Can you believe it’s that time of year again? Summer vacay flew by faster than a student racing out the door on the last day of school! Back to school season has arrived, as has the back to school stress. Let’s be honest; a new school year is like a rollercoaster of emotions. On one hand, you’ll miss those sunny beach days, but on the other, you’ll be thrilled to see your new students!
There is so much to think about and plan before returning to school. It can quickly become overwhelming and lead to stress and anxiety. Having the right tools in your toolbox can help you beat the back to school stress. Here are six must-have items to help you conquer this school year like the superhero educator you are!
Back to School Stress
You can do many things to alleviate some of the back to school stress. Having a plan is a great place to start. Brain-dump everything you would like to accomplish before school begins. Then, go through your list and prioritize each piece. Chip away at your list day by day. Once your plans and procedures fall into place, you will feel the stress start to melt away. These six must-have items are typically on a teacher’s to-do list but sometimes fall through the cracks. Check them off your list now and kickstart your year stress-free!
Must-Have Item #1: Newsletters
Classroom newsletters are the perfect way to beat the back to school stress. Communicating with parents throughout the school year is so important. Classroom newsletters are a great way to establish transparency and keep parents in the loop year-round. Keeping parents on the same page will ensure your students are successful. A classroom newsletter can be one more thing on a to-do list. However, using these fantastic newsletter templates all year long makes it much easier and less stressful.
You will be able to choose from a huge selection of newsletters. Specifically, this includes upcoming events, homework updates, helpful reminders, and more. You can easily edit, print, and send them home weekly or monthly. Plus, going digital is a snap! Easily post the newsletters on your classroom webpage, or email them to parents. Think of these newsletters as a snapshot, capturing the excitement of what’s to come in your classroom!
Honestly, knowing you have ready-to-go newsletter templates at your fingertips will alleviate your back to school stress.
Must-Have Item #2: Calendars with Digital Stickers
A classroom calendar is essential for keeping parents and students up to date each month. First, decide if you would like a five-day or seven-day week calendar. These editable calendar templates come in both formats and give parents a quick glimpse of the upcoming week.
Also included are 62 fun and colorful digital stickers! Teachers can easily place the digital stickers on the calendar for announcements, important events, reminders, and more! Adding reminders like picture day, book orders, and spirit days are also helpful. Honestly, parents look forward to seeing their child’s calendars each week, and the bright digital stickers make it even more visual. It serves as a reminder of what’s to come for the week so they can prepare their child.
Organizing and planning with the editable calendar templates are key for a stress-free start.
Must-Have Item #3 Back to School Brochures
A lot of the back to school stress can come from all the information teachers need to share with parents and students. Luckily, back to school brochures are the best way to do this.
Brochures are perfect for an open house, meet the teacher night or mail to students and parents. They keep all of the information neat and organized and provide a reference sheet for them to keep for the entire year. You can include as much information as you like. Specifically, you can add procedures, rules, attendance policies, homework policies, grading, behavior, supplies, and more!
A great way to separate some of the information is by providing a brochure just for students and a separate one for parents. Providing parents and students with important information will help your back to school stress and theirs as well.
Must-Have Item #4: Flipbooks
If a brochure is a little too old-school for you, try out back to school flipbooks! Flipbooks are a fun way to present information to parents and students. Honestly, these are perfect for Meet the Teacher Night or Open House and can even be used with your students on the first day of school.
Include information about yourself, class schedule, class rules and procedures, homework policy, and curriculum. Students love flipping through the pages and learning about their new classroom. Having all the information in one easy booklet is convenient for parents. Encourage parents to keep it handy during the year as a reference tool. They can quickly and easily find what they need or my contact information. Less stress for the parents and less stress for the teacher!
Must-Have Item #5: Forms, Letters, and Checklists
On top of having so much information to share, you also have a bunch of information you need to gather from parents and students. It can be tough to keep track of who turned in which form. The only way to keep track of this new information is through forms, letters, and checklists. And boy, oh boy, is there a lot of them. Over 40 classroom forms are editable and ready to meet all your back to school needs.
These are a few:
- Parent-Teacher Communication Logs
- Student Snapshot for Recording Test Scores and Grades
- 5-Minute Book Conference Form
- Substitute Teacher Feedback Form
- Fire Drill Checklist
- Teacher Logins Form
- Student Logins Form
- 13 Fun Attention Grabbers!
Teachers are so busy at the beginning of the year. With so much on your mind, it can be challenging to even think of what information you need to collect. With these editable forms, letters, and checklists, you can skim the options, print, and go! You can breathe a little easier without the back to school stress of creating forms from scratch.
Must-Have Item #6: Slideshows
If it’s one thing that isn’t fun about back to school season, it’s meetings about necessary but boring information. It is no fun! Nobody wants to listen to information read directly from a brochure, especially not your students. Mixing things up with a fun back to school slideshow is the perfect way to keep students and parents engaged. They are perfect for Open House or Meet the Teacher Night. You can even make one specifically for the first day of school!
Honestly, putting the slideshow on autopilot and letting it run while greeting parents or students is another great option. This allows you to interact with families and still provide valuable information. Truly, having a back to school slideshow can cut out all the stress from Meet the Teacher Night or Open House. Slideshows are just another way of sharing your classroom information in a more fun and engaging way.
A Back to School Bundle to Beat the Stress
Rolling into a new school year can be challenging. Creating your plan and checking off your to-do list can take time. To make life easier, this Back to School Editable Bundle already has the resources you need packaged together!
This incredible bundle has over 290 pages! It includes all your must-have teacher items listed above, plus much more! Luckily, with the Back to School Editable Bundle, you will never have to buy a back to school communication resource again. You will be able to use the resources year after year.
Here’s a sneak peek inside this jam-packed Back 2 School Bundle:
The bundle includes everything you need to kick the back to school stress to the curb. It is a complete lifesaver! Additionally, you will SAVE by purchasing the bundle. With one purchase, you can check off the boxes on your to-do list and focus on what matters—the kids!
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Save These Ideas for Later!
Be sure and pin these six must-have items to your favorite back to school board. You can refer back to this list when you are ready to kick the back to school stress goodbye!