School Celebration Newsletter | May 2022 Edition

Apr 29, 2022, 15:11 PM by David Morrill
How in the world did we get to the month of May so quickly? May is a month full of celebrations, which is often needed to help staff and school leaders push through to the end of the school year. This is the month we celebrate our teachers, nurses and lunch heroes. However, there are also a ton of other fun and simple days to add to your calendar to bring joy, fun, and laughter to your staff. I want to encourage you to go outside the traditional celebrations and have some fun with your staff this month. As always feel free to reach out to me if I can support your work. We are in this together and I absolutely believe in you.


Celebrations

It's May 

How in the world did we get to the month of May so quickly? May is a month full of celebrations, which is often needed to help staff and school leaders push through to the end of the school year. This is the month we celebrate our teachers, nurses, and lunch heroes. However, there are also a ton of other fun and simple days to add to your calendar to bring joy, fun, and laughter to your staff. I want to encourage you to go outside the traditional celebrations and have some fun with your staff this month. As always feel free to reach out to me if I can support your work. We are in this together and I absolutely believe in you.


A Few Must Celebrate Days in the Month of May 

May 3
May 6
May 11

May 3 

National Teacher Appreciation Day 

May 6 

School Lunch Hero Day 

May 11 

National School Nurse Day 

May Days of Celebration

May 3 | National Teacher Appreciation Day—Turn your staff room into a serenity room, have students write notes of appreciation or sign a banner that reads “Our School has the BEST Teachers”.

May 4 | There are some amazing days of celebration on the fourth. Let your imagination go wild on this one. It is National Star Wars Day (May the 4th be with you), Bird Day, AND National Weather Observers Day. Here are a few ideas for this awesome day: 

A. Star Wars | Utilize Yoda quotes throughout the day, pass out lightsaber candy sticks (found on Amazon or in many grocery stores) go around the school and pass these out telling the recipients “Oh, the force is strong with you. You will achieve great things.” 

B. Bird Day|This one is especially fun if your school mascot happens to be a bird—If you have a bird mascot you could create a scenario that this National Holiday is all about YOUR special bird. They could dress up and walk around with balloons as if it was created just for them. Add in party hats and the singing of happy birthday to really take it to the next level. OR incorporate this into your science lessons where classes go on a walk to bird watch OR you could hide pictures of birds throughout your school as part of a scavenger hunt and provide each staff member with a card that identifies each missing bird. Staff write the location of the bird on the card and turn it in at the end of the day to be in a raffle (Or they could send you a selfie with the birds they find throughout the school)

C. National Weather Observers Day|Create a dress-up day for your students and staff where they can dress up for their favorite weather. (eg snow-dress like they are going skiing; rain- umbrella and rain pants; sun-sunglasses. Note: you may have to remind the staff about dress codes on this one) 

May 5 | Cinco de Mayo
I LOVE this day!! I could honestly eat tacos every day of the year. Celebrate by filling a piñata with treats of snacks and office supplies (post-its, sharpies) AND have a nacho or taco bar. You truly can not go wrong with this day.

May 6 | School Lunch Hero Day
Celebrate your food service workers today. This year reach out to not only the heroes in your own school that help feed your students but also remember those that work behind the scenes delivering and dealing with the ordering of food and processing the paperwork. Encourage students and staff to celebrate this day with cards, signs, notes, and words of thanksgiving.

May 6 | National Beverage Day
Load the refrigerator or your treat cart with beverages for staff.

May 11 | National School Nurses Day AND National Eat What You Want Day
First of all, you must do something to celebrate your School Nurse. Especially after the crazy rollercoaster, they have gone through the last 2 years this is a MUST do holiday. Flowers, student, and staff thank you notes, lunch provided, decorations, treats throughout the day. With it also being National Eat What You Want Day provide your school nurse with all of their favorite treats and then branch out to the staff with a treat cart and have staff choose a fun snack they would like or have a celebration potluck for all to enjoy these two great holidays. 

May 12 | National Limerick Day
Use limericks to make announcements, say thank yous, and as you interact with students—be creative or just google a few limericks to have ready to go.

May 13 | Easy One ALERT!! National Apple Pie Day
Go to the grocery store and purchase individual apple pies for your staff in honor of this day. "You are the 'APPLE' of our eye. Thank you for all you do."

May 16 | National Do Something Good for Your Neighbor Day
Encourage students to do a random act of kindness in celebration of this day all week. Have students take a picture and post their good deeds to your school's social media sites. This is great PR for your school and is something we should always be modeling as leaders. 

May 17 | National Pack Rat Day
This is a day to encourage students and staff to clean up desks, backpacks, school bags, lockers, and that scary staff refrigerator.

May 19 | National Devil's Food Cake Day
Nowadays you can purchase these as cupcakes or cookies. This might be a great way to help your staff get their chocolate fix today.

May 20th is LOADED with fantastically fun days:

  • National Be a Millionaire Day |Purchase 100 Grand Candy Bars for today to celebrate.
  • National Pick Strawberries Day|Have a variety of strawberry and strawberry flavored items that staff can choose from.
  • National Pizza Party Day|Ask your PTO to purchase a pizza for lunch for staff today.
  • NASCAR Day |Decorate a table, staff room, or snack wagon with checkered flags. "We Are Zooming Towards the Finish Line." Have the Chex mix available along with beverages and decorate with hot wheels cars.

May 23 | National Lucky Penny Day
Grab a few index cards and tape a penny on each one. Write a note on each one and hand them out to your staff. Ideas include- “You are a lucky penny for your students” “Every day we work together I consider myself lucky” “How did I get so lucky to hire you?” 

May 24  | National Scavenger Hunt Day and National Escargot Day
Hide a few pictures of Gary the snail from SpongeBob and the staff that find them win a prize.

May 25 | National Brown Bag It Day
Hide different treasures or party favors in brown bags and have staff choose these grab bags for a special treat. Go around with a treat wagon and have staff randomly grab one of these surprise bags. 

May 26 | National Paper Airplane Day
Have a paper airplane competition for staff to participate.

May 27  | National Grape Popsicle Day
It's been a "grape" of a year. Hand out popsicles this Thursday afternoon.

May 27  | National Road Trip Day (This is the Friday before Memorial Day)
Make a road trip goodie bag for all of your staff. Include bottled water, granola bar, licorice, a pack of gum, lifesavers, and a note to encourage them to charge their batteries over this 3-day weekend.

May 31 | National Macaroon Day AND another one of my favorites which is National Smile Day.
Surprise your staff as they return from Memorial Day Weekend with a tray full of a variety of macaroons and then add notes of appreciation and kindness on post-its in the staff bathrooms and in the staff room that will make them smile and remind them you care.


Cindy has over 20 years of administrative experience. She is currently the Alternative Learning Education Administrator for the Kelso School District where she serves as the principal of Loowit High School and the Kelso Virtual Academy. Cindy has two teenagers and has been married for 21 years to her husband Leszek. She was named one of three 2021 National Digital Principals of the Year by the National Association of Secondary School Principals. Follow her on Twitter at@sholtys.


Sharing is Caring

We want to see these in action! Tag us on Facebook or Instagram, or mention us on Twitter, with some photos of these cool recognitions in action. Every month, we'll pick one lucky school as a winner and send over $100 to cater a staff lunch.