Back to School is magical and chaotic at the same time. I love the smell of fresh school supplies, picking out some new clothes, refreshing the classroom for the new class.. I could go on and on. But, Back to School is also extremely chaotic as a teacher. You are in back to back meetings (that could be emails), have a to do list a mile long, have to host open house, lesson plan and more. I’m going to share my 2 Back to School Open House must haves with you in hopes they’ll make your Open House or Back to School Night low stress like they do mine.
1. A Simple Open House Plan
The key to a low stress Open House is planning a simple one. Even better if you do the same thing year after year so once the special things are prepped you don’t have to do it again. This is the exact way I run my Open House. This kit includes everything you need to do the same.
With this kit, you can run Open House Stations around your room or you can provide families a To Do List. I give families the to do list. I greet them at the door, guide them to find their student’s desk and explain that on it is a short to do list for the night.
There is only one form that I require be filled out that night while they are there and it is the transportation sheet shown above. This is most important for my first week of school planning, everything else goes in a folder like the one below for them to take home and review.
2. A One Stop Shop for Classroom Information
My second and final Back to School Open House Must Have is one place to house all of the important information families need for your classroom and the school year. I hate bombarding families with 20+ handouts. I create this flipbook each year to house all of the information families need. I attach a magnetic strip to the back so that families can attach it to their fridge or filing cabinet and always have it handy.
This flipbook is home to contact information, schedules, behavior management, communication information and more. I include this in the send home folder for families to review at home. I have received great feedback about having everything in one place and they love that it is magnetic!
I always print extras to keep on hand in case families lose it and want another and in case I get a new student. I always prep everything that goes home on Open House for new families. It makes the transition so much easier.
That’s a wrap! Those are my 2 Back to School Open House Must Haves and the only 2 resources I have for Open House. It makes my planning and prep so much smoother and low stress when I know exactly what I am doing year after year.
