OH, teacher friend! You’ve made it through another year of dedicating your whole self to those sweet kids in your classroom. You’re so close to crossing that finish line, so this was always the time of year when my lesson plans started to drag a bit and got more difficult to be creative with. I really wanted to plan for lots of fun together so my students would leave my room with happy memories AND lots of new learning.

Anyway, here are some of my top tips to wrap up to school year in a fun, organized, and happy way. Alright, here we go!

1. Make a list of activities you want to cover in the last weeks.

Making a list of all the topics and activities you want to cover with your students during the last week is a great way to make sure you touch on all the things you want to. Think about including some reflection activities to remember the year fondly with, fun things to help kids create happy memories on their way to summer, and some organization and tidying up activities to reduce stress too.

Just make a BIG list and then narrow it down to the most important things that students will enjoy based on how much time you have. Here’s a list of some of the things I always kept on that “end of the year” checklist.

2. Write a note to every student.

This one seems so simple, but it’s so impactful. A handwritten note, purposely reminding your students of all the amazing qualities you’ve learned about them will continue to build a meaningful relationship. Writing each student a short note about all the things you’ve noticed that make them uniquely themselves will go a LONG way for their hearts.

This is a simple gift you can give your students that costs nothing and is so meaningful to them. You can download these free note templates from my shop and brag on how amazing each of your learners is. Build them up so big one last time on their way our your door. :) You won’t regret it.

3. Make a BTS Box.

THE BTS BOX. Get ready for this AMAZING idea! I learned about this genius idea from a super smart teacher out there in the world, but honestly don’t know exactly where it originated. Anyway, I’m sharing it with you because it’s brilliant for the end of the school year.

To make a BTS Box, just grab a clear plastic bin and fill it with all the things you’re going to need for the first week of school and the weeks leading up to the first week. Things like the books you want to read, lesson plans for the first week, lists of things to accomplish before school starts, Meet the Teacher forms, your sub plan binder, etc. Anything you can think of that you’ll need to be able to have grab quickly at the beginning of the year, toss it in the BTS Box. Leave it in the front of your cabinet or even at home and you’ll have quick, easy access to all the essentials to start the year!

4. Organize all supplies in clear, plastic bins.

Getting your supply closet organized in clear, plastic bins is my favorite way to know what I already have and what I need to get for next year. It’s also smart to add a simple label to each bin to help you find where everything is when you pop that cabinet back open in August. These free labels are an easy way to label any bin by month or supply! :)

5. Have students help you clean up.

Oh, the CLEANING! Mercy me. There are always so many things to clean and organize at the end of the year. There are desks to clean out, supplies to organize, books to check on, cabinets to clean out, surfaces to disinfect…the list goes on! SOOOOO, my favorite thing to do is use all those little people in your room to help you get everything spic and span in no time at all.

BUT, it’s obviously important to make it fun for your kids too! So, during the last week of school, I’d pass around a clean-up scavenger hunt, assign some jobs, play “clean-up bingo”…whatever fun way to get them helping and then let them go to town being super helpful.

6. Communicate with parents about events.

If there are any end of the year events coming up, like Field Day or graduation, communicate with parents WELL and OFTEN. Parents always want to know what’s happening with their children, so including those events in your weekly newsletter, a group email, or extra little notes that go home are easy ways to keep everyone in the loop with plenty of notice.

Wondering how to boost your communication next year? CLICK HERE for 11 simple tips for communicating with parents!

7. Make the memories.

My last tip is an easy, but important one: pack in the FUN and make MEMORIES!! These are the last few days with your students and then life moves on for everyone. So, it’s such a good idea to plan a bunch of fun, simple ways to keep learning together, but really just having the best time too.

I loved to show an age-appropriate movie that goes along with a fun activity or craft, clean desks by playing with shaving cream, play some friendly competitive games together, complete a fun memory book (I LOVE this one!), and have some simple worksheets and activities available to grab during down times (THESE ONES are FREE!). Whatever things sound like they’d be fun for you and your kids, DO THEM. :) Make the memories, laugh together, enjoy the fruits of all the hard work you’ve put in all year long and enjoy your last days hanging out together.

I hope you’ve found a tip or two that will make the end of your year happy, stress-free, and really enjoyable. I’m so proud of you for powering through all the challenges of another year in the classroom. YOU are the real MVP and your students are so lucky to have had you.

Cheering you on! Enjoy your very well-deserved summer!