A Guide For Back-To-School Prep

It's crucial to plan for "back to school" and ensure that your learning center is in tip-top shape.

Summer goes by fast, and the start of the Centerville school year will be here in no time. In addition to making sure your center is fully staffed, you can make it stand out from the rest by making careful and thoughtful decisions. 

With these tips, prepare your center to welcome students and their families back to school.

Add New & Important Information To The Website

Nowadays, having an online presence is more important than ever. 

Your Centerville learning center's website should contain all the necessary information for new families. This means you should include all necessary forms, supplies lists, new information, etc. Parents should be able to access this information easily.

Additionally, update your photo gallery and provide a link for "new families" so they can get answers to their questions. 

Create A Supply List

You should provide a list of supplies for your child and parents.

If you have a specific brand in mind, be sure to specify it on your list. You may not get what you want if you do not specify. In addition to the list of requirements, it's also recommended to create a wishlist. 

You'd be surprised at what children can go through in a year. There will undoubtedly be seasons of sickness—you'll want to have tissues and hand sanitizer for that. Also, sometimes students go through supplies or even lose their supplies; even the simplest things, like having extra pencils and paper, can make a world of difference.

Clean, Clean, Clean!

It's a no-brainer that you should make cleaning a priority.

Spend some time painting, replacing furniture, and fixing spots at your Centerville learning center this summer. Have the staff come together and help throw away things, clean up, and replace damaged toys. Decluttering can be a great way to make a room feel more open. 

Take the time to clean your carpets, furniture, and floors. Families will notice the difference. Prepare cubbies with the names of new students to welcome them on their first school day.

Furthermore, a general rule is that items can have their spot if used daily. If something is only used occasionally, then it should be put away. Also, important to note is that having disorganized piles of paper and supplies is very unprofessional. Encourage your employees to keep the environment in their workspaces clean and orderly.

Host An Open House

Many Centerville centers hold educational open houses before the beginning of the school year.

Inviting new families to tour the kids' school and meet the staff is a good idea. It allows the staff and teachers to meet and interact with the children. You can decorate with balloons, play music, offer refreshments, and have simple games in each classroom. This will help make it more engaging and fun for the children.

Parents and children want to meet with their prospective teachers to be enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and have excellent interpersonal or social skills. For these events, each classroom should be beautifully staged and cleaned.

Try Trial Day Before First Day of School

The fun idea is to offer new families the opportunity to drop off their children for a "trial day."

This is especially helpful for those with children who are brand new to the Centerville learning center. It allows parents to experience the morning activities and practice traveling at certain times. Also, it allows them to gauge how long it takes and ease into their schedule. 

During this time, you can ask the parents to review all of their child's enrollment forms and ensure they are complete. This is not something that all centers do, but it adds an extra layer of compassion and care.

Host A Back-To-School Night

Another great idea to think about is a Centerville Back-to-School Night for all families. 

This is the time for families to come to the learning center and spend time with their children while also visiting the classroom to learn more about their child's teacher. It's important for families to have the opportunity to meet their teachers.

Creating better teacher and parent relationships is the first step in building a safe and close-knit community. For children to be successful at the learning center, they will need the support of all the adults in their life.

Final Thoughts

You can prepare in many different ways; however, it all starts by getting everyone excited for the new school year. 

If the Centerville learning center leaders are passionate and excited about the program, this will spread to those who work under them. Eventually, this will reach the children and their families. 

Families are eager to return to routine and structure after a fun summer. Therefore, your program must be ready to welcome these families with a clear vision and mission. This will ensure a successful start to the new year. 

You can do it!