December 7th
“Pricey Teacher Gifts”
An article on the front page of the Boston Globe caught my eye this morning. Titled “Schools Caution About Pricey Teacher Gifts,” it was about the fact that several public school officials have recently written parents to caution them about “going overboard with gift-giving to teachers.” New legislation apparently makes it illegal for a teacher to receive a gift valued at more than $50 from a student.
I’ve heard independent school administrators talk about this phenomenon as well. Receiving valuable gifts is commonplace for some teachers at some schools. I know school heads who lament the practice but find it difficult to end. Even though teachers love to get really nice gifts (who doesn’t?), it creates an awkward situation for them, and it changes the relationship between that teacher and the student. It also creates a very awkward situation for those students who don’t have either the means or the intent to give a “pricey gift.”
At GUS, we addressed this problem a long time ago with the institution of the “Snowflakes” project. It’s a way to honor teachers that also provides a community service and avoids the problem of teachers receiving expensive gifts. I’m not sure whose idea it was; the program already existed when I arrived here in 1997. The past several years GUS teachers have been “honored” to the fantastic sum of more than $7,000 each year, money that goes directly to support the community outreach efforts of Beverly Bootstraps. At $2 a snowflake, that’s more than 3,500 tributes to our fantastic faculty from our fabulous students and parents.
It’s an emotional experience every year when we present the check to the director of Beverly Bootstraps at the Solstice Assembly. I am moved by the generosity of our families and the fact that this represents a true outpouring of appreciation for our faculty. Pricey gifts are nice, but the good feeling that comes from the Snowflakes program lasts a whole lot longer.
Trust and Go Forward,
Raymond Nance
Head Boar
POSTED BY: Tweets that mention “Pricey Teacher Gifts” | Raymond Nance -- Topsy.com December 10th 08:58AM
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