Don't forget to do your homework, because with more than 2,000 extra teachers in town, you're bound to get caught.

Ithaca's Winter Recess for teachers drew 2,406 registrants over the opening weekend, with about 50 percent of the total enrollment returning from previous years.

Winter Recess is a time of special events and deals at local restaurants and venues especially for pre-K through 12th-grade teachers held during the week-long February break in public schools. The celebration is in its third year, and has expanded in several ways since its beginning: in the number of events, restaurants and hotels participating, in the number registered, and in geographic distance from which those in attendance are drawn.

Last year's Winter Recess drew a little more than 2,500 people, said Bruce Stoff, marketing communications manager for the Ithaca/Tompkins Convention and Visitors Bureau. Registration continues throughout the week, so this year's total could double last year's, he said.

"Each year we come hoping for it to be as good as last year, and gets better every time," said Gail Garrard, a retired teacher from Vermont. "Something like what has happened in Ithaca over the past few years is probably the most public way to let teachers know they are appreciated. I used to get thanks often from students and parents, but this is unusual."

Garrard and her husband, Larry Garrard, were both teachers in several districts in New York and Vermont for more than two decades.

"I think it's kind of an unusual series of events being hosted by the town," said Larry Garrard. "It's too bad there aren't more towns that do this. I hope it continues."

The event's coordinators proudly note that the event is one-of-a-kind as a citywide celebration of teachers. Teachers who attend get a VIT, or Very Important Teacher pass, which gives them access to hundreds of deals on hotel rates, event tickets, spas, shopping, and meals at local restaurants.

About 75 percent of teachers who attend are from nearby school districts, either within Tompkins County or close to the county line. This year, teachers have come from all over New York, from Buffalo to Long Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, and even Ontario, Stoff said.

Sunday several attendees gathered at the Holiday Inn on South Cayuga Street for an opening reception hosted by the Ithaca Teacher's Association and New York State United Teachers. NYSUT Vice President Maria Neira welcomed the teachers. Other events especially for teachers participating in Winter Recess included open houses at local spas, and discounts at bookstores, wineries and museums.

"We're thrilled with the turnout," Stoff said. "We keep hearing how wonderful an event it is. It actually gets kind of tiring hearing the accolades, we hear it so much."

The draw for the Garrards is the vast selection of activities and attractions, they said. This year they attended a concert at Cornell and dined at Maxie's Supper Club. They plan to return next weekend for more events, they said.

"I think it's the variety of things that are available to do," said Gail Garrard. "From the wineries to the colleges, it's a place anyone in the field of teaching can find something of interest to them."

The Winter Recess has an estimated local impact of $250,000, Stoff said. However, the week is not only a boon to the local hospitality industry, it's also just a nice thing to do, said Alicia Alexander, owner of the Amazing Grace Bed and Breakfast in Danby, where some teachers took rooms for the week.

"It doesn't just sustain our industry, but it is just such a benefit to teachers," said Alexander, who is also a substitute teacher in the Ithaca City School District. "It's a stressful time and we all are working hard. It's good to give something nice to someone to show appreciation for the work they do."

Christine Bobrowich, a special education teacher in Newark Valley Central School District and first-time attendee to Ithaca's Winter Recess, said, "I think it's nice that Ithaca's taking the lead in this. Teachers are people who are important in our culture. They're people who should have some perks for what they do."