posted by Lisha
This year, we had a warm celebration of teachers appreciation week to honor the spectacular teachers and staffs at Brookvale elementary school. The planning started a few months before the event. We had received enormous help and support from Brookvale families and friends. We also invited business donations from our community to join the celebration, and were thrilled to receive kind responses. The following is the breakdown of the event preparation and acknowledgement.
Two months before:
We started to group the hospitality committee with the help of Rebecca C.. The committee members are Robyn, Li, Tania, Jenifer, Ling, Pingjiao, Rebecca L, Cynthia, Rebecca C and Lisha. Using the sponsorship letter and tax exemption documentation, we contacted business owners for sponsorship. We received sponsorship from Whole Foods Market, Lucky Supermarkets, Suju’s Coffee and Tea, Starbucks, Peet’s Coffee and Tea, Dales Hardware, BJ Travel, Grabber construction, P.F.Chang, Color Me Mine, Fremont Flowers, Boudin, Raley’s, Sprouts, Elephant bar, The Counter, Red Lobster, Olive Garden, The Dealer and Nothing Bundt Cakes. Li and Ling worked diligently on contacting the business owners.
One month before:
We used volunteerspot website to organize food and raffle prize donation. Pingjiao helped to setup the website and filled in all the donation information. During the donation sign up, we also asked families to provide their student name and classroom number so that we can acknowledge the family contribution during and after the event.
We were planning to bring in an exercise class to the teachers during one day of the week. However, due to venue restriction, we could not carry the plan through. Cynthia has worked hard on contacting yoga instructors.
During the planning stage, we received tremendous support from our school principal. In addition, Karen and Lena are amazing and helped out in many different ways.
Two weeks before:
A donation station was setup in the school office to receive parents’ donations. A DIY labeling station was provided for parents to label and register their gift donations. The station was created by Ling, Yan, Li and Pingjiao. Thank you.
Each of the teachers and staffs received this invitation card in their mailbox. The invitation card was designed by Rebecca L.. Rebecca also helped to update the PTA display window, PTA newsletter and website diligently for the event. Big high five to you, Rebecca.
One week before:
A blank card was sent to each of the student’s take home packet. Each student was asked to please color and decorate the hat, write a message on the card and return them on Monday. The idea was adopted from another mother who had successfully organized a “Hats off to my teacher” teachers appreciation week.
The Friday before the event:
Robyn made all the daily gifts for every teacher and staff. The gifts included homemade jam, magnet, note pad and gourmet popcorn. We also added grocery bags donated by Whole Foods Market and Dales Hardware. A special thank you note was attached to each of the gifts. Thanks to Robyn’s amazing talent and hard work, the gift sets were beautifully assembled.
We put out the teachers appreciation week poster in our PTA display window. We started to decorate the staff room on Friday night. Robyn collected a few quotes from students she met on campus. She asked them what you like about your teachers. The quotations are cute and sweet. They were great hits during the event.
We purchased white table cloth, checkered table runner while they were on sale. Tania made the spectacular sunflower arrangement in Mason jars for luncheon table center piece. Tira made beautiful rose arrangement in wine bottles wrapped in ropes to decorate the table. As for the raffle prize display, Jenifer completely amazed us with this clip on, simple and elegant display board. Thank you Tania, Tira, and Jenifer.
Now everything was ready, we could focus on the activities for the week. We again used volunteerspot website to coordinate sign ups with parent volunteers. We made everything look pretty, but we couldn’t have pulled off an event like this without the wonderful supports from families and friends in Brookvale. Pingjiao helped to setup the website and filled in all the volunteer information. During the event, we had wonderful parent volunteers to help setup, pick up and return food and coffee donations, replenish food throughout the day and clean up at the end of the school day. We confirmed the schedule with parent volunteers one day before the event. During the event, we displayed the menu for the day and added acknowledgement for business donation, parent donation and volunteer support.
Monday: Farmers Market Breakfast
We had coffee and tea donated by Suju’s Coffee and Tea. Robyn and her loving family and friends brought in breakfast items for teachers. Olivia also brought in homemade cookies made by Briana. We were thrilled to see Rebecca C. bringing in dozens of rose arrangement donated by Tira and Mike. At the end of the day, Suju’s coffee and tea generously provided us with the tea station to use till the end of the week. Volunteers for this day are Robyn, Tania, Jenifer, Rebecca C. Reena, Joyce, Stacie, Sujata and Nayana. Thank you.
Tuesday: Coffee and Snack Bar
We had coffee and hot water for tea donated by Starbucks. They came in early in the morning and were much appreciated. Lucky Supermarkets donated healthy snacks throughout the day, including Yogurt, mini muffin, fresh fruits, and granola toppings. Volunteers for this day are Tania, Lin, Reena, Beverley, Joyce and Sujata. Thank you.
Wednesday: Salad and Snack Bar
We had food platters including vegetables, fruits, wraps, cheese and deli meat donated by Whole Foods Market. Donations from Whole Foods were beautifully arranged in large trays. Lisha brought in salad and drinks that were purchased at Lucky Supermarkets with generous help from store manager T.C. Volunteers for this day are Jenifer, Zhongping, Mary, Ranjina and Li. Thank you.
Thursday: Wild Wild West Potluck and Raffle
Parents started to deliver food to the office around 8:20am at school on Thursday. We asked parents to deliver warm food around 11am so that food can stay warm for the luncheon starting at 11:30am. Again we provided labels for parents to label their plates (for the ease of return). For each plate, we also provide separate label cards to put on food name, and the donation information. By the time the luncheon started, food still continued to come in. In the end, we received 40+ donations for food and drink. We were completely overwhelmed. Here are the names of the parents who have contributed to the potluck luncheon: Alisa, Alka, Aparna, Beverley, Chunyan, Hongfang, IIiana, Mateo, Iqra, Jane, Jayashree, Jean, Jenifer, Jing-Wen, Jothika, Joyce, Kristine, Laura, Lei, Li, Lo Chi, May, Minu, Pele, Priya, Qingxing, Rajitha, Ranjina, Rebecca C., Stacie, Stephanie, Sujata, Suvidha, Swapna, Tammy, Tania, Tingyu, Trupti, Weijing, Wendy and Yoshimi. Thank you.
With the help of Tania, Jenifer and Pingjiao, raffle was conducted successfully during the luncheon. We clipped all the gift cards on the raffle display board. For each gift and gift card, we also provided a label card with donation information. This is easier for teachers to thank parents later after they received the raffle prize. Combining business donation and parent donations, we received gift/gift cards of 56+ sets. Here are parents to thank for: Anding, Aparna, Bryan, Tammy, Jane, Jenifer, Jennifer, Jing, Jing Wen, Joumana, Jun, Kat, Kelly, Li, Lisha, Mary, Masayo, Meena, Mrundlini, Nayana, Pingjiao, Qiaoping, Rebecca L., Reena, Sheryl, Sophy, Susie, Swapna, Tania, Trupti, Weijing, Xuefei, Yan and Zhongping. Thank you.
We also want to thank these business vendors for donating gift items for the raffle: BJ Travel, Grabber construction, P.F.Chang, Color Me Mine, Fremont Flowers, Boudin, Raley’s, Sprouts, Elephant bar, The Counter, Red Lobster, Olive Garden, and The Dealer. Li, and Ling worked hard on obtaining these gift card donations from businesses. Thank you.
Setup and cleaning up for this day were especially stressful. We would like to thank Tania, Sujata, Jenifer, Pingjiao and Rinku for their hard work.
Friday; A Sweet Thank You
Again, we were fortunate to have coffee and hot water donation by Peet’s Coffee and Tea. Thanks Ling for making the donation arrangement. Jeni brought in homemade cupcakes with chocolate chips. Yum! We also purchased cake sampler from Nothing Bundt Cakes with 50% discount. They were beautifully arranged and cut into bite sizes. The highlight of the day is the chocolate fountain brought by Michelle, an honorary member of Brookvale PTA. She has contributed many years of service to Brookvale community. Hats off to you, Michelle! Volunteers for this day are, Michelle, Zhongping, Rebecca C., Olga, Jennifer, Beverley, Roya and Sonali. Thank you.
There you have it. Everything we planned and did for teachers appreciation week at Brookvale Elementary School. We hope everyone involved took pleasure in the warm smiles and kind words of gratitude exchanged during the week. We could not have done this without your contributions of time and treasure! Thank you! Also special thanks to the TAW planning committee for coordinating the wonderful week, and thanks to our community business owners for their generous support. Finally, a big thank you to the wonderful teachers and staffs, you have made Brookvale an amazing school for all of us!