The Director's Planner: Week of April 21st, 2025
If you want a strong team, stop doing it all yourself.
This week’s focus is all about wrapping up (the majority) of Teacher Appreciation Week prep so ‘future you’ can actually enjoy it. Or at least not stay up late on Sunday night cutting out signs.
I also added a few FREE training opportunities for local MN Directors at the bottom of this email. If you know of training opportunities that would benefit our ECE leadership community, please submit them here so I can share!
Last, the May Resource Toolkit drops this week, so keep your eyes out. Now let’s get to it!
1 Monthly Focus
Plan Teacher Appreciation Week (TAW)
T-minus two weeks until Teacher Appreciation Week! If you haven’t started planning, be sure to go back and look at the planner for the past three weeks to get caught up.
Here’s what to focus on this week:
✅ Confirm Your Donations and Volunteers
Reach out to any businesses or families who committed to donations, snacks, or gifts to confirm arrival dates and details. Ideally, you will have all of your materials and donations onsite by the middle of next week. Confirming now helps you avoid surprises the day-of!
✅ Handwrite Teacher Notes
No matter your budget, one of the most meaningful things you can give your team is a personal note of appreciation. It doesn’t need to be fancy—just heartfelt. Take a few minutes to write down what you admire about each teacher: a moment they went above and beyond, something you’ve seen them grow in, or the way they make your center a better place. A sincere note lasts longer than any snack table ever will.
2 Thoughts to Consider
I. Being nice is easy. Being kind takes work.
Niceness avoids discomfort. Kindness sets boundaries.
It’s easy to confuse the two—especially in early childhood, where we’re often praised for being nurturing and agreeable. But kindness isn’t just about being pleasant—it’s about being honest, clear, and compassionate, even when it’s hard.
You can still be warm and supportive and hold someone accountable. You can give critical feedback and be respectful. Kindness doesn’t mean you’re never firm—it means you care enough to show up with integrity. The goal isn’t to be liked by everyone—it’s to be trusted by the people who count on you.
II. If you want a strong team, stop doing it all yourself.
It’s tempting to be the go-to person for everything. You may even think that quality makes you a better leader. But the more you hold onto, the less room your team has to grow—and the less ownership they’ll feel. Delegation isn’t a weakness—it’s one of the strongest moves a leader can make. Empowering your team to take real ownership builds confidence, accountability, and a culture where everyone feels invested. So what can you pass off this week to make space for what really needs your attention?
3 Action Items
I. Write your May Newsletter
A new month means a new chance to keep families in the loop! Use your May newsletter to share key dates like Teacher Appreciation Week, Mother’s Day celebrations, summer schedule updates, and any upcoming center closures (like Memorial Day.)
💡Pro Tip: The May Resource Toolkit drops later this week with pre-written newsletter content, flyers, and ready-to-go staff and family engagement resources! It will also include some printables for Teachers Appreciation and Mothers Day so be sure to check it out.
II. Start brainstorming Mother’s Day plans
Mother’s Day falls on Sunday, May 11. To avoid doubling up on celebrations during Teacher Appreciation Week, consider planning any in-person recognition for families on Monday, May 12.
That said, if your classrooms are making a sweet card or craft, teachers will still need to prep and finish them by the week of May 5-9 so they can be sent home for caregivers that weekend. So give your team a heads up now. Decide what you’ll do and who’s leading it, so it doesn’t add to the chaos later. Simple = just as meaningful.
III. Handwrite personalized teacher appreciation notes
Yes, this one’s in the weekly challenge too—but I included it here as well because it matters that much! And I know it takes time. So get to it!
Upcoming Training Opportunities
And that’s it for this week! Easy as A, B, C, 1, 2, 3.
