The Joy (and Stress) of the Back-to-School Season
It feels like summer break just started, and yet—somehow—you’re already staring down a to-do list a mile long to kick off a brand-new school year. It’s wild, right? A new year always brings excitement, possibility…and yes, a whole lot of pressure. That is where this Back-to-School Teacher Checklist comes in…
Let’s start with the good stuff: the joy.
One of my absolute favorite things about teaching is the fresh start. Every year is a do-over. You improve from last year—not just in terms of mistakes, but in how you build on your strengths. You forget the hard stuff (okay, mostly forget it) and you walk into a room that’s just waiting for new stories, new students, and new memories.
What other profession hands you a built-in reset button every year? That’s magic.
Of course, that magic still requires planning—and that’s where this back-to-school checklist comes in. It’s designed to help you start the year feeling calm, collected, and classroom ready. Let’s keep it real and keep it manageable.
1. Do Something You Love (And Sleep. Seriously, Sleep.)
If you’re reading this and summer break hasn’t ended yet—pause. Breathe. This is your official teacher permission slip to chill out.
Before you dive into laminating land and planner purgatory, make sure you’re doing the things you won’t have time for during the year:
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- Finish that half-painted hallway.
- Go to brunch on a Tuesday.
- Stay up too late reading a book just for fun.
- Spend unhurried time with your people.
- Take naps like it’s your job.
Teachers work hard during the year. We juggle real kids, real challenges, and real exhaustion. If you want to start the year calm, it starts now—with sleep and joy. Don’t burn yourself out before you even hit Day 1.
2. Reconnect with Colleagues (aka Your In-School Survival Squad)
Whether your colleagues are your work besties or just people you awkwardly nod to in the copy room, these relationships matter. That is why I think this is an important to-do on the back-to-school teacher checklist.
I love reconnecting with coworkers during back-to-school week. There’s something about swapping summer stories and catching up on school gossip that reminds you—you’re not in this alone.
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- These are the people who will cover your duty.
- The ones who’ll make you laugh on the rough days.
- And the ones who’ll sneak you chocolate after a hard parent meeting.
Even if you’re introverted or just overwhelmed, take time to say hi, grab a coffee, and reconnect. A calm school year starts with a strong support system.
3. Set Up Your Classroom: Make It Inviting, Accessible, and Functional
Let’s be honest—your classroom probably won’t stay clean and beautiful forever. (Hi, glitter.) But how it starts makes a big difference.
- Make it inviting.
- Make it accessible.
- Make it work for your teaching style.
Make it inviting: This is your second home. Create spaces that feel good to be in—both for you and your students. Flexible seating? A cozy reading corner? Actual plants that may or may not survive? Yes to all of it.
Make it accessible: Your students should be able to find and use materials without needing your help every five seconds. Think about their age, independence level, and needs. This is huge for classroom management.
Make it work for your teaching style: I love U-shaped desk setups and purposeful groupings. For that one student who struggles with group work? I start with a buddy table of two and rotate the partner. It’s all about setting everyone up for success.
While you’re working on this task on your back-to-school checklist, keep in mind: you don’t need a Pinterest-perfect classroom. You need a functional, welcoming space that supports your teaching. That’s classroom ready.
4. Check for New Procedures
No matter how long you’ve been teaching, there are always new procedures. Admin loves a good policy update, right?
Even if you’re not thrilled about the changes, getting a handle on them early means fewer surprises later. Be the teacher who asks questions now—not the one scrambling mid-October.
You can’t follow or give meaningful feedback on what you don’t know. Staying informed = staying calm…so make sure this is on your back-to-school teacher checklist.
5. Establish Routines from Day One
If you want a calmer school year (and who doesn’t?), set strong routines right from the start.
I know—it’s tempting to jump straight into content. But trust me: those first few days are gold for building expectations and habits.
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- Decide on your non-negotiables.
- Model them.
- Practice them.
- Then…practice again.
And when you’re ready to pull your hair out thinking, “I already told them this!”—remember, they’re still learning. Repetition is your best friend.
6. Get to Know Your Students (But Don’t Go Overboard)
Yes, you need to understand your students. But you don’t need to read 20 pages of data for every child before the school year starts.
Instead, focus on:
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- IEPs or support documents. These are must-reads. They tell you what accommodations are non-negotiable and how to build early trust.
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- A quick convo with last year’s teacher. Ask about grouping, general behavior, and key notes, not everything under the sun.
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- Parent questionnaires. These are gold. You’ll learn about interests, fears, and what parents really care about. Plus, it shows families you want to know their child.
Give your students a fresh start. They grow over the summer. You’ll learn a lot just by observing them in the first few weeks.
Bonus Tip: To help you with your back-to-school teacher checklist, I’ve created a free Student Handover chart here to keep it all organized. This is my back-to-school go-to document to record helpful information about students during my meeting with last year’s teacher. After downloading a copy of this Google Doc, you can also edit it to fit your individual needs.
Student Handover
This Google Docs document is designed to give you a quick, useful, general overview of students’ abilities across the core subject areas: Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies. This is a particularly helpful reference for organizing groups when you are still getting to know your students at the start of the school year.
7. Introduce Yourself to Families
Want to start strong with families? Send a quick “Meet the Teacher” email before school begins.
Here’s what to include:
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- A friendly greeting
- Your name and teaching background
- A fun personal fact (humanize yourself!)
- A note about your teaching philosophy
- An invitation to collaborate + your email
This small gesture builds trust and starts your year on a positive note.
Want to save time? I have a super teacher time saver in my TpT store: 30 Editable Templates for Communicating with Families (including your welcome letter). Click here to check it out.
8. Plan the First Week: Keep It Light and Focused
The first week isn’t about diving into decimals or diagramming sentences. It’s about transitioning from summer mode to school mode—for everyone.
Here’s what I focus on:
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- Relationship-building activities
- Routines and procedures
- Informal assessments (keep it low pressure!)
- Fun, low-stakes academic warm-ups
I have posted my go-to lesson plans for my first day of school here, if you are looking for a place to start.
9. Map Out the Big Picture (A Timeline, Not a Full Plan)
Don’t panic—this isn’t about writing every lesson for the year. Just take a moment to:
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- Look at your curriculum.
- Note down when major units will happen.
- Add big dates or events (assessments, exhibitions, field trips).
Having a loose timeline gives you direction and helps with planning after the back-to-school craziness settles down. It’s one of those “prep now, thank yourself later” moves.
10. Enjoy Your Classroom
Before the whirlwind begins, take a minute to just be in your classroom.
Look around at the space you’ve created. It’s clean (for now), organized (mostly), and filled with potential. You’ve already laid the foundation for a strong year.
And remember: You are the most important part of your students’ school experience. Your effort, heart, and passion matter more than perfect bulletin boards or color-coded bins…so don’t skip this step on your back-to-school teacher checklist. You and your hard work are worth enjoying.
You’ve Got This, Teacher
This back-to-school teacher checklist isn’t about doing everything. It’s about doing the right things—the ones that will help you feel calm, collected, and classroom ready.
You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be present, prepared, and willing to show up for your students—and for yourself.
Here’s to a school year full of laughter, growth, and a little bit of organized chaos.
You’re a real teacher, teaching real students, for the real world. And you’ve totally got this.