Facilitating a Volunteer Appreciation Reception

Everyone loves a "thank you." 

 

Volunteers are more likely to return the following year if they feel appreciated and can see the "fruits" of their efforts.  One way I do this is by facilitating the Volunteer Appreciation Reception every year.

 

Here are a few key tips to help make your Volunteer Appreciation Reception successful:

1. Provide teachers with a paper copy (bi-lingual if needed) of the invitation that they can send home for any parents or individuals that volunteered in their classroom.  The paper copy should have a place for volunteers to RSVP.  Once returned, teachers should return the RSVP form to your mailbox.
2. If your volunteers are tech-savvy, create electronic invitations and be sure to include a RSVP.
3. Make the kids part of the reception!  Individuals volunteer because they love children.  Our kindergarten students sang and did hand motions to the song, "You've Got a Friend in Me" this year.  Our 1st grade students decorated flowers for the place settings.  Our Student Lighthouse Team greeted volunteers as they arrived.
4. Create name tags so that volunteers can mingle without the awkwardness.
5. Have the principal, a teacher, yourself, or all 3 share a super short heartfelt thank you speech to the volunteers. 

Our Volunteer Appreciation Theme this year was, "Thank You for Helping Us Bloom!"

School-wide College Exploration for the Elementary School

In the main hallway, I created a hallway display with teacher's pictures (visual) and their name listed under where they attended college.

 

In addition to the visual display, every morning, I chose a teacher to give a one-minute overview of their college experience during the morning announcements. Some chose to talk about time management, while others talked about intermural sports. Students were excited to find out about their teachers' college experience.

 

The college exploration project was a success in introducing students to the world of college!