Every school has at least one. The coworker you text between classes. The one who was standing next to you during the meeting where the principal announced something so disconnected from classroom reality that you both had to look at the floor to keep a straight face. The one you split a coffee with during a prep period when you both had approximately twelve things to do and chose instead to sit for seven minutes and talk about how tired you are.
This person deserves a real gift. Not an obligatory one. Not the department-wide gift card that got split sixteen ways and covers exactly one coffee. A considered gift that says: I see you, I know who you are outside of the lesson plans, and I picked this specifically.
Things that actually land
A soft, well-made shirt she'll actually wear. Not a teacher shirt. Something she'd wear on a weekend that has some personality. Our shirts exist for exactly this reason — pick the design that matches her specific brand of exhausted humor and you're done. Sizing up one is usually the right call if you're not sure.
A nice candle, but not a seasonal one. Something with a clean scent that doesn't smell like a department store display. She can light it while grading papers at nine p.m. and pretend she's somewhere else for a minute.
A specific snack she mentioned wanting. Not a generic treat basket. The actual thing she said she wanted three weeks ago in the workroom when she was complaining about the vending machine. If you remembered, that's the whole gift right there. The object is almost secondary.
A long lunch, if schedules allow. Somewhere that isn't the school cafeteria or the sad corner of the workroom. Somewhere with actual table service and no children. The meal doesn't have to be expensive. The absence of supervision responsibilities is the luxury.
What to skip
Anything with a motivational quote. Anything that references how many days are left in the school year in a cutesy way. Anything she'd feel obligated to display somewhere visible. You know her. Use that knowledge. It's the most useful thing you have.