‘Don’t buy teachers gifts, give €2 to charity,’ urges school

A CO Wexford national school that practises mindfulness homework has asked students not to give teachers any gifts this Christmas to ease pressure on parents.

In a letter sent home with 460 students on Thursday, principal Oona Rackard, from St Senan’s Primary School in Enniscorthy, asked parents instead to give a donation, if they wish, of no more than €2 to Focus Ireland.

It says: “At this time of year, there can be pressure from children to buy staff that work with them a gift.

“We would like to take this opportunity to say while we are always grateful for parents’ kind generosity, we would like to reduce your stress a little and suggest that you don’t buy us gifts.

“In the run-up to Christmas we have been talking about thanksgiving and have started mindfulness homework and will be focusing on the real meaning of Christmas in our classes.

“With this in mind, we should like the children to be involved in the social responsibility of giving and kindness.

“We will send home blank envelopes with the children in which, if you like, you can place a donation of no more than €2.

“Please don’t put names on the envelopes.

“The money collected will be donated to the homeless charity Focus Ireland.

“If your child still feels they want to bring something else in, a handmade card or picture would be lovely.”

Pressure

It comes as many parents feel the pressure to contribute to Christmas presents for teachers and special needs assistants.

Since Thursday, the feedback from parents has been huge, according to teacher and home-school liaison officer Jenna Fitzgerald.

“The feedback has been massive and so positive,” she said.

“The second class teacher Denise Tyrrell saw a similar letter in the UK and thought it was a really good idea so the principal asked all 39 teachers here and 20 special needs assistants and we all thought it was a wonderful initiative.

“Every year parents have so many little costs at Christmas and if you have three or four children, a present for each teacher all adds up.”