Back to School Night Activities

Back to School Night is your opportunity to make a strong, positive first impression on your new students' parents. Time is short, but there's a lot of information to cover. So it's important to make a schedule of Back to School night activities and follow it as closely as possible. That way, you can feel confident that you will address all of the most important points, while the parents will get all of their questions answered in a friendly and orderly manner.

Use the following sample schedule of Back to School Night activities as a road-map of key points to cover during your presentation.

1. Distribute (or display via presentation software and screen) the evening's agenda so that parents know what to expect.
2. Briefly introduce yourself, including your educational background, teaching experience, interests, and a few friendly pieces of personal information.
3. Give an overview of the scope and sequence of the curriculum you will be covering with the students over the course of the school year. Show textbooks and give a thumbnail sketch of what the students will know by the end of the year.
4. Describe a typical day in your classroom as exhibited through the daily schedule. Also mention which days of the week are for special activities such as physical education class or visiting the library.
5. Mention a few important dates in the school calendar, perhaps the major vacation dates, field trips, assemblies, carnivals, etc.
6. Review the classroom and school rules and procedures. Consider asking the parents to sign a slip that indicates their agreement to the classroom rules and corresponding consequences.
7. Tell the parents about opportunities to volunteer in the classroom. Be specific about what you need and what various jobs entail. Let them know where the volunteer sign-up sheet is located.
8. Allow a few minutes for the parents to ask you questions in a whole group setting. Only take time to answer questions that apply to all or most of the students. Child-specific questions should be addressed in a different format.
9. Distribute your contact information, how you prefer to be contacted, and how the parents can expect to hear you on a weekly or monthly basis (class newsletter, for example). Introduce the Room Parent, if applicable.
10. Let the parents meander around the classroom for a few minutes, exploring bulletin boards and learning centers. Encourage them to leave a little note for their children.
11. Smile, thank everyone for coming, and relax. You did it!