This article is part of the following topics:   Back to School

Back-to-School Checklist

First Steps

• Call the school district with questions about your child's school
• Find out what day classes start and what time your child should arrive
• Enroll your child (if she is not already registered from the previous year)
• Fill out emergency contact sheets and any other required forms

Check Medical Requirements

• Make sure your child has all required immunizations
• Schedule a physical exam for your child if needed to participate in school activities
• Get your child's vision checked before school starts if he is due for an exam
• Notify the principal's office, the school nurse, and your child's teachers about any health problems or medications

Stock Up on School Supplies

• Check the school website or call for a list of required supplies
• Find out whether students will store supplies at school or bring them home each day
• Buy a backpack or bag to carry daily items
• Review the school dress code
• Buy school uniforms and gym clothes, if necessary

Learn About the School

• Find out whether the teacher prefers to communicate by phone, email, or written note
• Know what your child is expected to learn in her grade level
• Familiarize yourself with the information on the school website
• Note the phone numbers for checking school closures or reporting absences
• Find out the procedure for taking your child out of school early
• Read the school handbook and make sure your child understands the rules
• Review the school's federal "report card"

Plan To Be Involved

• Mark school events on the family calendar
• Attend the back-to-school program
• Schedule and attend parent-teacher conferences
• Meet leaders of the parent-teacher group

Plan Healthy Meals

• Have nutritious food on hand for breakfast and after-school snacks
• Find out how much school breakfasts and lunches cost
• Find out whether snacks and drinks are available at school or can be brought from home
• Ask where to obtain weekly school lunch menus
• Alert school staff if your child has a severe food allergy

Arrange Transportation

• Practice getting to school with your child
  • BUS: Make sure she knows where and when to be picked up before and after school
  • BICYCLE: Review road safety and make sure he has a helmet
  • ON FOOT: Walk the route together and review pedestrian safety guidelines
• Arrange a carpool if necessary and introduce your child to the other adults and children
• Compile contact information of parents who can pick up your child in an emergency

Make After-School Plans

• Arrange child care or after-school activities
• Choose extracurricular activities carefully to avoid overscheduling
• Make sure your child knows where to go after school each day

Help Your Child Prepare for School

• Arrange for your child to play with others in his age group before classes start
• Discuss your child's feelings about starting school and talk over any concerns
• Talk with your child about his daily school schedule
• Talk about peer pressure with your child
• Have your child memorize your home address and home and work phone numbers
• Tour the school with your child so she can find her classrooms, the restrooms, and the cafeteria
• Arrange a time for you and your child to meet his new teachers

Lay the Ground Rules

• Establish a firm bedtime before school starts
• Determine where and when your child will do homework
• Figure out a plan for balancing homework and play time
• Set rules for the time spent on TV, video games, and computer use for non-school projects

Download a PDF version of this back-to-school checklist from the Print & Use Tools section of the site.