The last round of testing may signal the imminent arrival of summer for students, but teachers still have two big hurdles ahead of them: finalizing grades and packing up the classroom. While I can’t do much to help with the former, I can offer some tips based on years of experience that includes changing classrooms (many, many times) and moving to a new school (thankfully, just once).
Whether you’re moving or just required to pack up to facilitate classroom maintenance, my End-Of-Year Classroom Checklist can help you break this daunting task into manageable steps that take the hassle out of packing up your room. It even includes a suggested timeline that can help you stay ahead of the stress. Of course, you can adapt it to fit your situation and needs.
Anywhere from two to three weeks before the end of the student school year, I start by organizing technology. By starting with “invisible” classroom changes first, I’ve found it minimizes disruption and helps students stay focused on any last-minute projects or make-up work. To be honest, I start my year by organizing files and email as described on the attached list, so by the end of the year I’m just double-checking to be sure I’ve saved all my files and communication in the correct spot. But it’s never too late to create this type of file organization to archive important digital records. I enlist the students’ help in “wiping” student computers—removing any photos or student files residing on computer hard drives. If your school requires you to disconnect your computers, keyboards, mice, and network cables, be sure to take a picture with your cellphone beforehand, so you have a template when the time comes to reconnect everything (and still have it function properly).
One to two weeks out, I start clearing out bookshelves and cabinets, beginning by asking students to take home their consumable workbooks, interactive notebooks, and writing portfolios. Student volunteers always help me reorganize my classroom library. I already have books tagged and grouped by genre (Adventure, Poetry, Graphic Novels, etc.) in sturdy stackable baskets. I’m fortunate to have both open bookshelves and cabinets with doors. We stack all the books inside the cabinets to keep them from getting dusty (or overly exposed to heat and sun) over the summer.
When I first started teaching, I kept everything… every file, every gently used composition book, every student-drawn card. It accumulated so quickly it became unmanageable. Now, I toss all of my extra handouts; I’ve got digital copies that are easier to find. I throw away half-used supplies, most of which dried up over the summer or were eschewed by my new students as “old and gross.” Even those treasured student-created masterpieces are eventually discarded (at home) after I snap a picture of them for my digital “memory book.” After all, it’s the thought that counts, isn’t it? That stays with me forever.
I don’t dismantle bulletin boards or take down classroom posters until the final week students are in school. I create new anchor charts each year, so I offer the old ones to students who wish to take them home. Take photos to help you replicate them down the road. If you use fabric, like I do, as a bulletin board background, you can leave it in place as long as it isn’t tattered or faded. However, I like to replace the bulletin board borders with fresh ones each year to freshen up the room. If removed borders are in good shape, you can roll them up and store in a plastic tub, or stack and secure border strips with a binder clip and hang them on a command hook in a closet or other out-of-the-way spot.
I cannot stress enough how helpful it is to use student labor to organize, pack, discard, and move materials in your classroom. I used to feel guilty about it, until I realized how much they enjoy helping. Even my 8th graders felt honored to play a role in preparations for “next year’s kids” and vied for the chance to move baskets of books to my new classroom. Of course, it never hurts to reward them with some small token of your appreciation as well.
While I may start thinning out items that have accumulated in my desk over the course of the last few weeks of school–by now I’ve amassed an astonishing collection of fidget toys, coins, rubber bands and one miniature rubber chicken (don’t even ask)—I generally save the final desk clean-out for the last day of post-planning—sans students. Again, be ruthless in getting rid of items you don’t really need. The more you purge now, the less you have to sort, pack, and move later.
Record-keeping is tricky, but I’ve found that keeping student files (attendance records, behavior documentation, ESE accommodation lists and details, parent communication, and retake exam documents) for ONE YEAR ONLY has been more than adequate. Some schools also require teachers to save and submit all lesson plans. I keep mine digitally and just turn in a thumb drive where required. When discarding anything containing student information, be sure to shred it or use whatever security protocol your school has in place for disposing of sensitive data.
Last, a few thoughts on packing and storage. I use a mix of cardboard boxes and milk crates. Where possible, use standard sizes to make stacking and storing them a breeze. Some teachers love clear plastic bins, but I don’t find them to be sturdy enough for me. Secondary teachers tend to move from room to room more often, and thin-walled plastic cracks easily when hoisted about, especially when bins get heavy. Plastic milk crates are more durable, and you can see the contents inside. Plus, mine pull double duty as “Lost and Found,” “Returned Books,” and “Student Folders” containers during the school year. Label everything–even furniture–with your name, and classroom number. Include a content description for any boxes you can’t see through. Boxed belongings and furniture often moves inexplicably over the summer. Properly labeled furnishings find their way back to you again.
Hopefully, these tips will help make this year’s classroom pack-up a little easier, so you can truly enjoy the last few days with your kiddos. You’ve made a tremendous difference in their lives! Enjoy the respite you so richly deserve.
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Thanks!
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