End of Year Checklist

 There are a few things you can do during the last week of school that will make future you super thankful.

1. Test & Toss

With student assistance or on your own check markers. Snap those caps. That goes for glue sticks as well. I also like to consolidate supplies. If I find that I somehow have two open bottles of red paint I try to get them into one.  This is also the time to check your "First in First Out" organization. I write the date on my paint bottles and other expensive supplies. Throughout the year, stock doesn't always get rotated properly, so it's a good time to get things back in order.

2. Take Inventory and submit your supply order for next year

If you normally revamp your curriculum over the summer, save a portion of your budget. I usually spend about three quarters of my budget before I walk out the door, because there are some staples that you just have to have. This year I had a ton of things on backorder due to supply chain issues and it made for a bit of shuffling around. Do yourself a favor and get the order placed now.  If your district window is closed you can add items to your shopping cart or list while it's fresh in your mind.

3. Clean out your desk

Take home any food or medicine that you may keep on hand before it expires or is found by critters. I like to wipe down the surfaces and reorganize the space inside using cheap drawer dividers. Even though it feels like I am always putting things away, somehow I manage to find a dozen random sharpies sprinkled around in all the drawers. 

4. File everything using a system.

Fight the urge to stuff things in a drawer. Use a manilla folder, envelope or binder to keep records separated by semester or year for easy reference if needed. It's a great time to go through your old records and toss items that are no longer needed. Check with your admin on how long teachers should hang onto gradebooks, etc.

An often overlooked system is our virtual drives. While your district may archive student or course info, have you taken a moment to tidy up your google drive? I find it helpful to create a new empty folder every year for lesson plans. If I plan to reuse a lesson I can drag it over. Otherwise I can open last year's file and make necessary edits and save as into the new folder. I like this method, because if the new lesson doesn't go as planned, I still have a record of the old plan.

5. Map it out

I have found that posting a map of my preferred room layout is greatly appreciated by custodians.  Sometimes there are seasonal helpers moving big pieces out for floor waxing (not your normal every day custodian) and when it comes time to move back in, they may just set things up in a way that makes sense to them. I staple a copy to my front bulletin board so it doesn't get lost.

6. First week Photocopies

Do you have a limited number of copies per year, quarter or month? If so, why not get a jump on next year's copies by knocking out some of the items you may use the first week. This might include a course syllabus or behavior contract, a "Meet the Teacher" paper for open house and your favorite worksheets or handouts. This will also save you time waiting in line during the busiest time of the year when everyone else is making copies. 

7. Design your Wish List or Donor's Choose items

You can really stretch your budget when you allow others to help. I've funded an artist in residence, a class set of apple pencils through Donor's Choose. On a smaller scale, you can also get all the cleaning wipes, egg cartons or tissues you need if you give your PTA a head's up about what you need. You could send your list home with their portfolios at the end of the year, or post this "tear a tab" flyer in the hall during Meet the teacher night.