I'm looking for new ideas for our teachers to contribute to our annual auction. They are so busy this time of year, they're tapped out. I wanted to give the teachers a list to inspire their creativity and celebrate their talents. What have your teachers auctioned?
Wanted to add that I chaired last year and doing acquisitions this year. This is just offerings from teachers/staff. Love reading your ideas!
Principal for a day, lunch with teachers, bowling with teachers, baking cookies with teacher after school, out to a movie with a teacher, pottery painting with a teacher, craft session (crafting was her thing), ice cream outing with teacher, retiring teachers donated books for students, bedtime story with cookies and milk, putt putt golf.
Bed times stories and cookies at the child's house.
These are the School staff donations that always brough tin the most money.
Yep "Principal for the day".. Usually this child gets to spend the day following the principal, while they do their work, their lunch and they visit each classroom accompanied with the Principal. The child is asked to dress like the Principal.
They also do the announcements. And they used to hand out Popsicles to the whole school. .
A few Teachers offered free babysitting..
The Librarian used to host a "Private Story Time" in the library one evening, with milk, cookies and a few stories. The children would attend in their Pajamas. This one had space for 12 kids.. so she had multiple auction sheets. 6 sheets for 2 students each. She set the date.
One teacher was a golfer so she would take children to play putt Putt, then take them to her home for them to bake brownies. She took 4 children.
We also could bid to one day have our message placed on the school sign outside. Some people used to to say Happy Birthday , Or Happy Anniversary, Or to say they were proud of someone.
The PE teacher had been a Tennis Coach for the University of Texas, so he offered some Private Tennis Lessons.
A few teachers would take kids to the movies and then for ice cream.
Some of the lunch ladies would offer their specialties. Homemade
Pies, casseroles, bread, sweet rolls.. Cakes. Tamales
The art teacher offered a Pottery class, since we had a kiln at the school..
Adults would bid on this.
At our school, a one night homework pass was a BIG hit!
Also, some teachers auctioned off their out-of-school talents (knitting lessons at your home; a day of scrapbooking; a cooking class, etc). It was a great way for parents and teachers too to appreciate who the teachers are as individuals.
ETA: if your school has a dress code or uniform, you might try a NUT pass (no uniform today). Parents could purchase ONE pass per child that could be used on a specific day. It was a big hit and a real money-maker, without inconveniencing anyone. For our school, certain standards still applied (no bare midriffs, no really short skirts, that kind of thing) but getting out of the school kilt & shirt for a day was a real thrill.
At my kids' school, if they do things like this, this is what they do. Because yes, Teachers are tapped out and very busy. And it can be a real chore, for them. Teachers are very busy.
So at my kids' school, they have a staff person that is a liaison with the community. This person, gets community businesses, to "donate" services or products, toward the school's fundraising drive. And, my kids' school, gets MANY MANY, "sponsors" this way. Any funds garnered by this "auction" goes ALL to the school. And the school of course, displays the school's sponsors/donators toward their auction. They have banners and they are invited to the auction, given leis to honor them, and they are listed on any program fliers etc. And the "prizes" that they have on auction... are good things. Not knick-knacks or dust collectors. But services or goods, by the community businesses. And it is also a write off, for them. So it is win win.
*ETA: and the community businesses like contributing, because: they get more clients or business this way, and publicity for the business. And, many of the community businesses, also have their own kids that goes to the school or nephews/nieces or they are "alumni" as well. So they happily contribute.
And my kids' school, makes a LOT of money, this way.
Some "prizes" for auction, are even weekend trips, or stays at a local hotel, for example.
There are many ways, to do school auctions. Other than, using the teachers to contribute most of it.
At my kids' school, the auction or fundraiser, is used to benefit the school AND the Teachers... per supplies/technology/library/art or PE supplies etc. and materials.
Again, there are many ways, to do school auctions. Which also then may lessen the school's manpower in having to staff it and prepare for it off-hours...and make things for it and takes up time, non-school time, for the Teachers. And the Teachers, ALSO can actually enjoy the event, and actually have fun and even bid for the things in the auction too. Since "they" are not the auction.
A caricature drawing by the art teacher of one subject, cooking or baking lesson, basket of homemade sweets including caramel corn, chocolate pretzels and hot chocolate, handmade child's quilt.
Aside from teacher items, they may have contacts in the community that will help with donations such as restaurant gift certificates, spa days and overnight hotel stays.
Our school auctioned off "Lunch With Your Teacher". The teachers of the same grade got together and either took the kids to nearby fast food or they all had a brown bag picnic in the classroom together. Kids thought it was amazing.
I recently saw a lot of great ideas on Pinterest for theme type baskets. But are you looking for ideas on things that a class could make and then donate for an auction? I have seen quilts made of squares that each child made. I have also seen the kids make pottery bowls in art class and have them fired and include those in the auction. One class bought a garden type bench and then had the kids paper mache pictures cut out of a magazine. Are those the type of ideas you are looking for for your auction?
Our teachers usually auction off lunches with them, playing games with them like Wii Bowling or Wii Tennis, pizza parties.
Not sure if you mean auction ideas that are given to teachers or sold by teachers to raise money for the school but here are some that we did to raise funds for the school...
Baskets with themes -
a basket full of chocolate flavored items - lots of takers for this one
a basket full of car "stuff" - air fresheners, wash & wax items, etc, car wash coupons
baby items - bound to be someone expecting or knowing someone who is
book theme - books, bookmarks,
magazine basket - full of various magazines
sports stuff
