Teacher Appreciation Week 2017 provided numerous opportunities for educators to access discounts and freebies across various categories, including food, retail, and classroom supplies. While the provided documentation does not explicitly detail Virginia-specific programs, it offers a comprehensive overview of national and regional promotions available during that time, many of which were applicable in Virginia. The following analysis focuses on verified offers and trends from May 2017, prioritizing information from authoritative sources such as news reports and official brand announcements.
Verified Retail and Service Discounts
During Teacher Appreciation Week 2017, major retailers and service providers offered significant discounts to educators. These offers typically required proof of status, such as a valid school ID or enrollment in a teacher rewards program.
- Barnes & Noble: Educators could receive 20 percent off the publisher’s list price on all purchases for classroom use every day. During specific Educator Appreciation Days, this discount increased to 25 percent off the publisher’s list price.
- Clothing Retailers: Several clothing stores offered in-store discounts for teachers. These included Banana Republic (15 percent off with valid ID), J. Crew (15 percent discount), LOFT (15 percent off full-price purchases), and The Limited (15 percent off). These offers were valid in-store only and required identification.
- Craft and Supply Stores: A.C. Moore provided teachers with a 15 percent discount on their entire purchase, including sale items. Michaels offered teachers 15 percent off their entire purchase, including sale items, provided they synced their teacher status to their Michaels Rewards account.
- Office Supplies: Staples offered teachers 20 percent off in-store purchases during Teacher Appreciation Week (May 4-10) with a valid teacher ID. Additionally, they offered a free 12-pack of Tru Red Stick Pens (one per customer while supplies last) via coupons found in the Staples app. Office Depot and Office Max offered a Teacher Exclusive Coupon providing 30 percent back in Bonus Rewards on qualifying purchases.
- Other Services: Budget Truck Rental extended a discount to teachers, offering 20 percent off local moves and 15 percent off one-way moves using the code "Teach." CorePower Yoga offered discounts to teachers and students.
Food and Beverage Offers
Restaurants and coffee shops participated in the appreciation events with free food items and buy-one-get-one deals. These offers were generally valid on specific days, often May 2 or May 3, 2017, and required a valid school ID.
- Chipotle: The chain offered a buy-one-get-one free deal on burritos, bowls, salads, or tacos on Tuesday, May 3, 2017. The offer was valid from 3 p.m. to close and required a valid ID for teachers, faculty, and staff.
- Chick-fil-A: Teachers could receive a free Chick-fil-A Chick-n-Mini's (3-count) or a free Chicken Sandwich on May 2, 2017, between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. upon presenting a valid ID.
- Sonic: Teachers could join the "Teachers' Circle" rewards program by signing up by May 5, 2017, to access exclusive deals through May 9, 2017. To redeem, teachers needed to download the Sonic app, create an account, and select "I'm a Teacher" in settings.
- Bruegger's Bagels, Cicis, Culver's, Einstein Bagels, Potbelly Sandwich Shop, Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers, Scooter's Coffee, and Zaxby's: These restaurants were noted as offering deals, though specific details were generally limited to requiring a school ID for verification.
Classroom and Educational Resources
Educators seeking to stock up on supplies or find classroom materials found several opportunities during this period.
- Scholastic: The Scholastic Store allowed educators to download 100 free printable items and five free posters for their classrooms during Teacher Appreciation Week. Additionally, Scholastic offered tiered discounts with the code TEACHERS through May 10: $5 off $50, $20 off $100, $35 off $150, or $50 off $200.
- The Scholastic Store: Specifically mentioned in the D.C./Maryland/Virginia local news report, offering downloadable free printables and posters.
- Box Tops for Education: During May 2017, which was also Teacher Appreciation Month, participants could get a $5 bonus for their school by downloading the Box Tops app and scanning their first receipt using the code TEACHER.
- Online Freebies: A source listing digital freebies for teachers included various printables such as gift tags, coloring pages, clipart, and bulletin board materials from creators like A Few Good Designs by Shannon Few, Kindergarten Market, Artifex, The Whole Child Teacher, and others. These were available for download during the appreciation period.
Regional and Local Context
While the specific search query targeted Virginia, the provided documentation primarily lists national offers and specific deals in Maryland, Iowa, and other regions. However, the national chains listed (Chipotle, Chick-fil-A, Barnes & Noble, Staples, etc.) have a significant presence in Virginia, making their offers likely available to Virginia educators. The documentation explicitly confirms that Chipotle and Chick-fil-A offers were valid in the "local" area encompassing Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.
Conclusion
Teacher Appreciation Week 2017 offered a wide array of verified discounts and freebies for educators. The most prominent categories included retail discounts at stores like Barnes & Noble, Banana Republic, and Michaels; restaurant deals from Chipotle, Chick-fil-A, and Sonic; and educational resources from Scholastic. While some offers were specific to certain dates or regions like Maryland, the majority of national chain offers were widely available, including in Virginia. Educators were generally required to present valid school identification or sign up for specific rewards programs to redeem these offers.