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Leaving an impactful impression when welcoming families back to school sets the necessary tone for the year not just for new or returning families but faculty and staff as well.
Even the most organized independent schools can have difficulty creating a smooth transition from summer vacation to full-time schooling.
Students new to private schooling (or, in the case of very young children, school in general) may find their new schedule, rules, and routines exhausting and frustrating, so it’s critical the entire school community prepares and creates the most supportive environment possible. This is especially important for boarding schools, which have the added layer of students experiencing cultural changes and homesickness.
Here are four tips to thrive during the back-to-school rush!
The National Association of Independent Schools highly recommends hosting a back-to-school night for parents and students. This event is an essential opportunity to share your school’s mission and goals for the coming year with parents. Teachers should prepare for this night by creating engaging, succinct presentations to show parents what content and coursework their kids will be completing in your class. Supportive, excited instructors will show parents that their children will be well-cared for at your institution. For boarding schools, back to school nights can be conducted over digital platforms or preferably within a few days of the drop off date so parents in town to set their children up in the dorms can take advantage of personal interactions while in town.
Many teachers who focus on supporting their students may forget that their relationships with parents are equally important. The National Education Association has a great solution for this: teachers can email the parents of each class of students with a message about the first day, telling them what it was like and what they have learned.
This can also be done by dorm parents or whomever is on duty in the dorms that first night and goes a long way with putting nervous parents at ease. Making sure that all the parent portals are up to date with the latest messages, schedules, and syllabuses is also imperative, both for the parents and the administrators that will undoubtably be taking the calls from families that don’t have the right information.
Lots of students–and parents–are concerned about “fitting in” at a new school. Independent schools are equipped to foster community between students, and new students shouldn’t fall through the cracks in the chaos of back-to-school preparations. Utilizing student leaders or ambassadors during this time is immensely helpful for new students. Lean on them to “show them the ropes” of their new school from a peer perspective.
Festive back to school events for the students can serve as a great opportunity to fast-track peer interactions and get new students comfortable, especially boarding students.
To prepare parents, consider sending them articles like this piece from Niche, which will guide them through the back-to-school process and allow their children to transition confidently into the school year.
Traveling can be daunting, even for adults. Guide students through the process of traveling to your school as much as you can, whether that includes sending out tips about preparation, lists of items they should pack, and general move-in timelines to follow. Make sure you have an open avenue of communication about this complex issue; if your boarding school is hard to find, make it easier!
Provide directions on your website and promptly answer questions from distant (especially international) students about the process of moving in. At my prior school we took pictures from the gate to baggage claim, all the way to the pick up location so students could visually follow where to go in our airport and not feel lost.
The key to an organized, comfortable back-to-school transition is good communication and warm energy. Through these connections, you can work out the back-to-school kinks and prevent students from falling behind or feeling as though they don’t have a place in your school.
Be ready to step in for students in need of special focus and remember that your confidence in your school is key to inspiring the confidence of new parents and students.
Leaving an impactful impression when welcoming families back to school sets the necessary tone for the year not just for new or returning families but faculty and staff as well.
Even the most organized independent schools can have difficulty creating a smooth transition from summer vacation to full-time schooling.
Students new to private schooling (or, in the case of very young children, school in general) may find their new schedule, rules, and routines exhausting and frustrating, so it’s critical the entire school community prepares and creates the most supportive environment possible.
This is especially important for boarding schools, which have the added layer of students experiencing cultural changes and homesickness.
Here are four tips to thrive during the back-to-school rush!
The National Association of Independent Schools highly recommends hosting a back-to-school night for parents and students. This event is an essential opportunity to share your school’s mission and goals for the coming year with parents.
Teachers should prepare for this night by creating engaging, succinct presentations to show parents what content and coursework their kids will be completing in your class. Supportive, excited instructors will show parents that their children will be well-cared for at your institution.
For boarding schools, back to school nights can be conducted over digital platforms or preferably within a few days of the drop off date so parents in town to set their children up in the dorms can take advantage of personal interactions while in town.
Many teachers who focus on supporting their students may forget that their relationships with parents are equally important. The National Education Association has a great solution for this: teachers can email the parents of each class of students with a message about the first day, telling them what it was like and what they have learned.
This can also be done by dorm parents or whomever is on duty in the dorms that first night and goes a long way with putting nervous parents at ease. Making sure that all the parent portals are up to date with the latest messages, schedules, and syllabuses is also imperative, both for the parents and the administrators that will undoubtably be taking the calls from families that don’t have the right information.
Lots of students–and parents–are concerned about “fitting in” at a new school. Independent schools are equipped to foster community between students, and new students shouldn’t fall through the cracks in the chaos of back-to-school preparations. Utilizing student leaders or ambassadors during this time is immensely helpful for new students. Lean on them to “show them the ropes” of their new school from a peer perspective.
Festive back to school events for the students can serve as a great opportunity to fast-track peer interactions and get new students comfortable, especially boarding students.
To prepare parents, consider sending them articles like this piece from Niche, which will guide them through the back-to-school process and allow their children to transition confidently into the school year.
Traveling can be daunting, even for adults. Guide students through the process of traveling to your school as much as you can, whether that includes sending out tips about preparation, lists of items they should pack, and general move-in timelines to follow. Make sure you have an open avenue of communication about this complex issue; if your boarding school is hard to find, make it easier!
Provide directions on your website and promptly answer questions from distant (especially international) students about the process of moving in. At my prior school we took pictures from the gate to baggage claim, all the way to the pick up location so students could visually follow where to go in our airport and not feel lost.
The key to an organized, comfortable back-to-school transition is good communication and warm energy. Through these connections, you can work out the back-to-school kinks and prevent students from falling behind or feeling as though they don’t have a place in your school.
Be ready to step in for students in need of special focus and remember that your confidence in your school is key to inspiring the confidence of new parents and students.
Leaving an impactful impression when welcoming families back to school sets the necessary tone for the year not just for new or returning families but faculty and staff as well.
Even the most organized independent schools can have difficulty creating a smooth transition from summer vacation to full-time schooling.
Students new to private schooling (or, in the case of very young children, school in general) may find their new schedule, rules, and routines exhausting and frustrating, so it’s critical the entire school community prepares and creates the most supportive environment possible.
This is especially important for boarding schools, which have the added layer of students experiencing cultural changes and homesickness.
Here are four tips to thrive during the back-to-school rush!
The National Association of Independent Schools highly recommends hosting a back-to-school night for parents and students. This event is an essential opportunity to share your school’s mission and goals for the coming year with parents.
Teachers should prepare for this night by creating engaging, succinct presentations to show parents what content and coursework their kids will be completing in your class. Supportive, excited instructors will show parents that their children will be well-cared for at your institution.
For boarding schools, back to school nights can be conducted over digital platforms or preferably within a few days of the drop off date so parents in town to set their children up in the dorms can take advantage of personal interactions while in town.
Many teachers who focus on supporting their students may forget that their relationships with parents are equally important. The National Education Association has a great solution for this: teachers can email the parents of each class of students with a message about the first day, telling them what it was like and what they have learned.
This can also be done by dorm parents or whomever is on duty in the dorms that first night and goes a long way with putting nervous parents at ease. Making sure that all the parent portals are up to date with the latest messages, schedules, and syllabuses is also imperative, both for the parents and the administrators that will undoubtably be taking the calls from families that don’t have the right information.
Lots of students–and parents–are concerned about “fitting in” at a new school. Independent schools are equipped to foster community between students, and new students shouldn’t fall through the cracks in the chaos of back-to-school preparations. Utilizing student leaders or ambassadors during this time is immensely helpful for new students. Lean on them to “show them the ropes” of their new school from a peer perspective.
Festive back to school events for the students can serve as a great opportunity to fast-track peer interactions and get new students comfortable, especially boarding students.
To prepare parents, consider sending them articles like this piece from Niche, which will guide them through the back-to-school process and allow their children to transition confidently into the school year.
Traveling can be daunting, even for adults. Guide students through the process of traveling to your school as much as you can, whether that includes sending out tips about preparation, lists of items they should pack, and general move-in timelines to follow. Make sure you have an open avenue of communication about this complex issue; if your boarding school is hard to find, make it easier!
Provide directions on your website and promptly answer questions from distant (especially international) students about the process of moving in. At my prior school we took pictures from the gate to baggage claim, all the way to the pick up location so students could visually follow where to go in our airport and not feel lost.
The key to an organized, comfortable back-to-school transition is good communication and warm energy. Through these connections, you can work out the back-to-school kinks and prevent students from falling behind or feeling as though they don’t have a place in your school.
Be ready to step in for students in need of special focus and remember that your confidence in your school is key to inspiring the confidence of new parents and students.
