5 Things You Can Prep During Summer Break

How do you prepare for the upcoming school year? Here are 5 things I do during summer prep to ready my classroom for a fresh new year.

It’s the same every summer; I look forward to my summer break and all the plans I have made for myself. I look forward to sleeping in! It’s time to hit the pool, deep clean my house, and look forward to traveling. Then, after a little while of relaxation, the wheels start spinning and I’m thinking about my students and ready to work on school things. My classroom building stays locked until just before in-service begins, so I have to consider: What things can be prepped at home to get a jump start on the school year?

1. Prep Paraprofessional Binders

My classroom only functions because of the help of my amazing paraprofessionals. Are you getting new paras this year? Are you new to the classroom? Using some of your time this summer to prep a Para Binder helps to get your entire team on the same page, and it is a great place to keep important information that can be referenced at any time.

• Student Roster & IEP Snapshots
• Specific Student Emergency Info
• List of Adult Expectations
• Procedures for Emergency Drills
• Handwashing/Diapering Procedures
• District Calendar
• Classroom Schedules
• Emergency Sub Plans
• Sped Acronyms List
• Data Collection Procedures
• Para Questionnaire (Gift ideas for when you need to spoil your crew!)

Paras are absolutely essential for a self-contained classroom. Keep them informed! For more information on how to support your paraprofessionals, check out Sabrina’s blog!

2. Prep your Classroom Layout and Schedule

This tool is available exclusively inside Simple Self-Contained Setup 101® !

First, sketch out ideas of where to place things to maximize student safety and enrichment before you even move anything physically. Consider creating different areas that all serve a purpose with clear visual boundaries. If you need extra help with this, I highly suggest using your summer prep to check out the Simple Self-Contained Set Up for the complete roadmap to a stress-free classroom setup for self-contained special education teachers! Click here to explore.

Additionally, your schedule is SO important. Of course, things will change when student schedules become finalized, but a good starting outline saves you time in the long run. Create a general idea or a rough draft for your classroom schedule that can be tweaked when the times come. 

You can use this template to find a schedule that works best for you!

Learn more about scheduling here.

3. Student IEP Snapshots and Data Collection Methods

Next, think about student IEP Snapshot pages and data collection methods. An IEP snapshot page includes the meat and potatoes of the student’s IEP and can be quick referenced when needed. Include information about their grade level, any health reminders, even likes and dislikes. Also, include their current goals and objectives. Make sure you mark these sheets as confidential!

Now let’s talk data. If you’re going to be collecting data the paper way, set up the sheets in a way that will benefit your time. I create binders for each student so I can keep my data collected in order. Then, each binder can be pulled when it’s time to write progress reports or take data to an IEP meeting. Online data collection is a great tool, too! Decide what works for you, and have this prepared this summer before the school year even begins.

4. Prep IEP Bins

Once you have access to your student’s goals and objectives, you can work on prepping IEP bins that can be pulled and used to target their goals. Start by deciding what type of container you might like to use for your bins, and making a list of what each bin will contain. The goal for each bin is to be able to grab and go! Everything you need to address a student’s goal or objective should be inside the bin.

For a more in-depth look at IEP Bins, check out this blog!

5. Prep Reusable Academic Tasks

Lastly, work on prepping materials for sturdiness and multiple uses. Laminate pages, cut pieces, and add velcro to tasks that will be used again and again like the one above. Prep some of the Adapted Books that you can use this school year. Laminate task cards that can be pulled when needed.

Bonus: Don’t forget SELF-CARE!

Possibly the most important thing is to remember to take some time for yourself! I am among the worst offenders when it comes to spending all my free time thinking about my classroom. I like the analogy of putting on oxygen masks in an airplane. You must put your mask on first before you can help others. It’s important to take care of yourself and do some things to relax and recharge! Don’t you dare feel any guilt! Only after you take care of yourself can you do your best for your students.