Back to School 2013

It's that time of year again and I'm not sure if everyone else is back in session but we are and I have compiled a list of the Back to School ideas/links I used this year!!  I hope you enjoy!!  Best of luck this Back to School Season:)

Back to School First Day Printables
Thanks to Pinterest there are some adorable signs you can print for your child (or students) to hold to take that "first day" photo with.  My favorite is this one from ohsoprintable.com.

Back to School Notebook Printables
Want to make that plain notebook super cute?  Check out these FREE printables from TeachersPayTeachers.com!  Just set up a username and password and there are TONS of FREE printables for all occasions.

Getting to Know the Teacher
I'm a huge advocate of getting to know your teacher.  Nothing is worse as a "lead"room parent at a school as when you see a class spend money and time buying or creating something your teacher will not use.  So asking your teacher to fill out a "profile" or "favorites list" is always helpful.  You can use the one I always have posted on my blog under Documents OR you can check out this cute one from lifesweetlifeblog.com!

Curriculum Night
As always I strongly encourage ALL my room parents to utilize the time you have during Curriculum Night to ask for volunteers.  I place a sheet out with EVERY school event I am responsible for like winter and end of year party trays, tents and coolers of ice for Field Day, snacks for testing.  Parents who work are much more likely to sign up to send something in and they will often do it during the euphoria of Curriculum Night before the grinding schedule of fall sets in.  So grab them while they're hot...and then in April when you are dragging a little you can pull out that sign up sheet and see you already have volunteers (you'll just have to remind them:).  To help further this process I bring treats.  This year I made cake pops to look like apples.  I followed these directions and used red Wilton candy melts to dip them in, green striped straws I bought at Hobby Lobby and I cut green apple Rips candy to make the leaves.  I picked up those napkins in the background that look like notebook paper at Target (in the dollar section).

Teacher Treats
I like to bring a "Back to School survival kit" each year to open house.  This year I included chocolate,skittles, soda, aspirin, Shout wipes, lint brush, a sewing kit, breath mints and hand sanitizer.  I own a Silhouette and so this year I cut vinyl to embellish the hand sanitizer (and then I made a few extra for the other school administrators and staff).  If you don't own a cutting machine, Hobby Lobby has a great selection of pre-cut vinyl letters that you can just peel and stick onto any tote or bottle to embellish or personalize.  This is an insane time of year for teachers and showing them you are thinking of them with ANY little treat is very much appreciated. 

Back to School 2012

It's Back to School time!  I'm trying to muster some excitement because honestly this summer went by way to fast and I miss my babies already.  I don't like them going back to school, not one bit, but I'm going to put my big girl panties on and deal with it.  In the meantime, we picked up a few things for their teachers to make the first week of school a little easier (because I'm SURE they are SO excited too;). 

I've been making back to school kits for the past 8 years (yikes!).  I have found the following items especially useful and included them in my kit this year:

• lint brush
• tide stick or shout wipes
• mints
• hand sanitizer
• advil/aleeve/excedrin (for the headaches that could possibly ensue)
• cute paper/binder clips
• thank cards/note cards
• chocolate
• mouse-pad tablet (I love these and so many teachers have commented they love them too!  Often their desks are so crowded and it's convenient to have a multipurpose pad of paper.  These cute mouse-pad tablets are in the dollar section now at Target.)
• Smart water (because it tastes the best and it's smart for school to stay hydrated;)

  

Curriculum Night 2011

Ready, set, go!! For many of us school is in full swing and Curriculum Nights are ramping up. This is the BEST opportunity to meet other parents in your class and tap into their resources!! Each year I contact my teacher the week of Curriculum Night and see if there is anything I can help her/him with. The start of the year is hard on them and preparing for Curriculum Night is stressful. Plus most of them have no time between school and the start of the meeting to get dinner, get their own families taken care of and get ready for the meeting! I usually offer to bring a dessert, plates, napkins, etc. for the meeting - nothing fancy just a little something. Brownies, cookies, cupcakes - whatever is easiest for you, I find food sets people a little more at ease and gets them "mingling". Not to mention parents are probably racing home themselves, getting their families taken care of, getting to Curriculum Night and have not had a chance to eat.

I have a sign up sheet laid out by the food with any help I may need through out the year. This is usually the only time I see all the parents at one time. As room parent I can get inundated with parents giving me 100 ideas, suggestions, apologies as to why they couldn't be room parent, and apologies for why they can't be in class to help. But in any case NOW is the time to let them see how they can assist the class. I have a copy of the sign up sheet I use below that is customized to our class needs. This list was created by a fellow room parent Mandy and I thank her for sending it to me 3 years ago:) As you can see, I not only ask for volunteers for class activities but I go ahead and ask for items I need sent in. This does two things, #1 it helps take this burden off me financially and #2 it helps working parents or those that can not be in the classroom an opportunity to do something!! I then keep this list and remind parents as these activities draw nearer or as the items are needed what they volunteered to assist with. Every once and while I will get a parent that doesn't follow through - but I would say 90% of the time if I reminded them then they do what they signed up for.

I also give a small speech during Curriculum Night, 5-10minutes TOPS. I introduce myself, direct them to the signup sheet, let the parents know that I welcome their help and feedback and that I will do my best to help keep them informed of what I need and what I do. This is the time to remind working parents that sending items in is just as helpful as coming into the classroom to help with activities. This is also a great time to go over any food allergies that may exist in your class if your teacher has not done so already. If you have any food allergies, specifically peanut or egg you need to ensure that all the parents are informed and reminded at EVERY class activity to send in items that are peanut or egg free. You may want the parent of the child with the allergy to make a brief statement. Remember if you are requesting food items you MUST remind parents to check the labels of any store bought food and any ingredients that they may be using in homemade treats.
For brownie points - if I have time I also offer to bring the teacher dinner since they usually don't have time to eat! Again, nothing fancy (I usually just list the restaurants that I drive past on the way to school), however you have NO idea how helpful this can be.

Curriculum Night Parent sign up sheet
Please take a moment to look over the following activities and sign up to volunteer! If we all work together this will be an awesome year!!!

BINGO NIGHT- Our class is responsible for donating two 12 packs of for BINGO Night.
Deadline for 1st BINGO Night:
1.
2.
Deadline for 2nd BINGO Night:
1.
2.

Advanced Reader Test Volunteer:
We need 1 volunteer to help administer these computer based tests.
1.


FALL FESTIVAL:We need a parent to donate a baked good for the cake walk at Fall Festival!
1.

WINTER PARTY:
Please volunteer to help at or bring food to our celebration!
1.
2.
3.
4.

Holiday Lunch & Holiday Shop:
We need 1 volunteer to help deliver lunches this week and one volunteer to help in Holiday Shop.

1.

2.

MATH CarnivalWe need volunteers to send in TWO 12 packs of _________________ by _____________________.
1.
2.


PTA SPRING EVENT!
We need to donate TWO 12 packs of __________________ by ___________.
1.
2.

Testing SNACKS –
If you would like to volunteer to send in healthy snacks during the standardized testing please sign up below:
1.
2.
3.

TEACHER APPRECIATION-
The PTA sponsors a lunch for the TEACHERS. If you would like to assist with the project planned please let me know.
1.
2.

FIELD DAY:
We need parents to bring in the following items:
Tarp and/or blankets (for the kids)
1.
2.

A rolling cooler with lots of ice
1.

Bottled Water
1.

A pop-up tent
1.

STUDENT RECOGNITION & ICE CREAM SOCIAL:We need volunteers to send in TWO 12 packs of _________________ by ____________.
1.
2.

END OF YEAR PARTY:Please sign up if you are able to help and/or donate items for the end of the school year party!!!
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

I will be in touch with each of you throughout the year to ask for additional help with class events as it is needed! Parents who sign up for specific events will be reminded in advance of the details!

Back to School Blog Post

Welcome Back!  I hope you all had a fabulous summer!!  My break was super busy and I hope to write up some posts on all my discoveries and projects I did.  One thing I discovered this summer was Pinterest.  You MUST join this site immediately.  You need an invitation to join so e-mail me at kgraces@yahoo.com for an invitation.  Basically it's on online bulletin board that you pin any sites or pictures you find online of crafts, gifts, clothes, books, projects, decor, whatever!  What is so great about this site is you can search on any genres (like Christmas crafts or teacher gifts) and up pops a million pictures of items other people have "pinned" already.  You just click on the photo and it takes you to the site the the photo was posted on (hopefully with instructions on the project or the source of the item).  Case in point below are some fabulous Back to School Teacher Gifts that I found on Pinterest:)  Happy Pinning!!

Though I didn't take a picture I did make "Back to School Survival Kits" this year for my children's teachers.  In them I inlcuded: Tide Stick, Lint Brush, Aleeve tablets, Breath Mints, Hand Sanitizer, Cute Notecards, Candy, a tervis type straw cup like the ones listed below.


I posted this idea last year.  I LOVE eighteen25...have I mentioned this before:) I think this would make a great first impression or back to school gift!!


Check out these cute "aid" gifts on Lisa Storms blog...


And isn't this cute from the Beth-A-Palooza blog? An I'm "soda"lighted You're My Teacher basket!!