Social Media for Schools & Nonprofits, Summer Fun, Tips for Non-Profits, Volunteer Action - Motivation and Coordination, Volunteering at School, Volunteering by the Season, Volunteering in the Community, Volunteering with your Congregation | Permalink | Comments (0)

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Creative Hints & Tips for a Successful Classroom Holiday Party

Bells are jingling, lights are twinkling, it's party time!

With the end of the year just a few weeks away, it's time to prepare for this year's class holiday or winter party. These 3 tips will help make it a jolly success! Holiday gifts classroom party ideas SignUp.com

1. Plan & Get Help!

From snacks to crafts to holiday reading material and activity stations, it is easy to get bogged down in the planning. Capture all your needs in one easy online sign up sheet, i.e., list: healthy snack option, sweet treat snack option, drinks, tableware and simple decorations, volunteer reader with winter-themed book, volunteers for the activity station, party activity supplies, etc. Once you have it planned, SignUp.com simplifies your holiday occasion! Plus, SignUp.com reminds your volunteers and even allows room for you to add in the folks who aren't using email!

Tip: Check with the teacher about the school's holiday policy. Will you be planning for nondenominational 'winter' and snow themes, or are Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa themes welcome and expected?

2. Get creative with your games and activities this year!

Some of our friends submitted fun and unique ideas:

@ConnieFoggles

“One of the best things my dd's school did was to get a tree donated from a store. They made decorations and gave it away to a needy family from the school. The kids put their heart into their creations. That tree was filled with lots of love.”

@amybhole

“For our parties, we have three activities -- a snack, a craft, and a game. The class is split into three groups, and each group does one activity at a time. It's an excellent way to cut down on the chaos! But it's also all-encompassing for our diverse school. For example, the game can have a Hanukah theme (Dreidel is always popular) the snack can have a Christmas theme and the craft can have an Eid theme.”

@Rajean

“Host a build-your-own hot chocolate station with cocoa mix, marshmallows, cinnamon, chocolate syrup, white chocolate chips, whipped cream in a can, and shaved peppermint to choose from and pin the button nose or carrot on the snowman.”

@CarissaRogers

“Last year my daughter's class folded these amazing Finnish Paper Stars. We loved it so much we came home and made a bunch of our own stars in different sizes and colors!”

3. Last minute check!

  • Make sure to tap a parent volunteer as party photographer
  • Be sure to plan on additional attendees including volunteers, siblings, and the teacher for snacks and even crafts!
  • Consider space limitations when choosing party games
  • Ask the teacher if any kids have food allergies or if the school has policies limiting sugary treats
  • Consider having Thank You notes prepared for parent volunteers

Have a blast and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Check out SignUp.com's free Classroom Party Guide for more fun winter craft and game ideas, and check out ways your classroom may give back with their celebration!

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Posted at 07:00 AM in Classroom Activities & Party Ideas, End of the School Year, Volunteering at School | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tags: class party ideas, classroom holiday party ideas, classroom party activities, classroom party games, classroom party ideas, holiday class party ideas, room dad, room mom, room parent, winter class party ideas

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Halloween Class Party Ideas & Tips

Classroom Halloween Party Hints & Tricks | Stay Organized & Have Fun

October is here and you know what that means, holiday class party season is in full swing!  Whether it's the costumes, the festive games, (the candy!), or the spookiness of it all, Halloween is definitely a favorite holiday for kids.  Here are some creative and thoughtful ideas for room moms, teachers and parents for making this year's Halloween party truly memorable while still saving time and energy organizing it!

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3 Steps to Halloween Party Fun

1. Plan it  

Organize the class party into 'stations' with small groups of kids rotating through activities to keep the pace moving for the kids and the group-size manageable for parent volunteers. Everyone comes together for the final station, story time.

Simple, fun crafts include cardboard tube mummies, crayon resist fall leaves, marshmallow and pretzel skeleton pops, thumb print witches and spiders, and face painting.  

Consider space limitations when choosing party games. Four Halloween favorites:

  • Mummy-wrapping races: teams of 3 wrap a ‘mummy’ (child) with toilet paper, first to finish their rolls, win.
  • Apple or mini-pumpkin relay: teams compete to pass an apple or mini pumpkin under their chins kid-to-kid without using any hands. If it drops, start over.
  • Pin the nose on the pumpkin 
  • Halloween BINGO

Tip: Check out our Classroom Party Guide with great ideas from FamilyFun Magazine and SignUp.com.

Stories about pumpkins, spiders and witches are sure to please.  Ask your children's librarian to recommend spooky tales that are age-appropriate. 

For snacks, consider sliced apples dipped in caramel sauce, apple muffins with apple cider cream cheese glaze, popcorn monster hands, pumpkins goody bags, mummy drink pouches, and warm apple cider.

Tip: Ask the teacher if any kids have food allergies and if the school has policies limiting sugary treats.

2. Get Help! 

Ask class parents (and grandparents) to pitch in and volunteer either during the party or by contributing supplies and food. Remember to plan for craft and game supplies, snacks,  paper ware, and simple decorations (think plastic table cloths and mini pumpkins).

Tip: Free online signup sheets from SignUp.com make it easy to coordinate parent helpers. With the click of a mouse or a tap on a smartphone, parents can quickly choose when to help and what to bring. Automated reminders keep everyone on track.

3. Have Fun!

Be ready for joyful chaos! When things don't go exactly as planned, don't stress. Instead, put on a big smile and know that the kids will have a great time no matter what. Be sure to take lots of pictures, party day is a very special day at school!

Tip: Bring a child's wagon to help carry supplies from your car to the classroom


Happy Halloween!

Posted at 07:00 AM in Volunteering at School | Permalink

Tags: class party, class party ideas, class party resource, free class party ideas, free online sign up sheets, halloween class party, halloween class party ideas, halloween crafts, halloween games, room mom, room parent

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End of Year Class Party eBook

Get ready to plan the best (and easiest!) End of Year Class Party ever with great ideas from FamilyFun Magazine and SignUp.com! This exclusive guide is packed with creative craft, snack, and activity ideas for your End of Year Class Party — share them with your friends and fellow class parents, and boost parent participation with free, online class party SignUps.  

Free eBook: End of Year Class Party

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This ebook includes these awesome resources and more!

  • End of the Years Must Haves
  • Planning and gift ideas
  • Room-Parent party checklist
  • End of the Year Activities
  • Class party games & craft ideas

Room Spot Mom Check out SignUp.com's free tool to quickly and easily organize your classroom parent volunteers.

SignUp’s free, online sign up sheets make class party planning a snap! Simple recruitment via invitation, speedy link, or web button make signing up to help a cinch for volunteers from their computers or smartphones.  Automated confirmation and reminder messages help everyone keep their commitments.

 

“Don't be shy about giving parents specific jobs or asking them to bring party supplies and treats. Most are relieved you’ve made it so easy to help and asking with SingUp’s sign up sheets makes it extra easy!” ~Lori R, Room Mom of 2, Roswell, GA

And here are some quick tips for you to get started on planning for your end of the year party!

  • Siblings: Ask the teacher before inviting
  • Craft Projects: Ensure the craft parent volunteer has EVERYTHING needed – e.g. a trash bag for clean up. Don’t assume the teacher will provide all items.
  • Kids under 10: Divide them into small groups, rotate them through activity “stations” (10-15 min each) and have at least one parent per station.
  • Prizes: Hand out pencils or other school supplies as favors.
  • Snacks: Plan extras for the teacher, staff and parent helpers.
  • Wagon: Hands-down the best way to tote party supplies to/from the classroom.
  • Decorations: A colorful tablecloth adds festivity and plastic ones are inexpensive. Balloons, streamers, and curled ribbon also go a long way to transforming a classroom into a party room.
  • Memories: Ask a parent to volunteer to take photos or videos of the party and share with the parents who could not come.
  • Remember: Relax and have fun! Celebrate these moments with your children.

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Related Posts 

5 End of the School Year Crafts

Teacher Gift Ideas | Best and Worst

Student and Teacher End of the Year Gift Ideas

Posted at 07:00 AM in End of the School Year, Volunteering at School | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tags: childrens party, childs party, class parties, class party, class party planning, classroom parties, classroom party, end of the year party, kids party, kids party planning, parent teacher organization, party for kids class, PTA, PTO, PTSA

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Teacher Gift Ideas | Best and Worst

 Looking for Teacher Gift Ideas?

Check out SignUp.com's Teacher Appreciation Printables:

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Your child spends a good 8 hours a day at school, most of those with one teacher if they are in elementary school. That teacher deserves a gift that shows you appreciate them, so a gift that they will also appreciate is crucial.

To find out what teachers really want, we went right to the source and asked the teachers themselves about their best and worst gifts. Here's one response from a 3rd grade teacher in Georgia:

Worst: Any type of figurine, mugs (even if they’re filled with candy, but maybe ok if they’re filled with money), stuffed animals

Best: Gift certificates of any kind, unique stationary (especially Post It notes), supplies for the classroom, donation to charity in the name of the classroom
Green apple
She pretty much represents most of the opinions we heard, but just in case you're still not clear, this is other feedback from teachers who responded:

Worst: Candles (we just stash them in a closet that is now overflowing), food (especially Christmas cookies that just add weight at exactly the wrong time of year), soaps (unless you're trying to tell us something), dollar store items

Best: Gift cards the entire class contributed to (yes, this means one parent has to step up and coordinate the collection, but one big gift card can really mean a lot, gifts the entire class donates such as a flower arrangement, handmade gifts the child makes that come from the heart (especially letters), trendy personalized items such as monogrammed coozies or purses, etc.

Make sure to check out SignUp.com's Teacher Appreciation Printables for even more ideas on how to find the perfect gift for your child's teacher.

The easiest way to know if it's going to be something the teacher loves? Think about the teacher as a person and their hobbies, likes or dislikes. If they golf or play tennis, love the beach or collect frogs, those are big hints. If you still don't have a clue just think about what you'd love to get from your boss or colleagues and give that to the teacher. And again, a nice handwritten note about what they mean to you and your child is a super nice bonus!

Posted at 07:00 AM in Volunteering at School, Volunteering in the Community | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tags: classroom helpers, gift ideas for teacher appreciation, gifts for teacher, helping teachers, teacher appreciation, teacher appreciation ideas, teacher appreciation week, teacher appreciation week 2018, teacher gift ideas, volunteer scheduling, volunteer sign up sheet, volunteer signups, volunteerspot

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Teacher Appreciation Ideas

Teacher Appreciation Week | Gift Ideas & Planning

Online Signup SheetsTeacher Appreciation Week is quickly approaching - are you ready? Teachers work hard to help our children be the best they can be. These important people deserve to be thanked, and what better time than during Teacher Appreciation Week!

Teacher Appreciation Week is May 7-11

Actual Teacher's Appreciation Day falls on May 7th. It's only about 3 weeks away, start planning now to have enough volunteers signed up and all the preparation done before the big week!

Whether you're throwing a huge party or simply helping a teacher out in the classroom for the day, VolunteerSpot has you covered with our free online sign up sheets —easily schedule parent volunteers to make the week as special as possible. We also have creative ideas on how to thank your child's teacher for playing such a huge role in their lives.

Skip To My Lou is Throwing a Teacher Appreciation Party!

Skiptomylou teacher appreciation week ideas

Check out all the easy craft ideas Skip to My Lou is sharing for Teacher Appreciation Week. (Seriously easy and cute! Some you just need to print and cut!) 

  • SignUp Ideas
  • Editible Flower Pics
  • Picture-Perfect Gifts
  • Printable Gift Bag Topper
  • Candy Gram Saying Gift 
  • Printable Gift Card Holder
  • Homemade Note Pads

...And for the less crafty set...

 

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Or send a beautiful e-thank you note by Baudv!lle. (These are great for thanking room moms too!)

Posted at 07:00 AM in Volunteering at School | Permalink | Comments (1)

Tags: gifts for teacher teacher appreciation week 2011, Skip to My Lou, Teacher Appreciation, Teacher Appreciation, Teacher Appreciation Day, teacher appreciation gift ideas, teacher appreciation gifts, Teacher Appreciation Week, Teacher Gift Ideas

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4 Strategies for Recruiting School Fundraising Volunteers

When it comes to fundraising, the more the merrier, right? Get the extra and support you need to make this year's fundraising campaign a huge success! Here are 4 strategies to recruit volunteers from Clay Boggess, Senior Consultant at Big Fundraising Ideas.

Moms Volunteering Blog

Gala planning and hosting socials invoke glamorous images of volunteerism and philanthropy; school fundraising, not so much. Thus, when it comes to getting parents on board to help run them, it takes a little extra ingenuity to sell this as an impactful opportunity.

Parents, especially working moms and dads, already struggle to find time to make dinner. Breathlessly running out of the house with lunches, backpacks, and multiple kids with shoes untied is a familiar image for many. With such limited bandwidth to offer up, parents may choose to avoid assuming additional duties for a fear that they won’t be able to meet the demands of something like a school fundraiser.

Therefore, potential volunteers need major value propositions to consider giving up their time, which is already at a premium. As fundraising season approaches, start thinking about ways you can recruit (and hopefully retain) fundraising volunteers.

Be Social

Moms and dads, have you ever felt bad about going to that happy hour or Bunco night? Parents are the first to feel guilty when they take some “time off” from their most permanent role.

You might be surprised to know that researchers encourage you to take this time off and relish in it. Time away from the kids is something increasingly recommended, according to Washington Post, and it might even make you a more relaxed, happier, and effective parent.

Translate this into your fundraising by building in and highlighting a socialization component throughout the course of planning, carrying out, and wrapping up the school fundraiser. Find ways to make your “adult time” feel productive and fun. Consider these ideas:

  • Host a short kickoff breakfast that parents can attend when they drop their kids off for school. If you can wrap it up before 8:30 a.m., parents may be able to attend without missing any work.
  • Host an appetizer hour right after work and offer to provide babysitting. Find some high school students who can watch the younger kids, and eliminate a barrier to participation by ensuring parents are covered.

 Fundraising leaders will find that these opportunities to bring parents together will offer the dual appeal of time to unwind and the “warm and fuzzy” feeling of giving back. You’ll gain a captive audience where you can communicate your mission; get parents to sign up for specific roles; and inspire them with the unique energy and enthusiasm found in coming together for a common cause (and some tasty snacks).

Have Options for Commitment

School fundraisers are uniquely appealing as volunteer opportunities because they are generally short in duration.  Nonetheless, that does mean that some volunteer roles won’t require a couple months of commitment, or a lot of concentrated time during those few weeks. For example, if parents end up on a “planning and celebration” committee, they might have volunteer responsibilities before, during and after the selling period.

However, the modern parent may not have this kind of time, according to “We Are Teachers.” Their research found that uncertainty about what the school’s needs are coupled with too little time to volunteer are major hurdles to parent engagement. This may sound discouraging, but it also means your volunteer team has its work cut out and can strategize effectively to overcome these hurdles by breaking down big jobs into small, manageable tasks.  Ensure your tasks are:

  • Specific. Clearly define the expectations and completion time for tasks. Fill in as many blanks as possible. The less uncertainty a parent will have to overcome before signing up, the better.
  • Tied to larger impact. Small tasks don’t have to be insignificant. Communicate how even posting fliers can make a difference.

Creating roles of different sizes might mean that, as a leader, you’ll have to fight your fears of delegation. Accept as true that someone out there is good at and wants to do a task you personally loathe. If you’re investing time in building a committed volunteer team, you owe it to yourself to trust its members.

Connect Remotely

Social media and the smart-phone revolution is not just something for the kids; the power of rich, remote connectivity can be a powerful tool for parents on the go.

Find out what remote platforms the parents in your volunteer group are using by doing a simple survey at the first meeting, and make as much use of these tools as possible. Good managers in the workplace regularly talk about “playing in the same sandbox” as their audience, and this metaphor translates well for fundraising volunteers.

If your volunteers are already spending their free time on a site like Facebook, or are comfortable learning a new tool like WhatsApp, use these options to create efficiencies that will get business done. You can explore tips on how to take your fundraiser into the social space, as this is something student sellers and parent volunteers increasingly look for.

Of course, some folks will always prefer face-to-face interaction, so don’t forego the occasional traditional meeting. Being at the same table is still one of the most effective ways to work and create a sense of team spirit. But for those parents who still want to be a part of the action, explore forms of communication—such as Facebook or emailing—to update and inspire on a more convenient and regular basis.

 

About the author: Clay Boggess has been designing fundraising programs for schools and various nonprofit organizations throughout the US since 1999. He works with administrators, teachers, as well as outside support entities such as PTA's and PTO’s. Clay is a Senior Consultant at Big Fundraising Ideas.

Posted at 10:21 AM in Back-to-School, Fundraising Ideas, Volunteer Action - Motivation and Coordination, Volunteering at School | Permalink

Tags: school fundraising, volunteer recruitment

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SignUp.com Family Code Night

Planning Family Code Night

We all know kids love playing games and watching videos on their devices - experience the magic that happens when they learn they can be creating what they see on the screen! Thanks to our sponsor, Capital One Foundation, we’re proud to be sharing Family Code Night – FREE to elementary school-aged groups everywhere.

Fcn idea center

Family Code Night is a FUN and exciting, nationally-recognized community building event that sparks interest and support for computer science learning by teaching kids and parents how to code. It’s for groups of all sizes and experience levels - from schools with established computer science programs, to groups wanting to learn what coding is all about. We give you everything you need for any parent, volunteer or teacher to host a successful Family Code Night event - no prior coding experience necessary!

Learn more about 
Family Code Night in our Idea Center, which includes:

  • FREE Family Code Night event kit
  • Fun coding activities and games
  • Information about CSforAll Initiative
  • Why kids should learn to code
  • And more!

 

Posted at 08:39 AM in Classroom Activities & Party Ideas, I Support My School, Volunteering at School | Permalink

Tags: coding with kids, computer science for all, csforall, family code night, family code night kit, kids coding activities

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SignUp.com Class Party Ideas

Helpful Tips for Planning Class Parties

SignUp.com has got you covered on all your volunteering essentials, but also has all the tips and tricks for your class party planning as well. Learn how to plan the perfect class party in the Class Party Idea Center and find snack ideas, planning tips and free downloads. 

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Browse our Class Party Idea Center for:

  • Downloadable class party ebook
  • Fall and Halloween class party checklist
  • Class party snack ideas
  • Class party crafts and stories
  • Class party parent volunteer SignUp sheets
  • And more!

Visit the Class Party Idea Center to be your number one helper in all your class party planning this Fall!

 

Posted at 04:30 AM in Classroom Activities & Party Ideas, Volunteering at School | Permalink

Tags: class party ebook, class party ideas, class party planning, class party snacks, halloween party ideas kids, room mom ideas, room parent ideas, signup.com class party

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Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!

Teacher Appreciation Week | 2016

It's that special time of year again . . . Teacher Appreciation Week! Our KUDOS to all the GOOD work teachers and school staff around the country do, day in and day out. We celebrate YOU this week and always.

Teacher Appreciation Week

Teacher Appreciation Resources:

Unique Teacher Appreciation Events

5 Teacher Appreciation Resources

Teacher Appreciation Lunch Themes

End of Year Class Party and Teacher Gift Guide

Posted at 04:30 AM in Classroom Activities & Party Ideas, Teacher Tuesdays, Volunteering at School | Permalink

Tags: teacher appreciation ideas, teacher appreciation week

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What’s in Your Hallway? 5 School Hallway Must-haves

5 Super Additions to School Hallways

Thanks to Elkay for this great guest post!

Has your school given much thought to making the most of its hallways? All that space where the students spend their time between classes is a great untapped educational & developmental opportunity. When you add it up, between bells, students and staff spend hundreds of hours in the hallways each year. This prime environment serves as a haven for student and staff interaction, for promoting healthy habits, for recruiting volunteers and supporting student achievement.

What's in your hallway
Are these 5 must-haves in your school hallway?

1. Water Bottle Filling Station: Encouraging kids to make healthy decisions starts with simple small acts like making clean, filtered water available throughout the day. With the ezH2O Bottle Filling Station from Elkay, students from elementary to high school can refill their reusable water bottle or cup in seconds. Encouraging the use of reusable bottles helps schools reduce their environmental impact while promoting healthy hydration. The eco-friendly ezH2O Bottle Filling Station is a sleek and modern addition to any school.

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For a limited time only, your school can enter for a chance to WIN an ezH2O Bottle Filling Station (with free installation) from Elkay and VolunteerSpot – that’s over a $2,000 value! Enter now and spread the word >>

2. Growth Mindset Bulletin Board: Helping students and educators shift from a fixed to a growth mindset? This approach to learning and education is revolutionizing classrooms, and one easy way to keep the growth mindset spirit alive is with this unique and colorful bulletin board idea.

Growth-Mindset-VolunteerSpot

Download the free printable signs to make your own bulletin board – click here.

3. Principals and Staff: A vital ingredient to an engaged student body is the presence of school and staff outside of the classroom. While kids are walking in the hallways or visiting their lockers between classes, even brief conversations and interactions with staff like principals, custodians, resource officers and guidance counselors can make a big difference. More than just providing adult supervision in the hallways between classes, having your staff mix and mingle with the student body in the hallways gives your students a chance to get to know their teachers better and meet staff that might otherwise be outside of their immediate school sphere.

4. Volunteer Sign-ups and Appreciation: Saving time with free, online sign-ups from VolunteerSpot? There’s still a way to make good use of school hallway real estate to engage parent helpers and school volunteers! Drive parents who are visiting your school to your online sign-ups from the offline world by:

  1. Posting an enlarged QR code in the hallway that parents can scan with their smartphones and which directs them to your online sign-ups
  2. Hang a volunteer poster that’s calling for help and shares a short link to your online sign-ups, i.e. We need volunteers for the school carnival! Go to vols.pt/school-carnival to sign up today!
  3. Post a parent volunteer in the hallway with an iPad during community events or fundraisers and use the free VolunteerSpot iPad app to sign volunteers up on the spot!

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5. Healthy Habits Door Decorations: Promote healthy habits in your student body with quick tips, hints and reminders on classroom doors and hallway bulletin boards. For example, share tips about getting enough sleep and sunlight, choosing healthy snacks, fun group exercise programs and social activities that students can get involved in after school, and the importance of staying hydrated and drinking lots of water.

Bonus: Don’t forget to enter the “Make a Splash in Your School!” Sweepstakes from Elkay and VolunteerSpot for a chance to win an ezH2O Bottle Filling Station! Ends 4/26. Now that’s healthy! Enter now >>


More about the Elkay ezH2O Bottle Filling Station:

Elkay ezH2O Bottle Filling Stations are the easy way to do the right thing for your school, students, and faculty. Making it convenient to keep kids continually hydrated during the school day, ezH2O stations  allow users to fill a 16 oz water bottle in about 7 seconds, now that's fast! ezH2O stations provide a free, healthy and convenient alternative to other beverages, encouraging kids to make healthy choices; and bottle counter technology helps users easily see how many bottles your facility has served. Learn more >>

Posted at 03:30 AM in Classroom Activities & Party Ideas, Fundraising Ideas, Volunteering at School | Permalink

Tags: additions to school hallway, bottle filling station for school, elkay ezh2o, growth mindset bulletin board, school bulletin board ideas, school hallway, school hallway ideas

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Teacher Appreciation Themes

Teacher Appreciation Week Ideas

Add a fresh, festive touch to this year's Teacher Appreciation Week with a fun and creative theme that weaves all your appreciation elements together - from food to gifts to thank you's! Check out an excerpt of this post on RoomMomSpot.com, 15 Teacher Appreciation Week Themes, and read the entire thing here.

Teacher Appreciation Themes

Looking for a creative, fresh theme for this year’s Teacher Appreciation Week? We’ve got you covered with a top 15 list below!

  1. Around the World > Take teachers are a much deserved trip around the world with food and festivities to match! Feature a different country’s cuisine every day, i.e. Tacos on Monday for Mexico, crepes on Tuesday for France, pasta on Wednesday for Italy, etc. Build an Eiffel Tower of school supplies and post “Thank you!” in many different languages on bulletin boards
  2. Super Hero > Make sure your teachers know how often they save the day with a superhero-themed Teacher Appreciation Week. Feature your favorite super hero’s in the school newsletter, have students write letters to their hero teachers, and decorate the staff lounge with hero inspired signs and action bubbles. More fun ideas from KarasPartyIdeas.com.
  3. Out of This World > Head into outer space with this Teacher Appreciation Week theme! Decorate your luncheon with stars and planets. Designate a day for teachers to get their “rocket fuel” with coffee and lattes brought in by parent volunteers. Play off phrases like “We’re over the moon about you!” and “You’re out of this world!” for door decs and bulletin boards.
  4. Dr. Seuss > Treat teachers to the fun and whimsy of Dr. Seuss with your teacher appreciation events! Add a photo booth to the teacher appreciation party with over-sized props for teachers to pose with. Incorporate kid favorites like Red Fish, Blue Fish and Cat in the Hat to your gifts and festivities. More ideas on TheCelebrationShoppe.com.
  5. Celebrity/Star Treatment > Roll out the red carpet for your favorite teachers with a Hollywood-themed Teacher Appreciation week. Decorate hallways and classrooms with star-studded walks of fame, serve decadent gourmet goodies at the teacher luncheon, and post a multi-flavored popcorn bar in the staff lounge.
  6. Beach/Luau > Take teachers to paradise with this Teacher Appreciation theme! Don’t forget the umbrella drinks and lei’s for the teacher luncheon, and give . . .

Tons more ideas over on RoomMomSpot.com!
Read the entire post, 15 Teacher Appreciation Themes, here.

 

Also see:

8 Last-Minute Teacher Appreciation Reminders

6 Unique Teacher Appreciation Events

Teacher Gift Do's and Don'ts

 

Posted at 04:53 AM in Classroom Activities & Party Ideas, I Support My School, Volunteering at School | Permalink

Tags: teacher appreciation themes, teacher appreciation week 2016, teacher appreciation week ideas, teacher appreciation week themes, teacher gift ideas, teacher luncheon themes

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5 Valentines for Teachers

Teacher Gift Ideas | Valentine's Day

Show your child's teacher some LOVE this Valentine's Day with a small, festive gift! Check out five of our favorite printable and DIY Valentine's teacher gift ideas below:  

Valentine Scratch Off via Oopsie Daisy

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Sweetest Teacher Prints via We Heart Parties

Teacher Valentine Printable 2_8bc1e8e5-cf01-4fe1-bf38-31fefd40e927

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Cookie Jar Gift via Lil' Luna

Valentine-cookie-jar-gift-1

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Hand Sanitizer via Craftiness Is Not Optional

Hand sanitizer

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Valentine's Gum Balls via Living Craftily Ever After

Gum ball

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Related:

10 Valentine's Day Gift Ideas for Volunteers

Classroom Valentine's Party Ideas

Love Your Teacher

Posted at 12:25 PM in Classroom Activities & Party Ideas, Volunteering at School | Permalink

Tags: teacher valentine ideas, valentine class party ideas, valentine's gifts for teacher, valentines teacher appreciation gifts

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5 Things to Do for Your Teen in the New Year

Tips & Resources for Parents of Teens

Thanks to Microsoft Learning for this great post!

Want to pave a bright path for your teen’s future? From digital parenting to financial planning and college preparedness, the resources for helping your teen succeed are but a click away. Check out our top 5 picks below:

5 Things to Do for Your Teen in the New Year

1. Check out Microsoft certifications: Did you know your teen could earn college credits before they even apply to school? Microsoft provides a unique opportunity for teens to acquire valuable IT skills and for parents to save big on college tuition. Microsoft professional certifications help your child:

- Demonstrate their skills on the latest technologies and real-life business challenges
- Achieve greater success in college
- Build outstanding resumes
- Increase employability while in college and after graduation

The American Council on Education (ACE) recommends bachelor and associate degree college credit for select Microsoft certifications including administering Microsoft Office, configuring Windows operating systems, as well as development and coding with HTML5 and Javascript programming languages. Additionally, Microsoft Certified Associates and Specialists on average make $16K more per year in employable salaries then their non-certified counterparts. Now that’s a bright future for your child! Learn more about the ACE program and Microsoft Certifications, click here.

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2. Start Planning Financially: How is your teen’s financial literacy? Do they already have their own job and bank account? For many, that answer is no, but that does not mean they can’t still learn about budgeting and saving money. We love this list of financial literacy tools and resources from NerdWallet.com, click here. And for parents, the teenage years are the time to learn about college savings plans (if you haven’t already) that make sense for your family, as well as what’s new in the way of student loans and government assistance for college. Check out StudentLoans.gov for the low-down on financial aid, responsible borrowing and financial counseling for college.

3. Help with Volunteer Ideas: A robust college or career path is paved with lots of service. Whether it’s through a club or group at school, or simply on their own, teens should prioritize community service, acts of kindness and helping others as they near graduation. Not only does it round out college and job applications, but it teaches vital life values like compassion, time management, leadership skills, and dedication. See: 5 Ways to Encourage Teens to Volunteer

Parenting Tips for Teens

4. Be a Good Digital Parent: Feeling lost in the digital environment your teen seems so apt to navigate? Quit over-monitoring and start mentoring – learn what the new apps are that your kids and their friends are using. Ask your kids to demo them for you and show you how they use them to communicate with others. And finally, talk to other parents! Ask what programs, apps and tech tools their kids are using – compare, share and collaborate. See: Overwhelmed by Apps? 3 Strategies for Parents

5. Teach Driver Safety: Whether your teen is a new driver or working on getting their license, driver safety simply can’t be emphasized enough. StopTextsStopWrecks.org reports, “In 2013, ten percent of all drivers 15-19 years old involved in fatal crashes were reported as distracted at the time of the crashes.” Talk to your kids about the importance of not texting while driving – it is both against the law and is super dangerous. Snapchatting, Instagramming, etc can be easy temptations for teens on the road too. Be aware of the real dangers and communicate with your teen often about them.

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Posted at 04:38 AM in Personal Organization Tips, Volunteering at School | Permalink

Tags: advice for parents of teens, microsoft certifications, microsoft learning, planning for college, student loan info, teen driver safety, teenager advice

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Halloween Party Sign-Up Sheet

Organize Class Helpers for the Halloween Party

Planning the classroom Halloween party? Quickly organize class parents to help with free online sign-ups with reminders! Recruit more parent volunteers to help with decorating, setup and cleanup, craft and game time, reading Halloween stories, you name it! Start planning
Classroom Fall Party Sign-Up
Room parents, teachers and class leaders can customize their sign-up with festive themes, badges, even the school logo! The class party sign-up link can be emailed to class parents, texted via Remind, and posted on social media and the class blog. Parents click or tap the link from their computer or smartphone and sign up within seconds - anytime, anywhere. And best of all, no passwords required!

Fall Party Sign-Up
 
Class parents can add their commitments to their online calendars right from the sign-up and automated reminders help keep everyone on track! Ditch the 'reply-all' emails and last-minute phone calls and save time (and stress) with free online class party sign-ups. Get started

And don't miss our NEW Halloween Class Party eBook with FamilyFun!

Posted at 04:24 AM in Classroom Activities & Party Ideas, Volunteering at School | Permalink

Tags: class party sign up, class party sign up sheet, halloween class party sign up, halloween party sign up sheet, halloween party sign-ups

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