Inside, you’ll find resources that help you connect with staff and families in simple, meaningful ways. The Staff Learning Spotlight focuses on an (updated) printable, The Art of Observation. This offers practical, grounded ways for staff to notice what’s really happening in classrooms and to use that information to respond with intention. It’s reflective, actionable, and designed to spark real conversation.

You’ll also get pre-written newsletters for both staff and families that you can copy, paste, and adjust as needed, plus easy engagement ideas for the month. Do them all, or just choose one! But I do my best to create ways that build connection without requiring extra prep, planning meetings, or late nights.

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These toolkits aren’t classroom activity packets. They’re created specifically for directors who want to strengthen relationships with parents, set the tone, and support their teams while juggling everything else that comes with the role.

If January ever feels long, this toolkit gives you one less thing to think about. And a few thoughtful ways to start the year feeling steady and supported.

AND IT IS FREE! So download it, use what works for your center, and if you find it helpful, I would be so grateful if you would subscribe and share it with another director!

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January 2026 Monthly Resource Toolkit

7.28MB ∙ PDF file

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Check Out A Sneak Peek!

The December Resource Toolkit is designed to help you get through one of the busiest months of the year with a little more ease and a lot more joy. This month’s collection includes simple, meaningful activities, ready-to-use printables, and pre-written content you can plug directly into your family or staff newsletters. Everything is created with one goal in mind: helping you build connection and community without adding extra work to your plate.

Inside this month’s toolkit, you’ll find:

• Holiday & Winter Celebration Ideas
Thoughtful, easy-to-implement ideas for celebrating the Winter Solstice, hosting a staff gingerbread house contest, and adding small seasonal touches that feel special without being overwhelming.

• Pre-Written Newsletter Content
Short, clear blurbs you can copy into your December newsletters, including updates, reminders, and supportive tips for families navigating this busy month at home.

• Printables & Visuals
Beautifully designed pages for solstice quotes, voting slips, gingerbread contest rules, theme ideas, and other seasonal activities you can use in classrooms or post in shared spaces.

• Staff Learning Spotlight: The Power of Storytelling
This month’s professional learning focus explores how storytelling strengthens language development, builds classroom connections, and supports emotional regulation. You’ll find a Director overview plus a printable for your staff lounge to help teachers weave more meaningful stories into their daily routines.

The goal of this toolkit is simple: to make each month feel more manageable, more connected, and a little more magical for you, your staff, and your families.

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December 2025 Monthly Resource Toolkit

9MB ∙ PDF file

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If you find this toolkit helpful, the best way to support this work is simply to share it with other leaders in early childhood. Word of mouth is how our little community grows, and I’m so grateful every time you pass these resources along to someone who might need them.

Subscribe for free to join the Director’s Collective and receive every new resource directly to your inbox!

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Thank you for supporting my work!

This month’s director toolkit centers on gratitude, kindness, and connection, three themes that remind us what matters most in early childhood education. Everything inside is designed to make it easier for you to build community with staff and families, without adding more work to your plate.

Inside, you’ll find:

• A Staff Learning Spotlight on There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather, focused on practical ways to embrace outdoor play and a growth mindset as the seasons change.

• Pre-written newsletters for families and staff that you can edit and send in minutes.

• Celebration ideas and ready-to-use printables for Kindness Month, Daylight Savings, Apple Cider Day, and Small Business Saturday. Each of these is designed to spark connection and participation with very little prep.

• Additional resources and templates to make communication easier and help you stay ahead of the month.

These toolkits are created exclusively for childcare directors and include resources that help you engage families, support your team, and strengthen your center community.

And it’s still completely free!

Grab your November Toolkit below and head into the month with connection-ready resources already done for you.

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November 2025 Monthly Resource Toolkit

5.43MB ∙ PDF file

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If you love it, the best way to support my work is to share it- post it in your director groups, send it to a colleague, or pass it along to someone who could use one less thing on their plate. The more we share, the lighter the load for all of us. ❤️

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My {free} monthly Resource Toolkit gives you:

• 🧠 Staff Learning Spotlight
  Thoughtfully designed printables filled with engaging quick tips for your team. Each month we tackle a different topic- From classroom management to best practices in ECE, these resources are created with early childhood educators in mind. Share them in your monthly staff newsletter or display them in the teacher’s lounge so everyone can stay connected and inspired!

  This month we are talking about classroom expectations and thinking through whether we are being a referee or coach, and how to adjust our mindset at the start of a new school year.

• ✏️ Pre-written newsletters
  Save time with my pre-written newsletter content. I include two pre-written notes from the Director. The first is written to share in your monthly newsletter to parents, and another to share with teachers at your center. Each piece is easy to copy and edit to fit your center’s specific needs which allows you to customize the content and add it into your existing newsletter templates.

• 🎉Upcoming HoliDAYS and Celebration Ideas
  Stay ahead with a list of upcoming, silly, and unique “holidays” and creative ways to celebrate them in your childcare center. Whether it’s a national holiday or a fun, lesser-known day, I provide inspiration and celebration ideas specifically to engage families and staff.

• 📝Resources
  What good is giving you ideas on how to engage your staff and families without the resources to make it easy for you to actually do it! Depending on the month, my resources could include seasonal themes and team building ideas, family engagement, graphics/printables you can share with families, or printables to hang up around your center! And I always try to help you with a timeline to keep you on track for the activities you decide to do.

And that’s a wrap! Have an amazing month, and don’t forget to shoot me an email if you have fun activities planned and want me to take a crack at designing a resource to go along with them for next month! My email is admin@thedirectorscollective.com

Help your families ease the transition to Standard Time with our Daylight Saving Time Transition Tips printable! As we “fall back” this season, this resource provides simple strategies that parents can use at home—like gradually shifting bedtimes and getting morning sunlight—to help ki…

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The Suspense Log was born out of that exact need: to vent, reflect, and find humor in the unexpected moments that come with running a childcare program. Because we all know that no two days are ever the same…

Use it to track the day’s suspense level, your mood, the unexpected moments that made you blink twice, and how you responded (gracefully or otherwise). You can even chart your day’s chaos level or note the biggest “WTF moment” before heading home.

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My goal here isn’t just to give you a space to write about your chaotic day. It’s to help you get it out of your head, maybe even laugh about it, and start to see those unexpected moments differently. Over time, you might notice patterns in what’s wearing you down or lighting you up. Use that insight to make small shifts, whether it’s adjusting your own mindset, setting new boundaries, or changing something operationally

Print a few copies, keep one by your desk, and start your own collection of daily cliffhangers.

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The Suspense Log

186KB ∙ PDF file

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If you find any of my resources to be beneficial, the best way you can show your appreciation is by sharing The Director’s Collective with other leaders in the ECE field. Thank you so much!

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October is busy enough… fire drills, family events, and figuring out who all of the rogue socks belong to. You don’t need more “cute ideas” that end up on your never-done list (Yea, I am talking to all of my fellow neurodivergent brains out there…)

For those who are new to The Director’s Collective, let me be clear: this monthly Resource Toolkit is not another packet of classroom activities for teachers. Your team doesn’t need more Pinterest projects, and you don’t need another binder of ideas gathering dust in your overcrowded office.

Instead, these toolkits are created exclusively for early childhood leaders. Each month, you’ll get ready-to-use resources that help you connect with families, support your staff, and strengthen community and trust in your center, without piling on extra work.

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And it’s still completely free!

Grab your October Toolkit below and head into the month with connection-ready resources already done for you.

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October 2025 Resource Toolkit

8.55MB ∙ PDF file

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If you love it, the best way to support my work is to share it- post it in your director groups, send it to a colleague, or pass it along to someone who could use one less thing on their plate. The more we share, the lighter the load for all of us. ❤️

Share

October Resource Toolkit Peek

My {free} monthly Resource Toolkit gives you:

• 🧠 Staff Learning Spotlight
  Thoughtfully designed printables filled with engaging quick tips for your team. Each month we tackle a different topic- From classroom management to best practices in ECE, these resources are created with early childhood educators in mind. Share them in your monthly staff newsletter or display them in the teacher’s lounge so everyone can stay connected and inspired!

  This month we are talking about classroom expectations and thinking through whether we are being a referee or coach, and how to adjust our mindset at the start of a new school year.

• ✏️ Pre-written newsletters
  Save time with my pre-written newsletter content. I include two pre-written notes from the Director. The first is written to share in your monthly newsletter to parents, and another to share with teachers at your center. Each piece is easy to copy and edit to fit your center’s specific needs which allows you to customize the content and add it into your existing newsletter templates.

• 🎉Upcoming HoliDAYS and Celebration Ideas
  Stay ahead with a list of upcoming, silly, and unique “holidays” and creative ways to celebrate them in your childcare center. Whether it’s a national holiday or a fun, lesser-known day, I provide inspiration and celebration ideas specifically to engage families and staff.

• 📝Resources
  What good is giving you ideas on how to engage your staff and families without the resources to make it easy for you to actually do it! Depending on the month, my resources could include seasonal themes and team building ideas, family engagement, graphics/printables you can share with families, or printables to hang up around your center! And I always try to help you with a timeline to keep you on track for the activities you decide to do.

And that’s a wrap! Have an amazing month, and don’t forget to shoot me an email if you have fun activities planned and want me to take a crack at designing a resource to go along with them for next month! My email is admin@thedirectorscollective.com

Print out copies to send home, include it in your newsletter, or have teachers discuss these simple routines at fall conferences. Click below to download your own PDF!

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5 Tips For Re Establishing Routines

2.63MB ∙ PDF file

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And as a reminder, if you find any of my resources to be beneficial, the best way you can show your appreciation is by sharing The Director’s Collective with other leaders in the ECE field. Thank you so much!

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Whether your program runs year-round or follows a traditional school calendar, this is the perfect moment to reset expectations, communicate updates, and start the year on a strong, supportive note.

Each template includes suggested topics, embedded links, and reminders to help you cover the essentials—without starting from scratch.

Feel free to copy, tweak, and make them your own! This is just a starting point.

Ready to be the first to know about all of my new resources? Be sure to subscribe! It’s free!

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Staff: Back-to-School Email Template

Staff Back To School Email Template

79.3KB ∙ PDF file

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Parent: Back-to-School Email Template

Parent Back To School Email Template

79.2KB ∙ PDF file

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As always, feel free to comment if I missed something important or if you have an idea you would like to share with your fellow Directors!

To access the template, click on the link below, then click “Make a Copy”

DOWNLOAD WEEKLY STAFF SCHEDULE TEMPLATE

Once you have a copy made, follow the steps below to edit it for your center!

*To see an example of what a completed schedule could look like, click on the “Example” tab.

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STEPS:

1. Add your program name in the top cell

2. Ensure the month and dates at the top of the schedule reflect the week you are working on.

3. Add the classroom names in each colored title cell

4. Add the number of children expected each day, by class, at the top of each classroom section \

5. Add the names of the regular staff members that work in each of the classrooms, along with their role and their daily schedule.

6. For anyone who works in multiple rooms, put their name at the bottom of the schedule in the Float section with their full scheduled hours each day.

This sets up your schedule overview. Now, to adjust the schedule for individual weeks:

• Right click on the tab name at the bottom of the sheet titled “Overview” and click “Duplicate”. A new tab will appear as a copy of your original.

• Right click on this tab and rename it with the dates you are working on (Ex. Aug 4-8).

• Now you can edit this tab to reflect each week at a time!

Helpful Hints:

• Click on the “Example” tab in the template to see what a completed schedule could look like!

• I send this to my team before each week so everyone has a glimpse at what the week ahead looks like, and floats can see where they are covering. I also print a copy and hang it near the timeclock for easy access throughout the day.

• To track time off and absences:

  • I fill cells in black with white font and the word “OFF” if it is a planned absence.

  • I use the strikethrough feature to cross out time on a specific day if it is an unplanned absence (a callout, illness, etc…)

• To keep everyone on the same page for new students, field trips, training, etc… I use the “Notes” column on the right. This is the perfect place to add things like, “Ezra G. will be starting on Wednesday!”

• While I add my floaters names in the bottom so they can see their full start and end times, I also add them to the specific classrooms they are working in, with the times they are working there, so they know where to go if I am not in my office (this can be a confusing concept to type, so check out my example tab to see what I am talking about!

EXAMPLE

And that’s it! Once you get the main information in, it is very easy to duplicate tabs and keep a running “journal” of each week, updating it as things change in real time. I also find this incredibly useful to look back on if I am wondering about an absence or who was in a certain room at a specific time.

Have a schedule outline that works well for you? Be sure to drop it in the comments to inspire others!

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For this post, we will be talking about another favorite back-end tool. While it is pretty simple to use, it is not the easiest to explain in writing… So let me know if a video overview would help! This is also one of my newer tools, so I am sure I will make some changes as I get to using it more. I will update you when that happens!

Click HERE to access the template. Click “Make a Copy” and then edit it to make it your own!

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Tracking Tool #2- Staff Log

Between parent emails, hallway comments, quick check-ins, feedback given in passing, and formal observations, it’s easy for employee details to get lost or forgotten.

This log was built to fix that.

It gives you a simple, consistent way to track:

• Notes and feedback for individual team members

• What follow-up (if any) happened

• What still needs to be done

• Team-wide training or information worth saving

Here’s how it works:

Each Employee Has Their Own Tab (Under Their Classroom)

Inside each staff member's folder, you'll find two key tabs:

1. Main Employee File

A snapshot of essential info:

• Hire date, role, location, schedule

• Overview of strengths and areas to support

• Employee Notes/Feedback Log

  • This is your snapshot of anything that you need to track related to an employee. This could be as simple as positive praise you shared, or as complex as coaching them on an improvement plan.

  • Open my template to see an example of how to use the log! See below for how I categorized the “type” of communication you are logging.

Type of Communication to Log:

• Feedback: You gave or received specific input on performance, tone, communication, etc.

• Coaching: You modeled, guided, or walked through skill-building in real time

• Praise: You noted or shared something positive (staff, parent, sub, or your own note)

• Concern: You observed or addressed something that needs monitoring or intervention

• FYI: The staff member shared something for awareness (e.g., personal, contextual) or you noticed something that doesn’t need follow-up, but you want to track.

• Ask: The staff member requested something (e.g., schedule change, supply need)

• Goal: A stated objective (short- or long-term), typically linked to coaching/evals

• Report: This staff member reported a concern or observation about another person

This gives you one clean, at-a-glance record of everything that’s been brought to your attention.

2. Employee Notes Subtab

While the log acts as your table of contents/quick glance at the employee level, some situations need more than a line. If something is sensitive, complex, or requires more detailed tracking of information (such as a parent complaint where you want to track the email, the feedback given, and any follow-up taken) document the additional details on the Notes tab.

*I like to use reference numbers (employee’s initials and a number) in my main log and link the reference number to the details about that issue on their notes page.

Then, on the notes page, you can paste as much information as you need on a particular situation! This could include:

• Exact wording from a parent email

• What steps were taken

• Outcomes or further observations

• Any language needed for HR documentation

Not every note needs a linked detail. However, when it matters, you’ll be glad it’s there.

Remember, that this log is meant to help you track anything employee related, so adjust, edit, and play around with it to make it work for you! I also included a “Program Overview” tab where I like to store things like team meeting agendas or full team emails about issues so I know when/where the group was informed.

Do you have a great way to track all of the random, employee related information that pops up throughout the day? If so, I would love to hear more about it in the comments!

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As leaders in childcare, we are dealing with a lot on a daily basis. Between tours, behavior management, and licensing, we are also working to create and grow our team culture, as well as keep track of all of the conversations, feedback, and callouts we manage. That’s why creating simple, automated trackers is so critical to set ourselves up for success (especially for those neurodivergent brains out there.)

So check out my current favorite tracking tools, and follow the “how to” if you want to replicate these to make your own!

Tracking Tool #1- Employee Absence Tracker

What: A grid that allows you to track daily absences and late arrivals by staff member. You can also identify trends (Emily calling out every Monday) to come up with an action plan for improvement, or use the data for monthly attendance bonuses or finding gaps in the schedule.

How:

1. Click on THIS LINK to access the template (created in Google Sheets)

2. Click “Make a Copy”, this will save your own copy in your drive

3. Rename your copy.

4. Fill in all of your employee’s names, positions, and classrooms in the left hand columns on the Daily Tracker tab. **Do NOT fill in any information on the By Month tab.

5. Starting in August, use the dropdowns on the Daily Tracker tab to log each employee’s attendance. This is a simple way to track absences and late arrivals at a glance.

   You can right-click any dropdown cell and choose “Dropdown” to edit or add absence reasons. But keep in mind—the By Month tab only counts totals for “Callout”, “Late” and “PTO”, so adding new reasons won’t show up in the monthly summary.

6. I then use the By Month tab to to show me absences by day by employee for each month. If you are saavy with formulas or charts, you could easily add additional tabs for visuals or other metrics important to your center!

*Notes:

• There are two tabs in my template

  • The Daily Tracker is your input tab. This is where you update daily absences/reasons.

  • The By Month tab is not an input tab. This tab will consolidate totals by staff member each month from the information entered into the Daily Tracker tab. Do NOT enter any new data here or your results will be thrown off.

• I marked the major federal holidays as “closed” in the template, so verify you are closed on those days and don’t forget to mark any other days your center may be closed or you are hosting training!

When you inevitably have turnover, I recommend hiding the row the old staff member is on (right click on the whole row, click hide row) . Doing this allows your total absences to remain accurate so you can spot historical trends. Then, add your new employee to the bottom of the list. There should be enough rows for you to hide/add multiple new people throughout the year!

Be sure to subscribe to access templates for my other two favorite trackers later this week. Sneak peek below!

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Tracking Tool #2- Employee Performance Tracker

This is a new tool I am using this year to track conversations, feedback, and training by employee. Its organized in a way to make it easy to keep track of things as they come up!

Tracking Tool #3- Weekly Classroom Schedule

This is one of my favorite templates for those of us who don’t use an automated system to input upcoming schedules! I used to fill this out on a weekly basis to include upcoming planned absences, where floats would be, and see where we had gaps or extra people available to step in. Then I sent it to the whole team each Friday so everyone was on the same page.

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To start, you will find the basics- a monthly newsletter draft from the Director to families, and a second newsletter draft to staff. Use these outlines, edit, and make it your own. There’s also a new Staff Learning Spotlight on the power of language in early childhood. This is a really beneficial topic to share in your monthly staff newsletter or at your next staff meeting, and it includes a reflection guide you can complete with your team.

You’ll also find ideas for fun ways to connect with your community in June! Everything from a cheesy team celebration (yes, literally—it’s National Cheese Day on June 4th) to printables for Father’s Day, a super fun Kid Coupon Book for National Children’s Day, and a ready-to-go Summer Solstice guide to help families slow down and connect. Not to mention a Summer Bucket List for Working Parents! These are great resources to include in your monthly family newsletter to build partnership with parents outside of the classroom.

As always, my goal is to help you save time, build connection, and make things feel a little less chaotic. I build the structure to make ideas a reality, and cater it toward childcare centers. These are the resources I always wished someone else would make for me—so now I’m making them for you.

👉 Go ahead and download FOR FREE below.

All I ask is that if you find this toolkit helpful, please share it with others in childcare leadership roles. My goal is to build a strong, supportive community rooted in shared resources, real solutions, and continuous learning—We’re all better when we’re in it together.

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June 2025 Resource Toolkit

17MB ∙ PDF file

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Have an amazing June, and don’t forget to shoot me an email if you have fun activities planned and want me to take a crack at designing a resource to go along with them! My email is admin@thedirectorscollective.com

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✅ A Classroom Checklist with all essential first aid items—perfect for teachers to use during quarterly restocks. Be sure to use the blank spaces to add any other items your state licensing department requires!
✅ A Director Log to track when each classroom’s kit was last checked and confirmed complete—keeping everything documented and up to date.

Quick, clear, and easy to use—because emergencies are stressful enough. Keep your classroom kits ready to go and your licensing visits smooth with this time-saving tool!

First Aid Kit Checklist

2.63MB ∙ PDF file

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Easy as A, B, C, 1, 2, 3.

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To make it easy, I’ve created a Memorial Day closure printable for you to hang on your entryway and classroom doors!

Memorial Day Center Closure Reminder (printable)

2.55MB ∙ PDF file

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Easy as A, B, C, 1, 2, 3.

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Whether you're planning a big event or keeping it low-key, these templates make it easy to celebrate a big milestone—without the glitter explosion. Just print, pose, and send them off with a smile!

Preschool Graduation Signs

6.27MB ∙ PDF file

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If you’re a new subscriber, hi and welcome! But before you dive into anything else, do not skip the May Resource Toolkit. Trust me—it’s not just another pile of Pinterest-perfect event ideas you swear you’ll do… until you’re knee-deep in a surprise diaper round.

Every month, I put my whole Director heart (and way too many hours) into creating this toolkit for you—the person juggling staff schedules, parent emails, and remembering who’s allergic to strawberries.

What it isn’t:

A cute packet of butterfly crafts for your teachers.

What it is:

A totally free, stress-reducing, morale-boosting, connection-building set of DONE-FOR-YOU resources made specifically for early childhood leaders.

And since the May toolkit is FREE, why wouldn’t you check it out??

At the very bottom of this post is a PDF that you can easily download and use at your center.

If you love it (or even just like-like it), the best thing you could do to support my work is to share this toolkit, so other Directors have the access to these free resources.

To help:

• Share it in your favorite Facebook director group. I can’t tell you how much this helps me to build this community!

• Send it to a colleague who’s in the trenches with you

• Follow The Director’s Collective on Facebook

Not subscribed yet but got this forwarded to you? You lucky duck. Click below to sign up and get the monthly toolkit, weekly planner, and other sanity-saving tools for Childcare Directors delivered straight to your inbox.

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And nothing makes me happier than to see photos of how you are using these resources in action at your center! Please tag me or send photos of how you’re using it—I love seeing your centers in action!

Now… let’s see what May has in store for us, shall we?

Every month, my resource toolkit covers 4 main areas to help you engage your families and staff in the upcoming month. It includes:

1. Staff Learning Spotlight
   Thoughtfully designed printables filled with engaging quick tips for your team. From classroom management to best practices in ECE, these resources are created with early childhood educators in mind. Share them in your monthly staff newsletter or display them in the teacher's lounge so everyone can stay connected and inspired!

2. Pre-Written Monthly Newsletter Content
   Save time with my pre-written newsletter content. I include two pre-written notes from the Director. The first is written to share in your monthly newsletter to parents, and another to share with teachers at your center. Each piece is easy to copy and edit to fit your center's specific needs which allows you to customize the content and add it into your existing newsletter templates.

3. Upcoming HoliDAYS and Celebration Ideas
   Stay ahead with a list of upcoming, silly, and unique “holidays” and creative ways to celebrate them in your childcare center. Whether it's a national holiday or a fun, lesser-known day, I provide inspiration and celebration ideas specifically to engage families and staff.

4. Resources
   What good is giving you ideas on how to engage your staff and families without the resources to make it easy for you to actually do it! Depending on the month, my resources could include seasonal themes and team building ideas, family engagement, graphics/printables you can share with families, or printables to hang up around your center!

   Download May Resource Toolkit Below

May 2025 Resource Toolkit

21.5MB ∙ PDF file

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And that is all I have for you today! I hope you enjoy and truly can’t wait to see how you use this at your center. My e-mail is admin@thedirectorscollective.com and my door is always open. Have a wonderful May!

This email template was written to help you loop families in now—before May hits in full force. It gently reminds families that Teacher Appreciation Week is coming up, shares where to find their teacher’s “Favorite Things” sheet, and most importantly: reassures them that there’s no pressure to buy anything.

So if you're looking for a low-stress way to engage your families and make Teacher Appreciation Week feel special for your staff, start with this email. It’s thoughtful, customizable, and one less thing you have to write from scratch. And you can customize it to fit your center’s needs!

💡 Pro Tip: Send it out a couple weeks in advance to give families time to participate in a way that works for them—and helps you plan with fewer last-minute surprises.

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Subject Line: Let’s Celebrate Our Teachers! 🌟

Hi [Center Name] Families,

Teacher Appreciation Week is coming up May 5-9, and we’re excited to celebrate our incredible educators who show up every single day with patience, creativity, and care.

The purpose of this week is simple: to recognize the heart and hard work your child’s teachers pour into their classrooms. While gifts are never expected, we know many families love to find small ways to say thank you—whether it’s a handmade card, a kind note, a favorite snack, or kind words at drop-off.

To help make it easy, we’ve put together a “Favorite Things” binder at [insert location], where you can peek at your teacher’s go-to coffee order, favorite color, or little treats they love (just in case you’re looking for ideas).

And this year, we’re inviting everyone to join in: starting May 5, look for a big stack of Post-it notes outside the office. Use them to write a favorite quality, a memory, or a note of appreciation for your child’s teacher and stick it on their door. Let’s fill the halls with love and gratitude—because a few kind words can go a long way.

We’re so grateful for your continued partnership and support—it means the world to our team. Let’s make this Teacher Appreciation Week full of joy, connection, and heartfelt thanks.

Warmly,
[Your Name]
[Your Title / Center Name]

Each form includes a friendly reminder for parents to apply sunscreen before drop-off and helps clarify who’s responsible for what. It’s a small step that ensures everyone’s on the same page—before those sunny days hit full force.

BEFORE YOU DOWNLOAD:

There are TWO versions of the permission slip below

1. One for centers who provide sunscreen

2. One for centers with parents who provide sunscreen for their child.

Please be sure to use the correct version!!

CENTER Provided Sunscreen

167KB ∙ PDF file

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PARENT Provided Sunscreen

164KB ∙ PDF file

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This download includes everything you need to get organized:

• The planner overview gives you space to map out the overall plan for the week.

• Daily planning pages help you add more detail—materials needed, a timeline to keep you on track, and space to jot down reminders.

• At the bottom of each daily page, you’ll find a 5-star rating scale to evaluate how well the celebration went, so you’ll know what’s worth repeating next year.

• A Donation Tracker at the end lets you keep track of contributions from families and local businesses. (Pro tip: Snap photos of donations in action, tag businesses on social media, and send handwritten thank-you notes from the team!)

Let’s make this the year we plan ahead and actually enjoy the week of celebration! Haven’t subscribed yet? Be sure to hit that button and get these fantastic resources delivered straight to your inbox!

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SCROLL DOWN TO DOWNLOAD THE PRINTABLE PLANNER

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Teacher Appreciation Planner

3.03MB ∙ PDF file

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Keep your eyes peeled for some theme and gift ideas for budgets of all sizes later this week. Until then, enjoy!

If you’re new here, welcome! Each month, I release a Resource Toolkit made just for Childcare Directors who want to build stronger connections with their families and staff—without adding more to their already full plate.

Connection is one of the most meaningful parts of our work, but planning it all can feel impossible when you’re juggling a million other things. That’s why I’ve done the heavy lifting for you. Each toolkit includes:

• Pre-written newsletter content you can copy or tweak

• A Staff Learning Spotlight to guide team discussions

• Fun & lighthearted holiday ideas to boost morale

• And actual plug-and-play resources to help you bring it all to life

Want these delivered straight to your inbox each month? Subscribe now and make connection the easiest part of your job.

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April’s Toolkit is all about fresh starts, creativity, and connection. Inside, you’ll find ready-to-use resources to help you celebrate Earth Day, World Art Day, and World Book Night, along with lighthearted ideas to bring laughter to your staff for April Fools’ Day. Whether you’re setting up a chalk-the-walk, hosting a book exchange, or surprising your team with a new “diaper wipe accountability policy” prank, this month is full of simple ways to spark fun and strengthen community.

You’ll also find the staff learning spotlight that supports reflection and growth—like rethinking classroom rules, embracing mistakes, and letting go of control. These tools are designed to help you feel supported, inspired, and connected as you guide your team and families through another season of meaningful work. 🌱✨

REMINDER- The Printable Nature Journal is a separate download below! Feel free to include this in your newsletter to parents in celebration of Earth Day, send it home in folders, or use it in your classrooms!

**If you use any of these ideas at your center, I would love to hear how they went or see pictures! Just tag me on Facebook or Instagram @thedirectorscollective or email me at admin@thedirectorscollective.com so I can share all of your hard work and community building 💕

The Nature Journal Toddlers & Pre K

2.88MB ∙ PDF file

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April 2025 Resource Toolkit

27.3MB ∙ PDF file

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