First Day of School Checklist for Teachers & Students

Doesn’t it seem like summer just started and now there’s already buzz about heading back to school? As much as we would like to prolong days spent by the pool, at the beach, or chillin’ in the A/C, we can’t ignore the fact it’ll soon be time to head back to school.

Rather than waiting until the last minute to make sure you’ve properly prepared your classrooms and extracurricular organizations, why not make this year’s back to school shopping a breeze by BYOB, a.k.a. building your own bundle? Whether you’re a teacher preparing your students for all the supplies they will need for a successful school year, resident advisors prepping incoming college freshmen for their first year at university, or a group leader who wants to make sure your kids have what they need to make it through the school year, get started on your back to school checklist today. We’ll guide you through how to build your own bundle as part of our Back to School campaign.

School Kits for Elementary Teachers

Teachers get called into action well before students step foot in the school halls to prepare the classroom and teaching plan for the year ahead. One way to welcome students to a new year is by surprising them with a box full of goodies and essential education supplies that they can use all year long. They’ll come armed with the basics: backpack, notebooks, and pencils, but why not include a few fun items as well? Set the tone for the school year by stocking up on a few supplies to get your students excited.

What’s in the bundle:

• Drawstring Bags: This lightweight, over-the-shoulders bag will help keep all their new supplies in one place. Students can leave them at their desk or take them home to tote what they need throughout the school year.
• Personalized Pens: Customize pens with your school’s mascot name, a classroom nickname, or an inspirational quote to start their year off right.
• Water bottle: Avoid trips to the water fountain during class by giving your students their own water bottle to use and keep. With options starting at under a $1 per bottle, back to school shopping doesn’t have to be costly to keep your kids hydrated throughout the school year and avoid unnecessary interruptions.

Classroom Organization Kits for School Administrators

As an educator, there’s plenty to haul to and from the classroom every day, including laptops, notebooks, lesson plans, and the list goes on and on. One way to help your teachers feel less overwhelmed and more organized is to arm them with the right school supplies to start the year off on the right foot.

What’s in the bundle:

• Canvas Tote: You need a bag that’s sturdy and can stand up to the weight of what you’ll be carrying to and from school on a day to day basis. Personalize yours with school colors, the school year, or anything else that makes it easily identifiable to make it less likely to be accidentally picked up by someone else.
• Lunch Bag: Unless scheduled for cafeteria duty, it’s not uncommon for high school teachers to miss their opportunity to eat lunch. Avoid the risk of having to grab fast food or snack on stale leftover treats that might be lying around the teachers’ lounge, and pack a homemade lunch plus a few snacks to get you through the long school days.
• School Planner: Teachers live by their planners to keep track of upcoming assignments, tests, to-do tasks, and more. Rather than planning around the calendar year, teachers typically plan their days around what’s going on at school to avoid conflicts with holidays, in-service days, parent-teacher conferences, and all the other dates that can affect a classroom schedule.

College Freshmen Welcome Kits for Resident Advisors

Staple items every college kid needs include: quarters for the washer/dryer, storage bins for clothing and shoes, and plenty of snacks to keep stashed away in a dorm room. But in order to survive the day-to-day of classroom life, there are additional, practical back to school items to help make it easier to adapt to the first year at college. As a dorm floor resident advisor or sorority/fraternity house mom, giving your students a head start as they enter college life will help make the transition that much easier.

What’s in the bundle:

• USB Flash Drive: These are a must! Students will want the extra security of a backup location for important files and assignments. Help students with the scary and probable situation of coffee spills on their precious laptops causing their files to get lost or becoming corrupt by providing an alternative secure location for their files.
• Planner: One of the biggest adjustments to college life is time management. College is a hectic schedule of classes, extracurricular actives, volunteering opportunities, educational internships and social events that will surely test a student’s time management skills. Planners are an essential item to encourage better organization and help a first year student get acquainted with the college life.
• Customized Mug: If there’s one thing that helps a college student get through early morning classes and late nights spent studying, it’s coffee. By personalizing the mug, it can also serve as extra motivation to get through the long days (and nights) college life can bring.

Supplies for School Club Leaders

Get your school group organized by creating a back to school checklist for items you anticipate needed for the year. Whether you need to gather equipment for your sports team, theater group, marching band, or other extracurricular organizations, make sure you have the supplies you need on hand at all times. These are items to be used throughout the school year to instill a sense of camaraderie among your group and identity when you travel for competitions or events.

What’s in the bundle:

• Backpacks: Customized bags emblazoned with the school logo or student group can be used season after season, if used with care. Use the backpacks for trips to competitions, games, and other offsite events where students need to pack uniforms, props, and other items necessary to their role in the group.
• Selfie Stick: Every school group should have a selfie stick to capture moments perfect for school yearbooks, social media pages, and student newsletters. Make sure to brand it with the school’s logo and/or contact information, and take it on school functions or use it when preparing for the next sporting event or production.
• T-shirts: Show your club’s spirit by sporting crisp new t-shirts with your tagline, organization name, or at the very least, your school’s mascot. It will help create a sense of solidarity and inclusiveness among the group, while also making your team stand out at the next event.

School supply starter kits are great to kick off a new school year. Not only does it help you prepare for the months ahead with a detailed list of school supplies, but it’s also a fun way to get excited about heading back to school and seeing your beautiful students.  Whether you’re a resident advisor preparing for a new dormitory floor of incoming freshmen, a student organization leader, or an instructor who wants to make things fresh and exciting for your students, building your own bundle of school essentials will surely help as you prepare to go back to school.

Make a great impression by getting your back to school basics today.