Ahh, it’s May! Sure, you’re down to your last Expo marker (and it’s that “too light” shade of brown) and every piece of remaining decor is hanging on by the very last stick of adhesive… BUT IT’S MAY! AND SUMMER IS NEAR!
If you’re looking for an end of year classroom checklist to help you stay organized and reduce stress during the final weeks of school, you’re in the right place.
Here are ten tips and tricks to help you pack up your classroom for the year and get you on your way to summer vacation! (Because let’s face it, you’ve earned it!)
These ideas are especially helpful for special education and self-contained classrooms settings, where structure and organization matter even more at the end of the year.
1.) Organize from the inside out
Nobody wants empty classroom walls with two weeks left to go in the school year. While it may be tempting to rip down your bulletin boards the minute you finish EOY assessments, admin doesn’t always like that and keeping them up helps maintain end of year classroom organization and structure for your students.
Instead, I recommend tackling things like cabinets and closets. Spend 10-15 each day tidying up the spaces behind the scenes, including books, paperwork, and supplies, to make back-to-school setup easier and help you pack up your classroom efficiently.
2.) Review your caseload for next year
Before I log off my computer for the year, I like to review my incoming caseload’s IEP goals, data tracking, and behavior needs as part of my special education planning.
You can grab this free IEP planning organizer to jot down any student goals and help brainstorm ideas for next year.
Summer is a great time for browsing Pinterest, whether you are intentionally looking for the classroom or not.
Even though you might not be in school-mode, it never hurts to keep track of ideas you might come across.
Saving classroom ideas for next year, especially special education classroom setup ideas, into a simple planning board will make classroom setup so much easier at the start of the new school year.
3.) Purge what you don’t need
Decluttering your classroom at the end of the year can make a big difference as you pack up and prepare for a fresh start.
Purge, purge, purge. The kids love getting free stuff from school. I send home items that I will not be using the following year or used items I’d rather start the year off with fresh. This helps me clear out the old, yet not be wasteful. – Michelle M.
I’’m a huge advocate for purging! This year I also made a huge effort to move all PDFs onto my google drive! -Laura A.
Taking time to clear out what you don’t need now makes your classroom easier to set up and organize when the new school year begins.
4.) Review what went well
Reflecting on your classroom routines is one of the most valuable end of year practices.
“Make a list of things you liked and didn’t like from the year. That way you won’t forget what you wanted to do when school starts back up!” – Jessica B.
5.) Think about next year
Having these materials ready ahead of time helps reduce stress and makes the first week of school feel more manageable.
Have a back to school box (or boxes)! I make copies before the end of school of what I’ll need the first week of school so I don’t have to deal with waiting. – Jennifer P.
6.) Prepare assessments
Beginning of the year assessments, including baseline assessments for special education, are much easier to manage when they’re prepared ahead of time.
Make copies of assessments you want to get done in the beginning of the year. I make packets of math and reading that have a wide range. That way I’m ready to assess all my kids first thing once we’re back no matter what their levels may be!” – Kate W.
I always like to have copies of data sheets on hand that are easy to grab and go. Grab free data tracking sheets for special education.
7.) Organize the important stuff
Classroom setup organization tips like this can make unpacking your room much faster and less stressful.
I put all the things I need to unpack first in one box: scissors, stapler with staples, my teacher writing stuff, dry erase tape, command hooks, etc and put them in the cabinet closest to my desk.” – Sarah I.
8.) Remove batteries from EVERYTHING
A simple but often overlooked tip can save you from frustrating surprises later.
Take the batteries out of everything. And I mean everything. Nothing is worse than coming back to battery acid corrosion on your stuff.” – Amanda G.
9.) Keep to a schedule!
End of year classroom management strategies like maintaining routines can make a big difference during the final weeks of school.
Keep kids on their regular routine for as long as possible! It may sound fun to have a “movie day” while you attempt to pack the room, but behaviors will skyrocket! As much regularity as possible is really helpful for them.” – McAlister H.
10.) Enjoy, relax, and recharge.
Teacher brain is hard to turn off, especially during a season that can lead to teacher burnout. We love our students and want them to succeed more than anything, which is why end of year teacher self-care matters.
While it’s okay to do some work over the summer, especially work that will help make next year easier, please remember to take time for yourself. Have a spa day, hit up the community pool, pack a picnic at the park, and give yourself space to recharge before the new school year begins.
Enjoy this time and remember YOU ARE AN AWESOME TEACHER AND YOU ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE. Then, when you’re ready, get ahead of your planning for next year, with “Back-to-School Routines Set the Tone for Success.”
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