How to Make a GREAT First Day of School (First Days of School Series)

As we continue the First Days of School series, we are going to look at making the very first day of school awesome!

Chapter 7 of First Days of School by Harry and Rosemary Wong presents ideas on how to ensure the first day of a new school year is seen as important.  They have some great theories.  I will share them here along with my own insight.  

Celebrating the first day of school by:

• making your classroom (and school) safe and inviting 
• how????
• hang a welcome sign
• clean the room/building
• greet students at the school's entrances at the very beginning of the day
• greet students at your classroom door
• clearly display your name, grade, and subject
• have your classroom organized 
• allow students to set personal goals 
• ask students to share their expectation of you and the class 
• involve parents and the community
• how???
• ask businesses to donate school supplies and to present them the first day of school
• ask businesses to donate books or other fun things for the classroom or students and to present them on the first day of school
• invite family members that drop off students to tour the school and your room
• if you have students' contact information before school starts as parents/guardians to write an encouraging note to their student 
• have an open house before school starts or a few days after school starts to show parents/guardians their student's classroom 
• write a note to parents introducing yourself and what you teach and send it home with the students
• ask parents to donate school supplies or their time to help your classroom 
• ask local business to volunteer time in your classroom to read to students, help with small groups, or talk about future opportunities 

These are just a few ideas on showing students that an education is important and that the people they see every day believe in them to be successful.