Preparing to close out another school year

As any school employee knows, the last few weeks of school can be a hectic time, whether you are a first year educator or a seasoned veteran. To help make the process just a little smoother, here are a few tips for organizing your supplies and closing up your classroom!

Having been a classroom teacher for over ten years now, I have realized that it is very easy to build up quite a store of supplies and other odds and ends. And while I always have every intention of using these teaching tools, workbooks, office supplies, etc, space can be limited and it is good to inventory and clean out the collection every so often. Some things may no longer apply to what I will be teaching the next year and so can be passed on to co-workers. Others might need to be thrown out because pieces are missing, such as games, puzzles, etc. Then, of course, there are the broken crayons, dried out markers, and torn books. A purge, at least once a year, can not only help make things easier to organize, but it also allows you to see what you may need to keep an eye out for over the summer, whether at flea markets, garage sales, or educational supply stores!

You will also want to make some smart choices about methods of storage for your materials over the summer. While cardboard, such as the 10”x15”x12” tote/stow binswith built in handles and lids, can be more cost effective, plastic bins and boxes will last longer and better protect your posters, border trim, workbooks, etc.

For storing paper items such as bulletin board decorations, cut-outs, trim, and calendars, an important step in the storage process is to laminate them all. The plastic lamination will help preserve them longer so they can be used again next year. Most laminations will also create a coating that can be used with dry erase or vis-a-vis markers. Laminating now can also save you time in the fall, when there is always such a rush.

Other tips for ending the year strong would be to organize your files, whether they are paper copies or digitally saved on the computer. Putting hard copies into clear storage sleeves and keeping them in a binder can make them easy to find again when school starts. Sorting through your computer files and deleting those that are not needed will keep your system from becoming cluttered. Either method will make sure that when the fall comes around, you will be able to get started again as smoothly as possible!

–Jessica H.
Educational Warehouse – Wayne Location

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