Shout Out Book to Boost Teacher and Staff Morale
- Whole Child Counseling
- Mar 8, 2020
- 3 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
Creating a positive school climate doesn’t have to require a massive initiative or budget. Sometimes, the most powerful culture shifts start with the smallest gestures. If you’ve ever seen a colleague’s face light up after receiving an unexpected compliment or handwritten note, you already know the power of recognition.
That’s why I created this free printable Staff Shout Out Book, a simple, low-prep tool you can use to boost staff morale and foster a culture of appreciation throughout your school building. It’s a heartfelt way to remind the incredible educators and support staff around you that their work matters and that they are seen.
What Is the Staff Shout Out Book?
The Staff Shout Out Book is a printable PDF (available in my Free Resource Library) that includes uplifting quotes on the pages with space to write kind words or compliments. The book is designed to be shared, passed along, and filled with joy.
The front cover includes simple directions:
Write a compliment, kind note, or specific praise for a colleague
Pass the book along to someone else. (You can leave it on their desk, in their mailbox, on their clipboard, etc.) It's fun to be sneaky and kind with it!
You can keep one circulating per department, hallway, or staff lounge, or even print multiple copies and let the good vibes ripple throughout your school.
What’s Included in the Printable Staff Shout Out Book
17 printable pages with uplifting quotes for educators
A cover page with instructions to encourage participation
Simple, no-fuss format that works with black-and-white or color printing
Bonus idea: Print the cover on brightly colored cardstock
Creative Ways to Use the Staff Shout Out Book in Your School
Here are a few ways schools have used the Staff Shout Out Book:
Drop it in a teacher’s mailbox with a compliment already written
Circulate multiple copies to reach staff members in different floors or departments
Leave it in the staff lounge with a few markers and a sticky note inviting participation
Start a “Shout Out Friday” tradition where a new book gets released weekly
You can also write a few anonymous notes to get things started, especially if your team needs a little morale boost. These notes can be short and sweet. A simple “Thank you for making that meeting so positive last week!” goes a long way.
Watch: How to Bind Your Staff Shout Out Book
In the video below, I walk you through a super simple method to bind the book using supplies you already have at school or home.
What you’ll need:
Regular printer paper
A printer
A bit of cardboard (recycled from packaging works great)
A stapler
Optional: Bright paper or cardstock for the cover
This binding method works beautifully for other printable projects too, like social stories, coping skills journals, or behavior strategy books. Here's an old video of me showing how to bind this:
Why This Matters
Schools are full of high-stress moments, heavy workloads, and big emotions for both students and staff. When we take just a few minutes to recognize the humans we work beside every day, it can transform how we feel about our jobs, our teams, and ourselves.
A compliment, a kind word, or a thoughtful note doesn’t just lift spirits, it builds connection, community, and resilience.
How to Get the Free Printable
You can grab the Staff Shout Out Book by signing up for my Free Resource Library. Once subscribed, you’ll receive the password to access dozens of printable tools designed to support social-emotional learning and school-wide wellness, including this one. You'll also get useful weekly-ish emails from me (I send them less often in the summer.)
Spread the Positivity
If you find one of these books in your mailbox or you start one in your school, I would absolutely love to see it in action. Please tag @wholechildcounseling on social media to share how staff in your building are lifting each other up.
Let’s start a ripple effect of kindness, one shout out at a time.
