Back-to-School Practices and Websites for Schools
As summer vacation comes to an end, students, parents, and teachers are all anxious for the new school year. With a new year comes new people, new assignments, and the need for good back-to-school procedures. These procedures allow teachers and administrators to welcome everyone back to school and prepare both themselves and the student body for the year ahead. Here are a few tips for how teachers and administrators can start the school year off on the right foot.
Pre-term newsletter
A good way for teachers and administration to start off the school year is by sending out a newsletter to parents before the new year officially begins. This newsletter should contain basic information concerning the upcoming year so that parents can be informed about the school’s intentions and goals. This letter can also be a way to help parents prepare their children for the school year by including a materials checklist. Now, most teachers have their own syllabi that include the specific materials needed for each class, so the newsletter checklist should only contain basics such as pens, pencils, and paper. Websites for schools can be utilized for this back-to-school practice because school administration can post the newsletter to the website where all parents will be able to view it. Edlio websites also contain an email sender feature which administrators can utilize to send out mass emails and newsletters to parents and their school community.
Classroom icebreakers
Another way teachers can use websites for schools in their back-to-school procedures is through classroom icebreakers. For example, teachers can use the educational game platform Kahoot not only to test what knowledge the students already have but also to create a fun and friendly competitive environment that allows the students to get to know each other. The link to the Kahoot game can be posted on the teacher’s page on the school website, that way all the students can access it. Classroom icebreakers help students and teachers form a relationship, and in my experience, they can also help ease any nervousness students have going into the class.
Digital assignment folders
One practice that teachers at my school utilize that I find very helpful is the use of the school website for important forms and assignments. Websites for schools should have a place where teachers can include digital copies of class documents so that students and parents can access them if necessary. Keeping important forms organized in a digital folder is a good back-to-school practice because since many assignments are done digitally anyways, teachers can prepare their students to use such resources early on.
Back-to-school events
School administrators can welcome students and parents into the new school year by organizing back-to-school events. These events can serve as a way for students, teachers, and parents to mingle and get to know one another early in the year. By holding these school-wide events prior to the school year, people can get prepared for school while being introduced to new faces. Administration can use websites for schools to schedule these events and to send out email reminders to families regarding the event. In addition to school orientation, an administration can plan events such as school supply drives where students can come and get the basic materials needed for the new year.
Updated school calendar
A crucial back-to-school procedure that teachers and administration should practice is keeping their school calendars up to date. This is especially important for high school seniors such as me, who are preparing to navigate the college application process. An updated school calendar would allow us to keep track of school events as well as important college deadlines. Individual teachers should also include calendars on their pages so that students can see what assignments are due and when. School calendars are also important for parents because they inform parents of upcoming events such as back-to-school night.
Although the new school year brings some uncertainty for students and parents, teachers and administration can help ease this anxiety by utilizing the above tips. Websites for schools and good back-to-school practices can make the transition from summer vacation to school smoother and more efficient for everyone. These practices allow teachers and administrators to connect with parents and the student body so that once the school year begins, everyone feels more comfortable and confident.
About Raven
My name is Raven Lawson, and I am a seventeen-year-old high school senior at Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies (LACES). I am a writer and designer for my school’s Yearbook and I am one of the Presidents of our Black Student Union. Through my school’s college counselor I learned about a summer internship opportunity. I applied in early February and had the fortune of being selected as one of eighty-seven interns. I then joined the team here at Edlio as a marketing intern. After high school, I plan to pursue a career in journalism or communications, and I am looking forward to utilizing the skills I learn at Edlio in the future.