Get organized and prepared for the first day of school with this printable back to school checklist for teachers with helpful tips and reminders – an essential classroom tool for new teachers.
The start of a new school year can be extremely stressful and often can result in you feeling overwhelmed, trying to fit it all in before the first day. This teacher checklist helps you to prioritize the most important tasks and continue working through others after the first week of school.
Designed for elementary teachers, this checklist covers all the essentials for the K-5 classroom environment. Combine with our classroom routines and procedures checklist to take all the stress out of your first week at school. For more great resources for high school and middle school teachers, browse our complete back-to-school resource collection.
New to teaching? Try our Teacher Toolkit for New Teachers for everything you need to survive your first year of teaching.
Back to School Checklist for Elementary Teachers
A back to school checklist will keep you organized as you prepare to welcome your new students on the first day of school. By prioritizing and organizing your workload, you can spend more time creating engaging, meaningful lessons for your new students and less time stressing over back-to-school preparations.
What Needs to be Done by the First Day of School
Use the following back to school checklist to prepare for the first day of school:
1. Lunch Count / Attendance System
This may look different depending on your grade level. No matter what, you need to know how you are tracking which students are present and how/who to send that information.
2. Take Home Folders
Whether you teach a homeroom or all day, you are bound to have papers sent home the first day. If your school provides these folders, prepare them with names written in Sharpie/your own system. If students are bringing them as part of the supply list, print off labels so you can quickly and easily apply them.
3. Sharpen Pencils, Basic School Supplies
Have at minimum pencils sharpened and crayons ready for use. They can be your recycled supplies from last year, but this way you are not counting on your students to be prepared for any activities you might choose.
4. (Temporary) Seating Chart
It doesn’t need to be set in stone, but something as simple as their names on a sticky note will help ease the chaos. You can put their names on nametags later in the week when you know them better.
5. Extra Fun Activities – More is Better!
No matter how well you plan, the first day is unpredictable. Things you thought would take an hour could take 10 minutes and then you are left with too much time. Have multiple extra activities to use if needed- if you don’t you have more for later in the week!
6. Behavior System
Even though this won’t mirror a typical school day, you are still bound to have behaviors. Prior to the first day of school, know what your consequences and rewards are for each category of behavior. This sets the tone for the rest of the year, so be ready!
7. All About Me Activity
Have some sort of activity prepared for students to show or share about themselves. This is comfortable territory for your students, and can easily be turned into a display of student work in the classroom.
8. Read Alouds
There doesn’t need to be an activity to go with every book you read, but you should have a stack of books you can read in a pinch. These are excellent time fillers or even a chance for a teachable moment. If you don’t use them that day, you will in the next few weeks!
9. How Students Get Home
Whether you teach sections/periods or are self-contained, you are bound to have some sort of role in the dismissal process. Prior to the first day of school, know how each student gets home and what your responsibility is in getting them to the correct location at the end of the day.
10. Special / Events Calendar
Depending on your school/grade, you may have a rotation of specials (gym, music, art, technology, library, etc.). In addition, the first few weeks have many events such as an open house or curriculum night. Have a printed calendar for at least the first month prepared to send home with the necessary information.
11. Make Sure Your Technology Works
This may sound silly, but you don’t want to make plans to use your projector or SmartBoard and be stuck with no backup plan if it doesn’t work. This includes checking your log-ins and speakers, too!
12.Duty Schedule
Many schools require that teachers assume a role during drop off and pick up. Make sure to check what your “duty” is, if you have one, and what you are expected to do during those times.
Download the printable resource for a full back to school checklist for the first few weeks of school!
