Teachers at Dover’s East Elementary are deemed ‘Tiki-riffic’ during National Teacher’s Week celebrations

  • By Jennifer Kneuss
  • May 3, 2011
  • 701
Teachers at Dover’s East Elementary are deemed ‘Tiki-riffic’ during National Teacher’s Week celebrations
Teachers at Dover’s East Elementary are deemed ‘Tiki-riffic’ during National Teacher’s Week celebrations
Teachers at Dover’s East Elementary are deemed ‘Tiki-riffic’ during National Teacher’s Week celebrations
Teachers at Dover’s East Elementary are deemed ‘Tiki-riffic’ during National Teacher’s Week celebrations
Teachers at Dover’s East Elementary are deemed ‘Tiki-riffic’ during National Teacher’s Week celebrations
Teachers at Dover’s East Elementary are deemed ‘Tiki-riffic’ during National Teacher’s Week celebrations
                        
Summary: The parents and students at one local elementary school love their teachers, and go all out to show it during National Teacher’s Week. Teachers have their rooms decorated, receive gifts all week long, and end the week with a luau lunch. There was a tropical spirit in the air at Dover’s East Elementary during the first week in May, as parents transformed the interior halls, walls, and doors of the school building into a tropical paradise, as volunteers honored the school staff during the week of National Teacher’s Day, from May 2 through 5. “This year, our theme is ‘Our Staff is Tiki-riffic’, with a luau theme,” explained Chella Wherley, Parent Teacher Group (PTG) president. Each staff member had a set of ‘surfboards’ displayed in the halls, including ‘Big Kahuna Compton’, Cowabunga Conrad, Conkle the Crusher, and other fun monikers. Palm trees with tropical birds were placed throughout the school, and the library entrance was graced by a large tiki hut with palm trees, flamingos, and Hawaiian dancer figures. The school office even sported luau décor, with its own tiki hut and grass skirted desk. “The PTG has it planned that each teacher will get something every day. On Monday the students brought in notes of appreciation to their teacher; Tuesday and Thursday gifts are up to the head room mother, or they bring in stickers, stamps, pens, and other items to replenish the teacher's stash of supplies for next year. Or, they bring in the teacher’s favorite snack or drink,” said Wherley. “On Wednesday the students bring in a cut flower from their yard such as lilacs, tulips, or daffodils, and the teacher ends up with a nice big bouquet of flowers. On Friday we are having the students wear a Hawaiian shirt,” continued the PTG president. “The PTG also puts little surprises in the teachers’ mailboxes every day. They got leis the first day, for: "Thanks for Lei-ing our educational foundation.” On Tuesday they received a little tiki cup full of salt water taffy, Wednesday they get palm tree boxes with candy pineapples for:"Palms down, you are the best". Then on Thursday they will get "Almond Joy candy bars: "Thanks for sharing your joy of learning". Friday they will get a tall tiki glass "for having a smooth year", and they will bring the glass to the Friday luau to get a smoothie drink. Friday we will end the week with a luau lunch for the teachers.” “It is always fun to come to work on Monday morning of this week, and go through the halls to see the decorations,” commented Barb Lengler, who has taught first graders at East for 31 years. Fourth grade teacher Sarah Fry, who just moved to a new house and had to leave her flowers behind, was delighted when her students presented her with a very special Tuesday gift. “It smells great in here, and since the children knew my favorite color was purple, they brought me a lot of purple and pink flowers,” said Fry, as she motioned to the plants spilling across the surface of her desk. “I have a purple spiderwort, a butterfly plant, a fern, and other things that will come up each year. This is the nicest teacher appreciation day ever. I was shocked. I almost teared up, because it was so sweet.” Jason Statler’s fifth graders thought of the perfect gift for their teacher. “My students all wore red and gray today, for my two favorite teams, Dover and Ohio State. It was great,” said Statler. “That was the best gift they could have given me.” “I have been blessed with some wonderful PTG presidents and parents…they have done a fantastic job,” exclaimed 19 year East Elementary principal Jud Compton. “What a great lift this is around national teachers’ day! The parents come up with a new theme every year. We are coming off a week of very intense testing and preparation, this is a great way for us as we start to wind down a little at the end of the year.” “As the PTG president, it is so much fun organizing teacher’s appreciation week. I can hardly sleep on the night before it all begins,” admitted Wherley. “It is my favorite week of school!”


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