ISBA School Board Appreciation Month Toolkit
Certificate of Appreciation
Customizable Graphics
Resolutions
Sample Messages
• It’s School Board Appreciation Month! We thank our School Board for their commitment and leadership!
• January is School Board Appreciation Month. Please join us in recognizing our School Board for all they do for our students, staff, and families.
• School Board members devote their personal time and energy to making important decisions that expand opportunities for all students.
• School Board members give hours of their time each month to provide leadership for our school district. January is School Board Appreciation Month, so thank a School Board member today!
• Have you thanked a School Board member for their service to our community? This month is School Board Appreciation Month—take a moment to thank a School Board member today!
• Thank you to our extraordinary School Board members! We appreciate you!
• Join us in sending a big thank you to our School Board members for their passion, dedication, and public service!
• Happy School Board Appreciation Month! We are so proud of our School Board members and the work they do to improve public education for our students!
• January is School Board Appreciation Month. Don't forget to say “Thank you!”
• School Boards make a powerful difference. Thank you, School Board members!
• The School Board has an important role in the success of our students and staff. Join us in thanking our School Board members during School Board Appreciation Month!
• Celebrate School Board Appreciation Month by taking a moment to show your gratitude for our amazing School Board members!
• We are grateful for our School Board members and their leadership during School Board Appreciation Month in January 2025!
• January is School Board Appreciation Month. Please join us in recognizing our School Board for all they do for our students, staff, and families.
• School Board members devote their personal time and energy to making important decisions that expand opportunities for all students.
• School Board members give hours of their time each month to provide leadership for our school district. January is School Board Appreciation Month, so thank a School Board member today!
• Have you thanked a School Board member for their service to our community? This month is School Board Appreciation Month—take a moment to thank a School Board member today!
• Thank you to our extraordinary School Board members! We appreciate you!
• Join us in sending a big thank you to our School Board members for their passion, dedication, and public service!
• Happy School Board Appreciation Month! We are so proud of our School Board members and the work they do to improve public education for our students!
• January is School Board Appreciation Month. Don't forget to say “Thank you!”
• School Boards make a powerful difference. Thank you, School Board members!
• The School Board has an important role in the success of our students and staff. Join us in thanking our School Board members during School Board Appreciation Month!
• Celebrate School Board Appreciation Month by taking a moment to show your gratitude for our amazing School Board members!
• We are grateful for our School Board members and their leadership during School Board Appreciation Month in January 2025!
Sample Activities
General
• Schedule a reception before or after your January School Board meeting, and present each School Board member with a certificate of appreciation using the provided template, thank you cards, or other tokens of appreciation. Invite elected officials and community leaders to attend and mingle. Ask a restaurant or grocery store to sponsor refreshments. Consider featuring student entertainment.
• Make School Board members the guests of honor at a school luncheon, carnival, festival, or event.
• Invite a School Board member to meet you for breakfast.
• Ask the local Chamber of Commerce, neighborhood associations, parent organizations, and area service groups to recognize School Board members at their gatherings, in their organizational newsletters, and on social media. Offer to have a School Board member come and speak to their group. Send each group a copy of the district's strategic plan with an explanation of the School Board's role.
• Ask your city or town council to pass a resolution in support of School Board Appreciation Month.
• Ask your Mayor to issue a proclamation declaring School Board Appreciation Month.
Communications
• Customize the School Board Appreciation Month graphics by adding names and photos of your School Board members and your district logo. Use the graphics throughout the course of the month to celebrate, thank, and honor your School Board members on social media, school and corporation websites, newsletters, and podcasts. Add a special School Board “thank you” to your website’s home page.
• Place appreciation messages on school marquees.
• Write and post short biographical profiles of each of your School Board members. Allow them to discuss why they serve.
• Create and post video interviews with School Board members. Potential topics of discussion include the role of the board, why they serve, what they are most proud of, their views on leadership, and how they monitor student outcomes.
News
• Send a press release to local media announcing your plans to observe School Board Appreciation Month. Ask your board members why they serve and use their quotes in the news release. Invite media members to attend planned activities.
• Contact a reporter or editor at your local newspaper, radio, or TV station and pitch them a story about the president of the School Board, or the School Board member with the most seniority. Offer to coordinate interviews.
• Write a letter to the editor sharing success stories, highlighting the service of School Board members, thanking School Board members for their dedication and collaboration, and previewing one or two major decisions and actions the board is facing in 2025.
• Seek guest appearances for School Board members on morning TV or radio news programs.
Student-related
• Encourage student newspapers, student-run radio programs, and student TV news casts to include stories on School Board Appreciation Month. Encourage students to interview board members.
• Have a board member read the morning school announcements.
• Ask students to prepare thank you letters, cards, or posters. Present them to board members at a board meeting or special reception. Display them on a rotating basis in the boardroom and in the halls of the administration building.
• Pay student-run businesses to create personalized gifts that honor School Board members.
• Invite board members to athletic events to throw out the first pitch, flip the coin, or blow the whistle to kick off the game.
• Introduce School Board members during halftime at an athletic event.
• Include a message thanking School Board members in your athletic programs or on the scoreboard.
• Design a bulletin board display featuring board member photos, background information and years of board service.
• Schedule a reception before or after your January School Board meeting, and present each School Board member with a certificate of appreciation using the provided template, thank you cards, or other tokens of appreciation. Invite elected officials and community leaders to attend and mingle. Ask a restaurant or grocery store to sponsor refreshments. Consider featuring student entertainment.
• Make School Board members the guests of honor at a school luncheon, carnival, festival, or event.
• Invite a School Board member to meet you for breakfast.
• Ask the local Chamber of Commerce, neighborhood associations, parent organizations, and area service groups to recognize School Board members at their gatherings, in their organizational newsletters, and on social media. Offer to have a School Board member come and speak to their group. Send each group a copy of the district's strategic plan with an explanation of the School Board's role.
• Ask your city or town council to pass a resolution in support of School Board Appreciation Month.
• Ask your Mayor to issue a proclamation declaring School Board Appreciation Month.
Communications
• Customize the School Board Appreciation Month graphics by adding names and photos of your School Board members and your district logo. Use the graphics throughout the course of the month to celebrate, thank, and honor your School Board members on social media, school and corporation websites, newsletters, and podcasts. Add a special School Board “thank you” to your website’s home page.
• Place appreciation messages on school marquees.
• Write and post short biographical profiles of each of your School Board members. Allow them to discuss why they serve.
• Create and post video interviews with School Board members. Potential topics of discussion include the role of the board, why they serve, what they are most proud of, their views on leadership, and how they monitor student outcomes.
News
• Send a press release to local media announcing your plans to observe School Board Appreciation Month. Ask your board members why they serve and use their quotes in the news release. Invite media members to attend planned activities.
• Contact a reporter or editor at your local newspaper, radio, or TV station and pitch them a story about the president of the School Board, or the School Board member with the most seniority. Offer to coordinate interviews.
• Write a letter to the editor sharing success stories, highlighting the service of School Board members, thanking School Board members for their dedication and collaboration, and previewing one or two major decisions and actions the board is facing in 2025.
• Seek guest appearances for School Board members on morning TV or radio news programs.
Student-related
• Encourage student newspapers, student-run radio programs, and student TV news casts to include stories on School Board Appreciation Month. Encourage students to interview board members.
• Have a board member read the morning school announcements.
• Ask students to prepare thank you letters, cards, or posters. Present them to board members at a board meeting or special reception. Display them on a rotating basis in the boardroom and in the halls of the administration building.
• Pay student-run businesses to create personalized gifts that honor School Board members.
• Invite board members to athletic events to throw out the first pitch, flip the coin, or blow the whistle to kick off the game.
• Introduce School Board members during halftime at an athletic event.
• Include a message thanking School Board members in your athletic programs or on the scoreboard.
• Design a bulletin board display featuring board member photos, background information and years of board service.
What is School Board Appreciation Month?
The Indiana School Boards Association is thrilled to announce January 2025 as School Board Appreciation Month, a time to acknowledge the important contributions School Boards make to public education.
School Board members are dedicated local leaders who give their personal time and energy to making decisions that support student success, and their commitment deserves recognition.
We invite you to use this toolkit to help express your gratitude. Your efforts can go a long way to making School Board members feel appreciated.
School Board members are dedicated local leaders who give their personal time and energy to making decisions that support student success, and their commitment deserves recognition.
We invite you to use this toolkit to help express your gratitude. Your efforts can go a long way to making School Board members feel appreciated.
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Contact:
Adam VanOsdol Communications Specialist/Content Strategist Phone: (317) 639-0330 Email: [email protected] |
