In only a couple of weeks, May 7-11, Teacher Appreciation Week will be celebrated at schools across the country.  It is an opportunity to say “Thank You” to teachers, staff, and volunteers for the work they do all year long.  Whether educating children or adults, from elementary school to secondary to graduate programs, teachers show commitment, patience and caring to their students to ensure they receive the best education available to them.  It is important to take time to thank teachers and educators, so they know that they are appreciated and the work they do matters.  Do something meaningful and special that they will remember, such as sponsoring a light breakfast with coffee, tea, and fruit or offering a gift of something they can enjoy in their personal time, such as golf or gardening.  It doesn’t take much, but a simple “thank you” can mean the world and shows that you recognize the talent it takes to guide our leaders of tomorrow.

Yesterday was the kickoff of Kindness Week at my daughter’s elementary school.  Each day has a theme, with some special events.  Some of these include special dress-up days (since they have a dress code, this is a big treat!) – sports apparel day, to represent teamwork, and clash day, because everyone is unique.  There are giveaways throughout the week for each child, also, including shaped erasers and cookies from a local bakery.  Each student will also be getting a Kindness T-Shirt to wear during special days throughout the school year.  The kids are all very excited and are really looking to these daily events since they are actively participating in them, and the giveaways are a way to remind them of Kindness Week all year long.

Do you have any events planned for students this year?  Whether it is promoting kindness, teamwork, or school spirit, make it fun and encourage participation by planning special activities, such as lunches, scavenger hunts and pep rallys.  Giveaways such as pencils, coloring books, stickers, and spirit products can communicate your message, and keep it top of mind all school year!

It may be the middle of summer, but soon parents will be thinking about school supplies, if they haven’t already!

I recently received my daughter’s school list, and in a couple of weeks, we’ll be off to do our shopping.  She will be going into kindergarten, so her list consists primarily of glue sticks, markers and crayons, but there are certainly some items that are needed at all age levels.

If your school is hosting any orientation activities prior to the first day of school, consider some practical supplies as giveaways, and products that will be used throughout the year.

Pencils are great for any students – since they are erasable! – plus they come in mechanical, colors, and even scents!

Rulers offer space to really show off your school logo and are available in sizes from 6” to 36”.

For keeping students organized, don’t forget folders!  Younger students can use them for carrying papers home to mom and dad, and high school and college students can stay organized by subject.

Back to school time will be here before we know it, so check out 4imprint’s Back to School Supplies Store for more practical giveaways!

I am an incredibly sentimental person, and I have the ‘stuff’ to prove it.  Just ask my husband – I save everything!  Well, not literally everything, but items that commemorate special and important times in our lives – the clothes my babies wore when we brought them home from the hospital,  cards my husband has given to me over the years, and keepsakes from our wedding, just to name a few.  I even have things from college, which I had displayed proudly in my dorm room.

Some of things that I have hung to from my school years are picture frames and photo albums, ribbons and plaques.  I still look back from time to time, and when I get together with friends, it is always fun to go through memorabilia from those years.

As it nears the end of the school year, and graduation time approaches, students, educators, and parents will begin looking back and remembering the special times.  Take some time to be sure that the next couple of months will be enjoyable and memorable for all.  What can you give to students as a remembrance of the year?  How can you thank teachers and staff for all they’ve done?  How will you show appreciation for parents that have helped out with field trips, athletic events, or fundraisers?

In high school and college, I loved being able to cheer on my teams.  It was always so much fun to see the wave of school colors flowing through the stands.  With foam noodles, hands and claws imprinted with your school logo, fans can show their spirit all games and events.

Check out some of our team spirit products, including those below, and show your pride!

4imprint recently published a Blue Paper entitled Corporate Involvement in Schools, and I thought it would be very helpful for schools as they plan for the new school year.  Although it is directed at business, it can be a great resource on how you can partner with businesses to benefit your school.

Local companies can attend career fairs on your campus, to provide details on their industries or specialties to students. You could also work with a business to set up a work shadow program, which would allow students to follow local professionals for a day or two, to understand what is all involved in a career that interests them.  Beyond career information, there are also opportunities for collaboration on fundraisers, student performance incentives, and sponsorship opportunities.  The business that you partner with benefits by becoming more visible in the community, promoting their name, and possibly tax benefits from donations to the school, so teaming up becomes a win for both the school and the business.

Take a look at the Blue Paper, or listen to the Podcast.  There may be some ideas you want to pursue.

Are you already thinking about the upcoming school year, too?  I recently ran across an article in Teacher Magazine listing some suggested to-dos for new teachers, and it got me thinking about a newsletter that 4imprint published last year, about welcoming new staff members. I remember this one clearly, since I had mentioned it to some friends and family who are teachers.

Both the article and the newsletter have some great ideas on engaging students on day 1, introducing new teachers to the staff, and mentoring, to make the school year enjoyable for all. Maybe some of the ideas in these articles will work for your school, or maybe they’ll spark other ideas that you can use.  Either way, everyone should feel comfortable on the first day of classes!

I know this is a simple, value-priced product, but for those of us who love to read – especially business materials –  it’s a great item.  Also handy for spending quality time with contracts or other legal or detailed material.  Who doesn’t love that?

While I dropped my daughter off at daycare yesterday, I found a note in her cubby outlining some new things for the summer months.  First, and of most interest to her, was that we should bring in swimsuits, swimmers, and towels.  In the hot dog days of summer, which we have to take advantage of in Wisconsin, they will be splashing around in sprinklers and wading pools.  The second item was a request that all kids have mesh bags for their swim clothes, so the wet clothes and materials can breathe and not get moldy.

I thought this was a really great idea!  So I dug through my vast selection of bags and found a Soft Mesh Tote, which is the perfect size for my daughter’s swim gear.   It’s stylish as well, so, as always, she and I will look good as we carry her wet clothes home!