Room Mom Journal - Teacher's birthday

 Ok, I have a big task -- I want all the students to acknowledge their teacher's birthday. But, how do I do that without her knowing beforehand?

I looked up several ideas, but nothing fit my situation. The students in my son's first grade class have folders that they take home and return to school each day. It's a communication folder between parent and teacher and it works great. I was thinking I would use that folder to get the word out about their teacher's b-day. I'll call her Mrs. T for privacy.

So. I decided I would type up an instruction sheet, put in their folder, then have the parents read the note and help their children with the project. First problem: how to get the note in the folders? What will I put on the instruction sheet? It can't be a full blown party because their days are filled with learning. I'll just have them decorate a part of a banner and include a birthday message. Problem solved. Then, I ran some errands. I made a quick stop in the $ tree and found die cut paper balloons. in blue. the teacher's favorite color. lightbulb! 

I bought the balloons die cuts, came home, typed up my instruction sheet and attached the blue balloon to be put in their folders. Here's what the note says:

Mrs. T---’s birthday is October 20th -- Thursday! If you’d like, please have your child make her a handmade card or have them write a birthday message on the enclosed balloon (and decorate it, too). Then, put it in the purple folder so she can see it first thing on Thursday morning when she’s checking folders! Thanks!

I hope most of the students can do this! I think it's a nice, subtle way of letting the teacher know she's appreciated by her students on her birthday since we can't have a party. 

The next thing is to get the message in the folders. I e-mailed Mrs. T and told her I had reminder letter to send out to the volunteers for the fall party and needed to come in to put in their folders (I really do). So, that problem is solved as well! 

Now let's hope everyone can do it! I'm also going to have my son hand her a king-size Hershey bar because chocolate is her favorite. I'll show you a picture of that later. Now, I must run off to take the letters to school! 

Here are the balloons. Thank you Dollar Tree! 

Here are the instructions attached to the ballon and the letter home about gifts and fall party. 

Here are the letters stacked and ready to go to school to be put in folders.