Everything to Do Before Students Arrive
A practical first-year teacher checklist to help you start the school year with confidence.
Walking into your classroom before the first day of school is exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming. After more than 30 years as a teacher, instructional coach, and assistant principal, I’ve learned something important. Successful teachers aren’t the ones with the prettiest classrooms. They’re the ones who have simple systems in place before students ever walk through the door.
This new teacher back-to-school checklist is designed to help first-year and lateral-entry teachers focus on what actually matters. Use it as a guide to prepare your classroom, organize your materials, establish routines, and reduce stress before the school year begins. Instead of wondering what you’ve forgotten, you’ll have a clear back-to-school checklist for new teachers you can reference all summer and during teacher workdays.
Classroom Setup Checklist
Create a classroom that works for you, not just one that looks good.
☐ Arrange student desks with clear walkways.
☐ Place your teacher desk where you can easily monitor the room.
☐ Test your projector, interactive board, speakers, and document camera.
☐ Label student supply areas.
☐ Organize your classroom library by genre or level.
☐ Set up your small group table if applicable.
☐ Hang only the visuals students will actually use during the first month.
☐ Display emergency evacuation information.
☐ Post your daily schedule.
☐ Create an area for absent work.
☐ Set up a turn-in station.
☐ Decide where students will store backpacks and personal belongings.
☐ Prepare a “Fast Finishers” basket or activity area.
☐ Walk through your classroom as if you were a student.
Classroom Organization Checklist
Small systems save hours later.
☐ Label drawers, bins, shelves, and cabinets.
☐ Organize copies by day.
☐ Create folders for each subject.
☐ Prepare student name tags or desk plates.
☐ Organize classroom supplies so students can access them independently.
☐ Create a simple filing system.
☐ Stock extra pencils, paper, tissues, and bandages.
☐ Make a place for unfinished work.
☐ Create a teacher binder for important information.
☐ Keep extra copies of frequently used forms.
Classroom Management Checklist
Teach procedures before you teach content.
☐ Decide how students will enter the classroom.
☐ Plan your morning routine.
☐ Plan your dismissal routine.
☐ Teach how students ask for help.
☐ Decide how students sharpen pencils.
☐ Create restroom expectations.
☐ Plan hallway expectations.
☐ Decide how students transition between activities.
☐ Choose one quiet signal to regain attention.
☐ Decide how students turn in work.
☐ Teach what students should do when they finish early.
☐ Plan classroom jobs if you’ll use them.
☐ Write down no more than 3 to 5 classroom expectations.
Remember: Students won’t automatically know your procedures. Plan to teach, model, practice, and revisit each one several times during the first few weeks.
Parent Communication Checklist
Strong relationships start before problems do.
☐ Prepare a welcome letter.
☐ Decide how you’ll communicate with families.
☐ Set office hours or communication expectations.
☐ Prepare one positive phone call script.
☐ Create a behavior documentation form.
☐ Organize student emergency contacts.
☐ Learn how your school expects teachers to communicate with parents.
☐ Plan to contact every family with something positive during the first few weeks.
Emergency Preparedness Checklist
Don’t wait until an emergency drill to prepare.
☐ Learn every emergency procedure.
☐ Locate emergency exits.
☐ Know where to take attendance during drills.
☐ Locate first aid supplies.
☐ Learn medical alerts for your students.
☐ Prepare emergency substitute plans.
☐ Locate classroom keys.
☐ Save important school phone numbers in your phone.
☐ Review dismissal procedures.
☐ Know who to contact for student support services.
First Week of School Checklist
The first week sets the tone for the entire year.
☐ Prepare enough activities for every day.
☐ Overplan rather than underplan.
☐ Make copies before students arrive.
☐ Prepare independent work for early finishers.
☐ Create simple getting-to-know-you activities.
☐ Plan your classroom tour.
☐ Practice arrival and dismissal procedures daily.
☐ Introduce routines one at a time.
☐ Focus more on relationships than academics.
☐ Smile often.
☐ Learn how to pronounce every student’s name correctly.
Observation Ready Checklist
One of the best pieces of advice I give new teachers.
☐ Post your learning target if required.
☐ Keep lesson plans organized.
☐ Know where your standards are located.
☐ Organize your teacher workspace.
☐ Have classroom expectations posted.
☐ Keep student work areas organized.
☐ Maintain documentation throughout the year instead of scrambling later.
☐ Create one folder for observation notes and feedback.
Teacher Self-Care Checklist
You can’t pour from an empty cup.
☐ Pack your lunch the night before.
☐ Lay out tomorrow’s clothes.
☐ Charge your laptop.
☐ Bring a refillable water bottle.
☐ Wear comfortable shoes.
☐ Keep healthy snacks nearby.
☐ Leave work at a reasonable time when possible.
☐ Celebrate small wins.
☐ Remember that no teacher has a perfect first week.
Don’t Waste Your Time Before School Starts
These are the things I see new teachers spend too much time worrying about.
❌ Laminating everything before students arrive.
❌ Spending days decorating bulletin boards.
❌ Creating lessons through October.
❌ Buying expensive classroom decorations.
❌ Comparing your classroom to social media.
❌ Trying to make everything perfect.
Instead…
✔ Practice your routines.
✔ Organize your classroom.
✔ Prepare your first week.
✔ Learn student names.
✔ Plan positive parent communication.
✔ Get plenty of rest.
Students won’t remember your matching bins. They will remember how you made them feel on the first day.
From an Assistant Principal’s Perspective
If I walked into your classroom before students arrived, here’s what I’d hope to see.
✓ Emergency procedures posted where students can easily find them.
✓ A classroom that feels organized, welcoming, and functional instead of overcrowded.
✓ Student names already placed at desks to eliminate first-day anxiety.
✓ A clear arrival routine waiting for students as soon as they enter.
✓ Materials prepared so instruction can begin without searching for supplies.
✓ Simple, consistent classroom expectations that are ready to be taught and practiced.
✓ Evidence that you’ve planned systems, not just lessons.
As someone who has observed hundreds of classrooms, I can tell you this with confidence. The teachers who have the smoothest school years aren’t usually the ones with the fanciest classrooms. They’re the ones who spend their time building routines, creating predictable systems, and making students feel safe from the moment they walk through the door.
Your classroom doesn’t have to be perfect on the first day. It just needs to be prepared.
Final Thoughts
As we close, save this new teacher back-to-school checklist, print it, or bookmark it before teacher workdays begin. Check off each item as you complete it, and remember that great teaching isn’t built in a single day. It’s built one routine, one relationship, and one small win at a time.
I’d love to hear from you! What’s one thing that’s always on your back-to-school checklist that you’d add to this list? Share it in the comments and help another new teacher start the year strong.
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