Teacher Appreciation Week

Schools are really important to us here at American Playground Company. We give our all to create playgrounds that make children happy and healthy. While we are able do this through our Playground Heroes, today we’re celebrating another kind of superhero: Teachers!

Today is National Teacher Day, and the National Education Association and National PTA have teamed up to honor educators across the company. This day of recognition was established in 1984, and is observed on the local, state, and national level.

We’ve found a few resources to help you get involved and let that special teacher in your life know just how much they’re appreciated.

Start a GoFundMe campaign for a teacher through the PTA:

The PTA has partnered with GoFundMe during National Teacher Appreciation Week to help raise funds for classroom activities. Teachers, students, or parents are all able to set up an account in a their favorite teacher’s name to raise funds for field trip fees, school supplies, and other needs.

To make things even more super, GoFundMe will match $100 for each account that reaches $100 worth of donations from at least five unique donors by Friday, May 13th. The special PTA accounts are available to be created until Sunday, May 8th, and must include the hashtag #ThankaTeacher in the description to be eligible for fund-matching.

Create a homemade gift for your teacher:

The National PTA has put together a very useful Pinterest board full of clever gift ideas. Among the highlights from their blog are a homemade cell phone case project and a trio of apple dip recipes for a classroom snack. Their Promotional Toolkit also shares links for free, printable thank you cards and fliers!

Get Social:

Raise awareness about National Teacher Appreciation Week on social media! Share pictures and activities of how you’re celebrating and use the official hashtag #ThankaTeacher to get noticed! On Thursday, May 5th, the National PTA has invited everyone to join in by posting a Throwback Thursday post of their favorite teacher, as well.

Nominate a special teacher for a National PTA Life Achievement Award:

This award is the highest honor given by the organization, and is meant to recognize teachers who tirelessly devote themselves to the well-being of children. Presenting this award to a teacher at your school will foster goodwill among teachers, parents, and the community.

Keep an eye out for upcoming ways to celebrate your teachers:

National Teacher Appreciation Week isn’t the only special time of year that America recognizes and raises awareness for educators. Mark the week of November 14th through 18th on your calendar for American Education Week.