4 Ways to Prepare for the New School Year
The new school year is upon us! Are you ready? If you said “no,” it’s okay. Many parents feel overwhelmed at the start of the new school year. For many, it seems like as soon as you get comfortable with the summer schedule, it’s time to change gears and send kids back to school. But what do you need to do to be ready when school starts?
I’m assembly presenter Michael Kirschner. For the last 10+ years, I’ve presented enrichment school assembly programs to students in New Jersey, Connecticut, New York, and other students. By merging powerful messages with fun and exciting magic, my assemblies captivate students of all ages.
This article delves into some strategies parents can use to prepare for the new school year. The best part? These strategies are easy for anyone. Let’s dive in…
Preparing for the New School Year Tip #1: Stock Up on Supplies
It’s no secret kids need a lot of supplies for school. Pencils, pens, markers, glue, construction paper, and the list goes on and on. You’ll want to stock up on supplies in two areas: home and school.
Your student will need a variety of supplies for various assignments and projects in school. And they’ll need an even bigger variety of supplies for homework and other projects to be completed at home.
And no, you can’t expect your child to have one set of supplies and carry them back and forth to school. Murphy’s Law dictates they’ll forget a key ingredient in one place or the other just when a critical assignment is due.
But what do you need? That’s where the next tip comes in…
Preparing for the New School Year Tip #2: Talk to the Teacher
The new school year can be stressful. If you’re the parent or guardian of a child in school, you may feel pulled in different directions. What supplies do you need? What are this year’s expectations? Fortunately, there is one person who can help you.
Your child’s teacher will likely have all or most of the answers to your questions. They’ll let you know what they expect out of your child, what the schedule will look like, the expected homework load, and much more. But there is another important reason to meet with your child’s teacher.
Every teacher is different. Each has their own way of running a classroom. Each has their own idiosyncrasies and policies. Meeting your child’s teacher helps you understand their views and what to expect.
Once you have an idea of your child’s teacher’s personality, you’ll be in a better position in case of problems, conflicts, or missed homework assignments. This will help tremendously if your child ever comes home, slams their books down, and says, “My teacher is so unfair!”
Preparing for the New School Year Tip #3: Adjust Your Sleep Schedule
Experts (rightfully) remind us to begin resetting our children’s bedtimes a few weeks before school starts. They tell us kids need to get used to getting up early again for school…especially if they’re allowed to stay up later during the summer.
This is great advice for parents, too! If you’re a stay-at-home parent, or your work schedule allows you to be home in the morning when your child needs to get up for school, great!
Adjusting your sleep schedule to match your child’s will help you wake up ‘bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.’ You’ll be able to double-check that your child is bringing everything with them. And that they’re not wearing that green polka-dotted shirt with the striped, orange pants. Or mismatched shoes. Or…you get the idea!
Preparing for the New School Year Tip #4: Join the PTA/PTO
This is a simple yet effective way to ‘stay in the know’ during the school year. Your child’s school’s parent/teacher group needs volunteers like you. Many of these groups are run by a few dedicated individuals and they always need help.
Best of all, by joining the group, you will have even more intel on the goings-on in the school above and beyond periodic teacher meetings. You’ll have a say in what fundraising money is spent on, activities and special events for the children, and much more.
Start Your School Year Off Right
As the new school year gets going, it’s unavoidable that some kids will get into conflicts. But you can help ensure that conflicts don’t turn into bullying. My incredible “Abracabully” school assembly is filled with magic, fun, and easy-to-understand bully prevention strategies for kids.
Want to find out more? Simply visit the bully prevention page on this site. Just fill out the contact form and the information will be delivered instantly to your inbox.