First Days of School Checklist

Things to get done before the first day of school

1. Syllabus
2. Parent letter (if you have an open house or send it home with contact form)
3. Rules, rewards, consequences posters
4. Ticket box/tickets (procedure)
5. Marble jar (procedure)
6. Seating chart (begin learning names immediately)
7. Consequence tracker
8. Bathroom procedure (may need to create hall passes for this)
9. Pencil procedure (sharpening, collateral, etc)
10. Kleenex procedure
11. In/out trays for organizing work
12. Bell ringer sheets (or a poster reflecting what they need to look like if youre not making copies for them)
13. Set up Remind 101 (add to syllabus)
14. Set up Gradecam
15. Make classroom posters
16. Acquire miscellaneous classroom supplies/materials
17. Number desks, put tape down to keep rows straight (If youre feeling ambitious: put felt on the bottom to
help save the floors. The custodians will love you for this.)
18. Decide what supplies you will require kids to buy (comp books, binders, folders etc) and verify that you are
allowed to ask the students to do so
19. Prepare and organize student folders
20. Create your long-term plan. At minimum, 1st 9 weeks curriculum map with objectives mapped out relative
to your pacing guide or framework.
21. Plan for sick-days, ie Sub folder with rosters, seating chart, busy work, etc.
22. Create call log template
23. Set up bulletin boards in classroom (Student of the Month, Excellent Work, etc.)
24. Set up agenda/objective board
25. Disaster plan information posted in room above door (Pro Tip: Have a disaster plan folder ready to go with
all of your rosters there so you can quickly check attendance in case of an emergency)
26. Make up work folders/bin and procedure
27. If teaching lab-based science: Inventory all chemicals and print MSDS for each. Make sure you have
working fire extinguisher, eyewash station, and other safety items. Sign up form: http://goo.gl/uTCklR
28. If teaching English, determine which novels you can/will teach. Acquire copies if needed.
29. Set up DonorsChoose account, anticipate needed projects, and get them funded early.
30. Create your own attendance tracker
31. Get a copy of the pre-test from your department chair if they have one. If not, make your own (covering as
many objectives as possible if not all), and copy it. Get scantrons for pre-test.
32. Plan rules and procedures lessons (may want to do: quiz, notes, practice)
33. Student info sheet for first day bell ringer
34. Acquire resources from TEAM, 2Ys, etc.
35. Meet the custodians, coaches, and secretaries.
36. Educate yourself on Common Core
37. How will students organize their notes/work for your class? Will they need binders or composition books?
Will they need a separate section for tests/graded papers and notes? (add to syllabus)