Take a Break in May and Celebrate

Updated by Walsworth Yearbooks

Since school will be ending soon, it is time to start cleaning the classroom, checking equipment for repairs and replenishing supplies, even if you are a fall delivery book.

Whether your staff has worked hard this year or is still working hard, an occasional break can make work go faster and smoother.

One event you should be planning now, if you haven’t started, is the yearend banquet or awards ceremony. Schedule this for a special evening and invite parents, administrators and others who helped the staff throughout the year. Have attire be business or even semi-formal. Plan a dinner, catered or potluck, and give out awards and announce scholarships. Such an event is a nice way to acknowledge the staff’s work this year.

For smaller diversions, here are a few days to celebrate if you want a theme to your amusement.

• May is National Hamburger Month. Have a cookout featuring hamburgers and this year’s and next year’s staff members.
• May is Teacher Appreciation Month, with National Teacher Day on May 7 this year. Have your staff honor teachers they have appreciated this year with cards or cookies.
• World Laughter Day is May 5. Read to the staff from a joke book.
• National School Nurse Day is May 8. She also may like a card or cookies to acknowledge all of the TLC she gives to students.
• May 13 is International Hummus Day and National Apple Pie Day. Yum!
• Pizza Party Day is May 17 (but do you really need a reason?).
• Have car races with Matchbox cars or radio-controlled cars in honor of the annual Indianapolis 500.
• International Pickle Week is the third full week in May. Have your staff bring in several varieties.
• National Etiquette Week begins May 13. Discuss manners, anything from cell phone etiquette to “please and thank you.” Have students discuss pet peeves they have about ill-mannered behavior, and the manner rule to correct it.
• National Rescue Dog Day is May 20 – have everyone bring in their favorite pictures of their dogs and post them around the room.