Do you do group gifts for your teacher?

[Hethyr]

I'm organizing one for the kindy teacher, and then realized there's also another teacher who is their 'main' teacher for 3 other subjects. I would like to add her and get her something too. That's warranted right? I guess if parents don't respond for her then I won't get her a group gift but only something from us.

And then I realized it would be great to do this for the preschool teacher staff. Now this may get confusing, I'm sorry. There's Teacher A (main teacher), Teacher B (her assistant who is ALWAYS in the room) and then Teachers C and D who rotate through the two preschool classrooms. Then there are 4 other specialist teachers - speech therapist, psychologist, occupational therapist and another special ed teacher - one of which is nearly always in the room at any point but they also rotate. The teachers all interact with all kids, of course. The specialist do as well, but then they also have their 1-1 time with certain kids who need their focus. There's also the AM and PM classes.

Here's what I'm thinking. For Teacher A and B putting together a fund to get them something from both the AM and PM classes combined (hoping for more of a donation and better gift cards). Do I also do this for Teachers C and D but divy less of the overall to them? And I figure with the specialists, probably just the parents who kids' work with them would really want to donate so should I also collect for them or should I let them give those teachers something if the parents want to and not worry about it? That's a lot of teachers! Please help me. :giggle

Please give me your opinions and how you have done things in the past. I would greatly appreciate it!!!

[Cara]

Seriously have posted twice and it deletes each time I hit submit.
Even shorter condesned version
We don't do group holiday teacher presents. Never have, no class of any of the kids ever has. Not everyone likes to do holiday gifts as they are already strapped with gifts for their family and their kdis. We do end of year group gifts and typically everyone particpates.
If you do do group I would do it this way. Collect money same amount from everyone ($10 for example) $3 for each lead teacher and $1 for each specialist and then you know ahead of time and can tell people what you are getting and takes less time to figure out amounts. Lead teachers get twice as much as specialist because they spend more time (just like head coaches get more than asst coaches).
When I am less irritated with the system I will come back and clean up and better explain my response.

[Hethyr]

Thanks Cara! I figure it's voluntary if they contribute, so that takes care of if they don't want to give a gift (I made sure in the email I've already sent out for the kindy class that it's only if they want to contribute so I hope that takes care of that part) and have already received several emails from parents thanking me for organizing this because they want to do something but didn't know what (and now they can contribute $5 for a gift card). Does that sound like what you mean?

For the preschool class, I was thinking gift cards, again, because then it doesn't matter (really) what amount we come up with. If I'm following what you said, your example is $3 each for Teacher A and B right? Teachers C and D would be $1 each (for example), right?

Thank you! I'm sorry it deleted your response! :( I've had that happen before it's frustrating!!!! (And to be safe I'm copying this before I hit post...maybe my thread is jinxed! - update - it's not, mine posted. I'm sorry you had trouble! And thank you for sticking with it long enough to get it to post something. <3)