Teacher Gifts

Toward the end of April, Arizona public schools along with many of their staff and families were moved to put pressure on their governor and legislators to push for better funding for the schools and better pay for our teachers and support staff. Our schools are vastly underfunded and our staff are dreadfully underpaid, and following in other states' methods for bringing these dire conditions to the public eye and demand to be heard, a state-wide teacher walk-out happened. We stood proudly with our PTA and staff and fully support the RedForEd movement that swept through the state. It was a wonderful way to expose Evelyn to how a democracy works, and we participated in several walk-ins at her school, donated to unpaid support staff and their families during the walk-outs, and made and held up signs in our neighborhood with other students and teachers.

Showing our support the day after the walk-outs were announced. [04/25/2018]

This put so much more emotion into how much gratitude I wanted to convey to our teachers and staff in particular for Teacher Appreciation Week. However, I didn't have as much time as I would have liked to come up with something... better. So this year for Teacher Appreciation, I made a bunch of small gift card holders that can also attach to keys or a purse or a lanyard for teachers and aides, each with a gift card in them.

Just a simple slip pocket with a gift card in it, and Evie's little thank you note for one of our support staff.

The back. I was able to use all sorts of fabric that I had already!

I made 19 of these (yes, 19, but I included all of Evelyn's aftercare teachers and directors, the principal, the librarian, the specials teachers, and the office staff who regularly work with Evie and have made this year so smooth for us as a new family at our school), then Evie added her little notes, helped pick out gift cards, and handed them out to her teachers. I didn't really use any kind of pattern or tutorial, I just used what I had around. My favorite reaction was from the school health aide, who got so excited that she could clip it to her scrub top and keep her bandaids in it. =)

For the end of the year, I only prepared one gift for Evelyn's Kindergarten teacher. Her class aide had quit the week of Teacher Appreciation week, otherwise I would have prepared something for her, as well. With TA week so close to the end of the year, we kind of treated TA week as the bigger deal for a lot of the other staff members.

But for her Kindergarten teacher, who has been simply amazing with Evelyn and the rest of her class, taking so much time to work with us parents and providing a comforting, nurturing environment so that our kids could have a solid base for the rest of their school years, we definitely have something on hand to give to her on the last day.

I decided to make her a cord keeper/organizer with detachable pouch. I modified this tutorial so that the closure is two long straps to tie it shut. I felt this way, if she took out the pouch and rolled it up, the closure would still work. This could be used for cords as well as various markers, brushes, maybe even for other travel toiletry type stuff if she wanted, and I made the pouch with a PUL lining in case she felt like keeping makeup or other things that could mark up fabric. I hope she finds it useful!

Closed up with the wrap-style tie.

Unrolled. Love the peeking panda fabric!

The snaps I added so that the pouch could be used separately if she wants.

We also threw in a Fandango gift card, some of her favorite treats, and a homemade card with it in a gift bag. I had Evie give it to her the morning of Kindergarten Promotion.

And since I brought it up, I'll end with Evie's Kindergarten graduation picture because I love it so much. =)