Yes, it’s back-to-school time season! Here’s a handy back-to-school checklist that should cover everything you need to do before the first day of class.
First Steps:
- Call the school district with questions about your child’s school
- Find out what day classes start and what time your child should arrive
- Enroll your child (if she is not already registered from the previous year)
- Fill out emergency contact sheets and any other required forms
Check Medical Requirements:
- Make sure your child has all required immunizations
- Schedule a physical exam for your child if needed to participate in school activities
- Get your child’s vision checked before school starts if he is due for an exam
- Notify the principal’s office, the school nurse, and your child’s teachers about any health problems or medications
Stock Up on School Supplies:
- Check the school website or call for a list of required supplies
- Find out whether students will store supplies at school or bring them home each day
- Buy a backpack or bag to carry daily items
- Review the school dress code
- Buy school uniforms and gym clothes, if necessary
Learn About the School:
- Find out whether the teacher prefers to communicate by phone, email, or written note.
- Know what your child is expected to learn in her grade level
- Familiarize yourself with the information on the school website
- Note the phone numbers for checking school closures or reporting absences
- Find out the procedure for taking your child out of school early
- Read the school handbook and make sure your child understands the rules
- Review the school’s federal “report card.”
Plan To Be Involved:
- Mark school events on the family calendar
- Attend the back-to-school program
- Schedule and attend parent-teacher conferences
- Meet leaders of the parent-teacher group
Plan Healthy Meals:
- Have nutritious food on hand for breakfast and after-school snacks
- Find out how much school breakfasts and lunches cost
- Find out whether snacks and drinks are available at school or can be brought from home
- Ask where to obtain weekly school lunch menus
- Alert school staff if your child has a severe food allergy
Arrange Transportation:
Practice getting to school with your child
- BUS: Make sure she knows where and when to be picked up before and after school
- BICYCLE: Review road safety and make sure he has a helmet
- ON FOOT: Walk the route together and review pedestrian safety guidelines
- Arrange a carpool if necessary and introduce your child to the other adults and children.
- Compile contact information of parents who can pick up your child in an emergency
Make After-School Plans:
- Arrange child care or after-school activities
- Choose extracurricular activities carefully to avoid overscheduling
- Make sure your child knows where to go after school each day
Help Your Child Prepare for School:
- Arrange for your child to play with others in his age group before classes start
- Discuss your child’s feelings about starting school and talk over any concerns
- Talk with your child about his daily school schedule
- Talk about peer pressure with your child
- Have your child memorize your home address and home and work phone numbers
- Tour the school with your child, so she can find her classrooms, the restrooms, and the cafeteria
- Arrange a time for you and your child to meet his new teachers
Lay the Ground Rules:
- Establish a firm bedtime before school starts
- Determine where and when your child will do homework
- Figure out a plan for balancing homework and playtime
- Set rules for the time spent on TV, video games, and computer use for non-school projects
