This comes to us from Cindy Cromwell, a principal in the Kelso School District. If you registered for our Virtual Summer Conference, be sure to watch her course, A Commitment to Supporting the "Whole" Staff on our learning management system.
It's May
'Tis the month of celebrations. May is the month we honor teachers, nurses, and our lunch heroes. This is also the month when we start to see the light at the end of this school year. In our quest to finish strong we sometimes need the extra acknowledgment
that someone believes in us and is by our side to finish out these last weeks. I want to encourage you to go outside the traditional celebrations and have some fun with your staff. May is a great month for a few simple celebrations to add to your
calendar. As always feel free to reach out to me if I can support your work. We are in this together and I BELIEVE in you.
MAY DAYS OF CELEBRATION
May 3 – National Two Different Colored Shoes Day. This is super simple to pull off. Encourage your staff to wear two different shoes (maybe in your school colors).
May 4 – National Star Wars Day (May the 4th be with you), National Renewal Day, AND National Teacher Appreciation Day. Combine your teacher appreciation and renewal day to turn your staff room into a serenity room OR add some Star
Wars theme to your Teacher Appreciation by using Yoda phrases all day and purchase candy light sabers to pass out with a sticker that says “You are the Force that makes a difference in our students lives.”
May 5 – Cinco de Mayo. I LOVE this day! I could honestly eat tacos every day of the year. Celebrate this year 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 – National Beverage Day. Load the refrigerator or your treat cart with beverages for staff.
May 7 – School Lunch Hero Day. Celebrate your food service workers today. Do not forget those special individuals who support feeding our students either by delivering milk or taking care of the district food services program.
May 8 – National Miniature Golf Day. I know this is a Saturday but you could set up a miniature putt putt course in your school with a couple putters and red solo cups.
May 11 – National Eat What You Want Day. Have a potluck where everyone brings their favorite comfort food. Or this is a great day to bring out your treat cart and have staff choose a fun snack.
May 12 – National Limerick Day and National School Nurses Day. Combine these two and throughout the day use limericks to make announcements, say thank yous, and as you interact with students.
May 13 – 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 14 – National Dance Like a Chicken Day. Have a chicken dance party at lunch, recess, and in bus lines.
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 20 – National Be a Millionaire Day. Purchase 100 Grand Candy Bars for today to celebrate. May 20 is also National Pick Strawberries Day – have a variety of strawberry and strawberry flavored items that staff can choose
from.
May 21 – National Pizza Party Day – Ask your PTO to purchase pizza for lunch for staff today.
May 21 is also NASCAR Day – Decorate a table, staff room, or snack wagon with checkered flags. “We Are Zooming Towards the Finish Line.” Have chex mix available along with beverages and decorate with hot wheels cars.
May 24 is both National Scavenger Hunt Day and National Escargot Day – – So 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.
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 28 – National Road Trip Day. (This is the Friday before Memorial Day) Make a road trip goodie bag for all of your staff. Include a bottle of water, granola bar, licorice, pack of gum, lifesavers, and a note to encourage them
to charge their batteries over this three-day weekend.
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. Follow her on Twitter at @sholtys.