Art Becomes Classroom Supplies

Since 2016 we have hosted a contest for students of all ages, all across America for the chance to have their design turned into a shirt that is sold nationally. The contest is centered around the theme of Autism Awareness so the students along with being creative, learn to bring awareness and acceptance to a cause that is impacting more and more people each year.

The over all student winner receives shirts with their design for their entire classroom and teachers, as well as a pizza party and a gift card from WorkPlacePro in the amount of $500. Fortunately this year we were able to see what the classroom decided to buy with their gift card! Maysn and Sophia (5th graders from Texas) were our 2020 winners– check out what their art and hard work earned them!

Their pizza party is delayed until the fall due to Covid-19, but they look forward to having pizza with one of their new classroom books they will be discussing at that time, according to their teacher Ms. Welty.

Check out our winner’s original submission and the winners from the other categories! We always have so much fun hosting this contest and hope to for years to come! Our wide selection of Autism Awareness apparel and accessories change often and are always for a limited time. Check back often, sign up for our email notifications and maybe you could be the winner next year with your own design on a shirt!

How to Have Fun on the 100th Day of School

Tips on Celebrating with Kids

A new school celebration gaining popularity in elementary schools across the country is dubbed, “The 100th Day of School.”  This celebration literally occurs on the 100th day of the school year. The calendar date varies, due to differences of start dates and inclement weather, but it typically falls in the January-February time frame.

This day provides the opportunity to plan fun activities for young minds.  They can learn new math skills, create a new art project, or stretch their creativity. Here are some 100 days of school ideas to do with your little ones either at school or at home:

  1. Practice Counting- Think about it. There are lots of ways to count to 100! You can count by 1s, 5s, 10s, 20s, etc.  100 is an easy, round number for young minds to practice with. Here’s some neat ideas to practice counting!
  2. Exercise- Explore ways to get to 100 with your body! Do 10 reps of 10 different exercises, like jumping jacks, sit-ups, or push-ups. Or walk 100 steps and measure the distance of your steps compared to someone else’s. Check out some other fun kid-friendly exercise ideas!
  3. Design a necklace- Build fine motor skills by having your children or students string 100 items onto a piece of yarn that they can wear as a necklace. Use cereal such as fruit loops to combine craft time with snack time!
  4. Make a t-shirt- Here at WorkPlacePro®, we are all about t-shirts! We love the idea of kids creating their own. Start this project plenty of time in advance, so the child can begin collecting items that they will later glue onto a t-shirt.  Fun ideas might include stickers, pennies, Legos, or sequins.  Let them use fabric paint to decorate and make it their own! We love these creative examples shown here.

The 100th day of school is not only a great way to have fun, but it’s also a time to reflect on what has been learned so far and what is yet to come.  We wanted to create a t-shirt design that celebrated a memorable school year for this purpose!  Check out our “Best School Year Ever” design here, available until November 14, 2019!

Teacher Appreciation Gift Guide

Teacher Appreciation Week ‘19

Each year we want to show our appreciation for our teachers all the time but especially during Teacher Appreciation (May 6 – 10) and especially this year. Why now more so than ever? Our educators across the country are taking stands for things they believe in like better pay, quality student/teacher ratio & the tools to execute their job to the standards we need.

So, let’s take a stand & show our teachers how much we appreciate them! Here are a few ways that are easy, perhaps free & can be accomplished at any time.

  1.     Tell your teacher you appreciate them. When is the last time you did that? Or tell your child’s teacher you appreciate them. It takes no time at all but could make a lasting impact.
  2.     Bring your children’s teacher supplies! 1 box of tissues or 1 pack of hand sanitizer could go a long way! Especially in the teacher’s heart & mind. So often teachers are buying their own supplies so any contributions are greatly appreciated.
  3.     Go on Amazon! Did you know teachers can create a “wish list” for their classroom just like you probably do for Christmas? You could always search your teachers name to see if they have created a list & surprise them with something from it!
  4.     Feeling extra & crafty? We’ve saved a few of our favorite DIY Teacher Appreciation Gifts on our Pinterest board. Go check it out & let us know if you try any!

Hopefully this list gets you started or at least makes you realize how simple it could be to show your appreciation! If you’re thinking a brand-new t-shirt would be great as a gift, we’ve got you covered there too. 🙂  Order yours before 3/28 to have in time!

 

Bullying happens at school and work: Here’s how to fight it

What do you think of when you hear the word “bullying”?

A playground is likely a common visual. The screams of happy children in the background. The heartbreaking scene of a child getting pushed around by another in the foreground — not just physically, but verbally.

But bullying doesn’t just live in school hallways or the playground. Cyberbullying among young people occurs more frequently because of easy access to digital devices and social media. And bullying doesn’t just happen to children: Adults are experiencing it in the workplace at an alarming rate — 60.3 million workers report being affected.

Continue reading Bullying happens at school and work: Here’s how to fight it

6 must-adds to a teacher’s summer break

The countdown is on, teacher friends. That last-day-of-school mark on your wall calendar gets closer and closer with each crossed out day. We know you love your job (and that you’re darn good at it), so we will not be judging when you do a little happy dance after all your kids walk out the door for summer break.

via GIPHY

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Introducing a new world to students: Meet School Lunch Hero Allison Sobieck

Make sure to order shirts to celebrate School Lunch Heroes by April 12! School Lunch Hero Day (May 4) showcases the difference school nutrition professionals make for every child who comes through the cafeteria. It’s a great time to say thank you to those hard-working professionals who provide food education and experiences in your school.

When she left her hometown of Somerset, Kentucky, in 1998 to get her degree, School Lunch Hero Allison Sobieck always thought she would have a job offering five-star dining experiences.

After earning an associate’s in culinary arts and a bachelor’s in business with an emphasis on hospitality management from Sullivan University, Allison and her husband, Chuck, returned to Somerset to bring everything they learned to their community. They started construction on the Doolin House Inn bed and breakfast in 2003 and launched 2Chefs Catering, plating beautiful meals and introducing new food culture to downtown Somerset. (Photo above by KSD: Chuck and Allison Sobieck in their kitchen at the Doolin House Inn in Somerset, where they also operated 2Chefs Catering.)

Continue reading Introducing a new world to students: Meet School Lunch Hero Allison Sobieck

5 unique ideas for Teacher Appreciation Week

Heads up! Today, March 22, is the last day to order our Get Your Cray On shirts — perfect appreciation gifts for teachers! National Teacher Appreciation Week is May 7-11.

My mom is a teacher.

I feel proud to type that. Though she’s now retired, once a teacher, always a teacher — she carries that badge with honor, rushing to help or advocate for many causes to support the profession even though she no longer does the day-to-day work.

Continue reading 5 unique ideas for Teacher Appreciation Week

Why we should encourage children to play outdoors

Hellooooo spring. We’ve missed you.

We may not be out of the cold weather woods just yet, but today, the first official day of spring, we have license to celebrate. We can start counting down to all the fun outdoor things — Spring Break, the last day of school, opening day of the local swimming pool, SUMMER. It’s just like the late actor Robin Williams said: “Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s party!’”

Preach.

Continue reading Why we should encourage children to play outdoors

Back To School Safety Tips

It’s that time of year again when parents and children across the country are preparing to go back to school.

August is designated as Back-to-School Safety Month, and we want to remind motorists to be extra careful at all times.

Follow the tips below to make sure you keep your children safe while walking and biking to school:

School Zone Driving Safety Tips

  • Be on the lookout for school zone signals and ALWAYS obey the speed limits.
  • When entering a school zone, be sure to slow down and obey all traffic laws.
  • Always stop for school busses that are loading or unloading children.
  • Watch out for school crossing guards and obey their signals.
  • Be aware of and watch out for children near schools, bus stops, sidewalks, in the streets, in school parking lots, etc.
  • Never pass other vehicles while driving in a school zone.
  • Never change lanes while driving in a school zone.
  • Never make U-Turns while driving in a school zone.
  • Never text while driving in a school zone.
  • Avoid using a cell phone, unless it is completely hands-free, while driving in a school zone.
  • Unless licensed to do so, never use handicap or emergency vehicle lanes or spaces to drop off or pick up children at school.

Riding Your Bike to School

  • Check with the school to make sure your child is allowed to ride their bicycle to school. Some schools do not allow students to ride bicycles to school until they reach a specific grade.
  • Make sure your child always wears a bicycle helmet! Failure to wear one could result in a traffic citation. Furthermore, in the event of an accident, helmets reduce the risk of head injury by as much as 85 percent.
  • Obey the rules of the road; the rules are the same for all vehicles, including bicycles.
  • Always stay on the right-hand side of the road and ride in the same direction as traffic.
  • Be sure your child know and uses all of the appropriate hand signals.
  • Choose the safest route between home and school and practice it with children until they can demonstrate traffic safety awareness.
  • If possible, try to ride with someone else. There is safety in numbers.

Walking to School

  • Leave early enough to arrive at school at least 10 minutes prior to the start of school.
  • Use the same route every day and never use shortcuts.
  • Go straight home after school. Do not go anywhere else without permission.
  • Always use public sidewalks and streets when walking to school.
  • Demonstrate traffic safety awareness and pick the safest route between your home and the school and practice walking it with your children.
  • Try and walk to school with other students. There is strength in numbers.
  • Teach your children to recognize and obey traffic signals, signs, and pavement markings.
  • Only cross streets at designated crosswalks, street corners and traffic controlled intersections.
  • Always look both ways before crossing the street and never enter streets from between obstacles like parked cars, shrubbery, signs, etc.
  • Always walk and never run across intersections.
  • Avoid talking to strangers. Teach your children to get distance between themselves and anyone who tries to approach or make contact with them.
  • If a stranger does approach your child, make sure they know to immediately report the incident to you or a teacher.
  • Teach your children to never get into a vehicle with anyone, even if they know them, without your permission.

Clothing and School Supplies

  • To prevent injury, backpacks should have wide straps, padding in the back and shoulders, and should not weigh more than 10 to 15 percent of a child’s body weight.
  • When placing items in a backpack, place the heavier items in first. The closer the heavier items are to a child’s back, the less strain it will cause.
  • Children should use both backpack straps and all compartments for even distribution of weight.
  • Remove drawstrings from jackets, sweatshirts, and hooded shirts to reduce the risk of strangulation injuries.
  • Art supplies in the classroom should always be child safe and non-toxic.
  • Make sure your child’s school is up-to-date on the latest recalled children’s products and toys.

School Bus Safety

  • Make habit of arriving at the bus stop at least five minutes before the scheduled arrival of the bus.
  • Make sure your child stays out of the street and avoids excessive horseplay while waiting for the school bus.
  • Be sure the bus comes to a complete stop before getting on or off.
  • When riding the bus, make sure your child understands they must remain seated and keep their head and arms inside the bus at all times.
  • Do not shout or distract the driver.
  • Do not walk in the driver’s “blind spot” – this is the area from the front of the bus to about 10 feet in front of the bus.