Send a box of sunshine to a friend that needs a boost. Here are all the printables you need to send these goodies in the mail.

Are you on the Sunshine Committee this year? Some schools call it Social Committee. Whatever the name, it serves the same purpose. Usually there is a little arm twisting at the beginning of the year to get staff members to pay their dues. If your school normally doesn't allow the staff to wear jeans, you might ask your administrator if your committee could give people who pay dues a "Jean Day Coupon" that allows teachers to wear jeans on one day of their choosing. It's like a "get out of jail" card. Through the years, there has been some grumbling at some of my schools about our committee. I think this happens when there are not clear cut guidelines. There needs to be guidelines in writing and transparency with the finances. Here are a few topics to discuss when you are ready to write some guidelines: Leadership: officers and their duties I highly recommend the treasurer giving a report at the faculty meetings at least quarterly. Boss Day in October: Will the committee purchase the gift? If so, what is the budget? Appreciation Day/Week: Which staff members do you recognize? How and what is the budget? Morale booster activities: when and budget Staff parties: When, where, budget Showers: baby/wedding - Does the committee provide anything for the shower, if so what is the budget. Is it for the first baby and first wedding or other? Death: Does the committee send something from the faculty? If so, what and what is the budget? What relationship to the staff member should it be when you do this? I.E. Immediate family member Holidays: Does the committee purchase holiday gifts for any staff members? If so, who and what is the budget? I typed up a few things that I have done at some of my schools that you might like, too. These are fun activities that boost morale. Do you have a staff member that is your PTA representative? If the PTA ask you for suggestions, you might suggest that they organize food during your conferences. I helped organize this at my daughter's middle school. Her school had a week of Parent-Teacher Conferences. Students had school for half a day and then teachers met with parents the other half. Our PTA organized food the first three days for the teachers. We knew that the teachers had conferences at different times and wouldn't eat at the same time so the food had to stay fresh for a long time. We organized a salad bar one day, a nacho bar another day, and heavy appetizers the final day. This was the most popular thing that our committee organized. Click HERE to download this freebie. Looking for more tips? Check out my Beginning of the Year Pinterest board. Click on the picture below. Fern has a few tips to share with you, too. Be sure to hop over to her blog! Each week, Fern and I will share a teacher tip. We love to read teacher blogs and the latest teacher idea books and hope you do, too! Stop by Fern's blog and my blog each week for our latest tips. We hope you will share your ideas, too. Each week we will choose one person who shared a tip on our blog who will get a $10 shopping trip. We will announce the winner on the following Tuesday's post. Click HERE to read Melinda's tip. Do you have a staff morale booster tip to share? Be sure to include your email so I can contact you if you're the winner of the $10 shopping trip. You must leave your email address in order to win. Looking for more ideas? Click on the pictures below. An InLinkz Link-up Sources to make my blog post graphics can be found HERE. Click HERE to read my blog's disclosure statement.

Staff Sunshine is something I love to spread at work! There are so many little things we can do each day to spread kindness to our fellow teachers, but sometimes it's fun to do things the entire staff participates in. You've been BOOd is the classic game we all know around Halloween time. A lot […]

Disqualifying The Positive is a mental filter or cognitive distortion characterized by a negative bias in thinking. It essentially means that a person downplays or overlooks a positive experience — instead, they attribute it to luck or coincidence. This type of thinking can lead to anxiety, perfectionism, and a diminished experience of joy.  The Disqualifying The Positive CBT Handout serves as a self-help or therapeutic resource for clients to identify instances where they may be dismissing positive experiences. It also guides them through the process of overcoming this thought pattern. Examples of tips found in the handout include noticing their assumptions and learning to accept positive feedback. Using this handout helps kids and teens develop a shift in their perspective. For example, if a friend compliments them on their appearance, they may dismiss it as mere politeness. However, by using the tips in the handout, they can begin to acknowledge the compliment more genuinely. Our CBT Handouts Bundle includes this and 18 other handouts sharing information on many common cognitive distortions and CBT treatment concepts. *This item is an instant digital download. A link to download your files will be emailed to you once payment is confirmed. Want more resources like this? Check out our full catalog of CBT worksheets and handouts. References: Boothby, E. J., & Bohns, V. K. (2020). Why a simple act of kindness is not as simple as it seems: underestimating the positive impact of our compliments on others. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 47(5), 826–840. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167220949003 Vassilopoulos, S. P., & Banerjee, R. (2010). Social interaction anxiety and the discounting of positive interpersonal events. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 38(5), 597–609. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1352465810000433

Does your school have a Sunshine Committee? Or another way to help spread happiness to your staff throughout the year? I have always loved the Sunshine Committee at my school and have always appreciat

If you work as a school administrator, a parent volunteer, or a member of a school sunshine committee, you probably already know just how important staff morale is. Keeping staff morale high is crucial to creating a warm and welcoming school environment. Teachers and other school staff members work hard! Let's help them feel appreciated and boost staff morale this fall with some fun and fresh ideas! Fall is a Great Time for a Staff Morale Boost Fall is a fun time in any school environment. Depending on when your school started for the year, the fall months of September, October, and November mean that students and staff have settled into a new routine. Once the hectic air of back-to-school season has left the building, fall feels like a warm and cozy hug for most of us! As a long-time chairperson of my school's sunshine committee, fall was one of my favorite months to embrace special activities and events to boost staff morale. There are so many great themes to play on in the fall, plus it's a good idea to build those staff relationships before the holiday season rolls around! Today I'm sharing some ideas that are great for any time of year, but they're especially suited to fall! So if you're looking for new ways to recognize staff in your school, here are 5 fun ideas to inspire you. 1. Apple Buffet Nothing screams fall like all things apple in the Midwest! When I came up with the idea for an apple buffet, I was inspired by the local apple orchard just up the street from where I lived. If you've ever visited an apple orchard, you know there's a certain kind of "fall magic" that you can just feel in the air. The humble apple is a most prized fruit and is used to make all kinds of wonderful fall treats. Make the most of apple season in your area with an apple buffet for staff members! I did this by purchasing a variety of apples, and putting them out with all kinds of toppings. Some fun toppings include caramel sauce, chocolate sauce, crushed cookies, chopped nuts, and coconut. On the day of, simply set up a buffet table with paper plates, napkins, apple slicers, apples, and toppings. As staff pass the table, they can choose an apple, slice it, and dress it up! This resource includes announcement signs, decorative posters, sign-up sheets, ingredient labels, and reminder tags to make setup and planning a breeze. You can also decide if you'd like to run this as a potluck-style event or provide all of the ingredients yourself. Either way, this is a fun idea to celebrate autumn, and boost staff morale! 2. Jeans Day Certificates As a teacher who worked in a school with a strict dress code, nothing was better than having a "Jeans Day"! And once fall rolls around, it's even better to be able to wear your coziest pair of jeans to school! Since I loved wearing jeans so much, and I knew my colleagues did too, using certificates for "Choose Your Own Jeans Day" was a total no-brainer. When I ran the sunshine committee, we used these certificates as a prize for staff meetings, to celebrate holidays, and more. School administrators loved handing these out when they observed great lessons being taught during observations as well! Everyone loved getting the option to wear jeans on any day of their choice, and it's a great inexpensive option to add to your list of ways to thank staff for their hard work. 3. Soup Potluck Does your school have potlucks from time to time? We had them often, and while they were usually holiday-themed, my favorite was our annual Soup Potluck in the fall. Everyone loved not having to bring their lunch to school that day! Plus, what is more cozy and comforting than soup? To host a soup potluck, I put out sign-up sheets well in advance to make sure we had a nice variety available. On the day of, I set up enough tables to hold everything and provided power strips for everyone to plug in their slow cookers. In the morning, staff would come in and set up their pot along with little tags that said what kind they brought. When lunchtime rolled around, everyone was so excited to taste test different soups and enjoy them with bread or crackers. I love the sense of community that comes with potlucks! It's always fun to host this on a Friday, or the day after a big local football game was held. This resource helps make planning and executing a soup potluck fun and simple. Included, are announcements, sign-up sheets, a timeline for a successful soup day, reminders, room décor, and more! 4. Staff Appreciation Post-It Notes Over the years, I have discovered that one of the BEST ways to boost staff morale is through small tokens of appreciation. That's why I love these Post-it notes so much! They're simple and easy to use, and always leave a big impact. This resource comes with 18 different messages that will brighten any staff member's day. Simply choose your template, affix your post-its to it, and load them into the printer. Add a personal touch after printing and you're good to go! Then, pop these on your colleagues' desks, on a car window, on a wall, or in another spot you know they'll find it. These are a fun and easy way to show that you're thinking of them and that their hard work is appreciated! These are also nice to hand out (unfilled) to staff members so that they can recognize each other throughout the year. 5. October Staff Boo This last idea is perfect for the month of October, and SO much fun! This activity begins slowly and picks up speed as other staff members get involved. Start it at the beginning of the month for the most fun! To implement it, you will begin the chain by making 2 copies of the BOO sign included in this resource. You'll choose colleagues to BOO and pick up a special treat for them at a drive-through, or grocery store. Finally, you'll leave the signs and treats at their desk and place another sign on the door. When the staff member finds their sign and treat, they continue the chain by doing the same. The pace picks up as more and more staff are BOOed throughout the building! This is always a staff favorite and such a wonderful way to boost staff morale. This resource comes in handy when used alongside the Staff Favorites Book as well. That way everyone will have plenty of treat ideas to get for their colleagues! Have Fun Boosting Staff Morale this Fall Which of these staff morale-boosting activities was your favorite? It's hard to choose, and the good news is that you don't have to! In fact, I have found that including lots of activities like these throughout the year is the best way to help ensure that staff know they're appreciated and keep morale high. Plus, activities like these make any school more fun to work at, which was always reason enough for me! Have fun planning your own staff morale events and activities this fall! If you'd like to take a closer look at these resources, along with lots of others, you can check them out in my TPT shop!

Explore over 90 lively Spanish words capturing the essence of spring inviting you to immerse yourself in the season's rejuvenating beauty.

Hey hey hey! I wanted to bring you another staff sunshine idea and freebie! This one is QUICK and EASY! It is nearing the end of the year, so the time and energy we have is limited! I still think it is important to value and appreciate our staff though—ESPECIALLY during this stressful and trying time! […]

Hey, y'all!!! Kacey is taking a break from her Friday Five linky... and Cara over at the First Grade Parade is filling in for awhile with Favorite Pins Friday. Since I have been out of school... I have kinda used Pinterest as professional development. It counts, right? I also believe that I have Pinterest ADD. My pins are so scattered sometimes. I usually find tons of inspiration from what my friends have already pinned {they're cool like that}... but sometimes I like to be edgy and click on "everything" and see what comes up! Anywho... here's some of my favorite pins this week: Teaching related: This idea from Makoodle is just what I need! I always take the kiddos pictures on the first day holding the frame that says "First Day of First Grade" but with the yucky cinder block wall behind them. This is going to make a HUGE difference this year. {and cheap} How cool is this idea from Ashley over at Just Reed?!?! I think this is really eye catching and that parents would really dig it. Added it to my list of things to do when I go back for pre-planning! Last teaching one... this is from Sheryl at Notable Music Studio. What a neat idea to make kidlets think about slowing down while they do their work. Chuckle: Bwahahaha.... right? I hate getting up in the morning. Saw this on Pinterest and almost snorted my coffee out! So true...and so stinkin' funny! Funny, right? :) This one doesn't go back to an original pin... just an image! BUT... whoever made this one deserves a prize. 'Cause it is FULLY AWESOME! Nom Nom Nom: This looks like heaven on a plate.... from Not Quite Nigella! Grilled Steak Tacos with Cilantro Chimichurri Sauce from Feasting at Home!!! I've got lots of other good ones... but going to keep my post short and sweet. Do you follow me on Pinterest? If you don't... you can click HERE to find me! Hope y'all are having a FAB Friday... and that your weekend will be amazing!!! Talk to you soon!

Spring Coloring Sheets Packet These coloring sheets were made to help get students in the spirit of the upcoming season. The packet includes 12 pages that are ready to be printed. ➤Check out more fun spring activities here, and don't forget to check us out on Pinterest!Terms of Use ©Cocoa's Classroo...

One of my favorite YouTube clips of little kids doing yoga is from Lani Rosen-Gallagher of Full of Joy Yoga. Being inspired to try it out, I made some suns and used them in my OMazing Kids Yoga gr…

Creating a joyful school staff is one of the most important things a principal can do. Read this veteran principal's tips on how to go about doing this.

These FREE Printable Calming Coloring Pages for Moms are so fantastic for stress relief and they are fun too!

To quiet your inner critic and stop negative self-talk, these self compassion affirmations are your best friend!

Some of you might be participating in National Novel Writing Month, otherwise known as NaNoWriMo . I found a few fun resources that might be of interest to you if you're one of the brave and ambitious souls to take on this challenge! Even if you're not participating in NaNoWriMo, this is a good art

Im sure Im not really showing you guys anything new with these DIY cupcake holders / pedestals....

Download this Free Vector about Larkspur by William Morris , and discover more than 15 Million Professional Graphic Resources on Freepik

Here’s a secret, special way to get a housing voucher. In some situations, it is possible for someone to magically convert a subsidized apartment into a housing voucher. It’s not easy to do, and no…

One Instantly downloadable crochet pattern. The Summer Stroll Pencil Skirt pattern is the epitome of effortless chic, combining comfort with style for a look that’s uniquely you. Featuring textured stitches and minimalist border details, this skirt exudes laid-back elegance and is perfect not only for casual outings but also office wear. Available in sizes XS-XL, you can crochet a straight skirt that fits you like a dream. Yarn used here is Cotton Kings in 500g Cones 100g(3.5oz)/340m(372yds) 8/4 fingering weight 100% cotton. You can use any equivalent yarn, making sure that the yardage is the same or similar to the one used here. The Summer Stroll Pencil Skirt pattern is a must-have for any crochet enthusiast looking to create a timeless piece - a spring/summer wardrobe staple with a touch of sophistication! With clear instructions and helpful diagrams, this pattern is suitable for crocheters of all levels, from basic to advanced. Get the Summer Stroll Pencil Skirt pattern today and create your own fashion statement! NOTE. Get a matching Summer Skies Sleeveless Top HERE I regularly update my shop with new patterns for unique items, so come and visit again! For more patterns click HERE Please note: You are buying a PDF crochet pattern and not the completed item shown in the picture. All crochet and knitting patterns are in English using American crochet terminology. All patterns are available for download after purchase. You will need Adobe Reader (or a similar program) installed on your computer in order to view and/or print the PDF file. There are no shipping fees for the pattern. Feel free to ask any questions. Thank you for visiting!