The last summer holiday is upon us, which means offices turn into ghost towns with a large number of people taking an extra day off around the holiday. Just because you’re still in the office instead of enjoying the last of the summer sun doesn’t mean you can’t have some fun! We’ve created a new free download of While You Were Out printable notes that you can use to surprise your co-workers when they return on Tuesday. 

 

Congratulations to Red Hat for their victory in Mental Gymnastics last week! Their spirited picture captured over 100 likes on Facebook ! Red Hat wins $200 credit to use towards awards, lapel pins, recognition tools, and gifts. Congrats!

 

The school year is coming to a close, and both teachers and students are looking forward to their summer vacations! Before school is out for summer, it’s important to thank the teachers for their hard work and dedication. After all, they spend a lot of time with your child!

When you package your end of the school year teacher gift, be sure to include a personal note or card. A handwritten note that mentions specific moments from the school year will make a huge impression on the teacher. Long after the gift has been used, the handwritten thank you will remain as a touching tribute to the teacher. You can also attach one of our free printable teacher appreciation Print and Posts for a fun appreciation message.

Here are five end of the school year teacher appreciation ideas that will say thanks:

1. School Supplies Tower.
Teachers are always in need of more school supplies! At the end of the school year, refill your teacher’s supply cabinets with crayons, notebooks, pencils, rulers, and more. Your teacher ill appreciate the practical gift, and the unique presentation will make the gift memorable! You can find several arrangements of this teacher appreciation idea on our Gifts for Teachers Pinterest board. 

2. Fun in the Sun.
Help your teacher get ready for a relaxing summer with a summer-themed gift. Arrange a beach towel, sunscreen, flip flops, and magazines or paperback books in a beach tote. You could also include a gift card to a local bookstore, so the teacher can choose her own beach reading or buy supplies for the classroom. Your teacher will be able to take the bag directly to the beach for some light reading and time in the sun! 

These teacher appreciation ideas are better than an apple!

3. Class Pictures.
For a truly personal end of the school year teacher appreciation idea, utilize pictures of the class from the school year. You can frame a class picture in an engraved photo frame with a personal message for the teacher, create a photo book, or work with a group of students to make a photo collage. 

April is National Volunteer Month, and I encourage organizations to honor their volunteers during National Volunteer Week, April 15-21. I’ve been able to learn a lot about volunteer through my work with local non-profit organizations on their events and my personal volunteer work. After all, one of the best ways to learn about appreciation is to be appreciated!

If you’re looking for volunteer appreciation ideas, I recommend you grab a cup of coffee and watch our 10 minute Recognition TV webisode. I share popular themes for volunteers and volunteer appreciation event ideas you can use this year.

 

In the video, I also recommend a few free resources that will help your volunteer appreciation event planning go smoothly. You can download all these resources from our Recognition Resource Center or by clicking on the links below.

Volunteer Appreciation Ideas eBook



Employee Event Planning Check List



Award Presentation Guide

 

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Cori is Baudville's in-house Recognitionista (she's officially a Certified Recognition Professional, too)  and a member of the Millennial generation. Get her employee recognition tips and special discounts by liking Baudville on Facebook. 

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and the best Valentine’s Day includes a small amount of planning and preparation. There’s nothing worse than waiting until Valentine’s Day and finding that all the restaurants are booked and every florist has sold out of flowers. 

Although you don’t have to take your team out to dinner on Valentine’s Day, celebrating the holiday can be a great opportunity for fun and team building. Whether it’s bringing in a plate of cookies (find lots of great holiday recipes on our Pinterest page!) or one of our free Valentine's Day downloads, February 14th is a lovely day to make your team feel appreciated.