Category: Leadership & Inspiration Article: Staff Appreciation Ideas That Don't Require a Budget or a Committee
Author: Rae Hughart
Source: Teachers Deserve It (Feb 18, 2026)

🎯 Executive Summary 

In her February 18 post for Teachers Deserve It, Rae Hughart delivers a refreshing—and necessary—reframe of staff appreciation. Her central message is simple but powerful: the gestures that truly matter in schools have nothing to do with money. They have everything to do with attention.

Hughart argues that most formal appreciation efforts fall flat not because teachers are ungrateful, but because the gestures are generic. Candy bars in the lounge, mass emails declaring “You’re appreciated!”, or once-a-year appreciation weeks signal compliance rather than connection. They say, “We did something,” without saying, “We see you.”

For educators and school leaders, this distinction is critical. In a profession defined by emotional labor, what staff crave most is not more stuff—it is feeling known.

💡 The Core Insight: Specificity Over Swag

Hughart draws a sharp contrast between gifts and gestures. A gift is transactional. A gesture is relational.

A gift costs money. A gesture costs attention.

And attention, she reminds us, is free.

The most meaningful moments teachers remember are small, specific, and human. They are the “I remember” moments—the administrator who follows up about a child’s soccer tryouts mentioned two weeks earlier, or the colleague who asks about a sick parent. These check-ins take seconds, yet they communicate something powerful: I was listening. You matter enough for me to remember.

In leadership terms, this is culture-building at its most granular level.

⏱ The Gift of Time

One of Hughart’s most compelling examples is what she calls the “coverage gift.” Instead of handing out a $10 coffee card, cover someone’s duty for fifteen minutes. Let a teacher leave early for a family commitment. Take bus duty without being asked on a day when someone is overwhelmed.

Time is scarce currency in schools. When leaders give time, they acknowledge that teachers are whole people—not just employees.

For principals, this insight invites a reflection: Are we distributing time as generously as we distribute slogans?

✍️ The Power of Specific Notes

Generic praise lacks emotional weight. “Thanks for all you do!” may be polite, but it is forgettable.

Specific praise, however, lingers.

Hughart provides an example of a written note that names a precise moment—how a teacher calmly navigated a difficult parent conversation. One teacher reportedly kept such a note in her desk for three years.

This illustrates a key leadership principle: observation communicates value. When leaders articulate what they see with clarity and authenticity, they validate professional competence and emotional effort.

In instructional leadership, we stress actionable feedback for students. Hughart reminds us that adults need the same specificity to feel affirmed.

👂 The No-Agenda Check-In

Perhaps the most radical suggestion in the article is also the simplest: walk into a teacher’s room without an agenda.

Not to remind them of a deadline. Not to ask for data.
Not to address a concern.

Just to ask, “How are you actually doing?”

Then wait.

In fast-paced school environments, two uninterrupted minutes of human conversation can be disorienting—precisely because they are rare. Yet these moments build psychological safety and relational trust.

For leaders focused on retention and morale, this practice may be more impactful than any formal recognition program.

🔄 The Reframe: Appreciation as Daily Practice

Hughart challenges the idea that appreciation must be an event—Teacher Appreciation Week, a catered luncheon, or a committee-driven celebration. The moments that stick with teachers are random Tuesdays.

The administrator who had a hard day. The colleague who left a sticky note after a tough meeting.
The principal who quietly adjusted a duty schedule during a personal crisis.

These are not grand gestures. They are consistent micro-moments of humanity.

For school leaders, this reframing is both liberating and demanding. It requires no budget line item. It does require intentionality.

🏫 Leadership Implications for Schools

In an era of burnout and staffing challenges, Hughart’s message is strategic. Staff appreciation is not about optics; it is about culture.

Leaders who cultivate attentiveness, specificity, and relational follow-through create environments where teachers feel known. Feeling known fuels commitment. Commitment fuels stability.

As you reflect on your own leadership practice, consider:

• Are our appreciation efforts personal or performative?

• Do we notice small wins?

• Are we generous with time and attention?

Teachers are not asking for pizza. They are asking to be seen.

Original Article

Link: https://teachersdeserveit.com/p/staff-appreciation-ideas-that-dont-...

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Prepared with the assistance of AI software

OpenAI. (2026). ChatGPT (5.2) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com