Back-to-School Night: Ideas for Preparation and Presentation

Back-to-School Night

I love Back-to-School Night—or Meet the Teacher, as some schools call it. I feel like I’m one of the few teachers who ever says that, but I really do!

I love the student prep leading up to the night, getting a chance to talk with parents face-to-face, and then ending the evening by having the parents do their part—leaving a note for their child to find the next day.

I have to say, I’m not one of those teachers who goes all out and bakes cookies, adds cute little tags to everything, or creates a scavenger hunt for the parents. That’s just not my style. My style is to have the kids “do the work”—and, well, of course, there are some Hershey’s Kisses involved!

I have a few go-to activities I do with my students leading up to Back-to-School Night…

Getting Ready for Back-to-School Night

The week before Back-to-School Night, I like to have my students prepare something special for their parents to find when they visit the classroom. Over the years, I’ve used a few different activities depending on the class and how much time we have.

Welcome to My Classroom Book

The week before Back-to-School Night, I like to have my students prepare something special to leave for their parents. Over the years, I’ve used a few different activities depending on the class and how much time we have.

One option is a Welcome to My Classroom Book. Students complete a simple little book about their classroom and school year, including what they want their parents to see and their favorite part of first, second, or third grade.

One option is a Welcome to My Classroom Book. Students complete a simple little book about their classroom and school year, sharing things like what they want their parents to see, their favorite part of their grade so far, and other things they want their parents to know about their classroom.

The books are super simple, but they give parents a little sneak peek into what their child has been doing at school. They also give parents a chance to see what their child’s writing and spelling look like early in the year—which is great to look back on and compare as the year goes on!

💚 Grab the Welcome to My Classroom Book on TpT.

Back-to-School Night Student Letter

Another activity I’ve used is a Back-to-School Night letter that students complete and leave for their parents. I created different templates for grades 1–3 so students at different writing levels can all leave a letter for their families.

In their letters, students share what they want their parents to see in the classroom as well as something they are proud of. Again, it’s really simple, but it gives students a chance to be part of preparing for the night instead of everything being done by the teacher.

💚 Grab the Back-to-School Night Student Letter on TpT.

Hopes and Dreams for the School Year

My final idea—and my favorite—takes a little longer because it has a few different components, so I usually start preparing for it well before Back-to-School Night. But it is absolutely worth the time it takes. Let me tell you why…

Earlier in the year, I have my students complete an activity called My Hopes and Dreams for the School Year. I ask them to think about something they would like to accomplish during the year. It can be anything from making a new friend to learning how to subtract or becoming a better speller. We keep these pages until the end of the year, then look back to see how we did!

Along those same lines, I ask parents to write about their hopes and dreams for their child. They write their message on special paper I provide and tuck it into an envelope their child has made. Then I collect the envelopes and tuck them away until the end of the school year.

At the end of the year, each student gets to open the envelope and read what their parents hoped for them at the beginning of the year. It makes for such a special full-circle moment.

And because there are almost always parents who can’t make it to Back-to-School Night, I send the note home for them to complete and return to school without their child seeing it. That way, every student can have a note waiting for them at the end of the year.

💚 Grab the Hopes and Dreams for the School Year Activity on TpT.

Talking with Parents at Back-to-School Night

This is my favorite part of Back-to-School Night. Think about it—never again during the school year will you have, ideally, all of your students’ parents in one place at the same time.

There’s no other time when you can set expectations and know that everyone is hearing the same message. There’s no other time when parents get to hear about their child’s school day from start to finish. And really, there’s no other time when they’ll have another first-grade Back-to-School Night!

Over the years, I’ve found that there are a few things parents almost always want to know:

❓How do you handle kids who misbehave?

❓How do you handle friendship issues?

❓What’s the homework situation?

❓What the heck is a number bond?

❓What’s the best way to reach you?

And then some lovely parent always asks, “What’s your go-to Starbucks drink?” Those are often my favorite parents! 😉

Because I know these questions are coming, I address them during my Back-to-School Night talk rather than waiting for someone to ask.

Of course, there are plenty of other things I cover during my Back-to-School Night talk. I walk parents through our typical day, briefly explain the math, reading, and phonics programs we use, and talk about my classroom management style.

I also point out anything that might be different from kindergarten. Maybe there’s an extra PE class this year or one less recess—yikes! These little changes may not seem like a big deal to us, but they can be a very big deal to a first grader (and sometimes their parents!).

And then there are all the not-so-exciting housekeeping things that just have to be covered.

Oh, and I hand out Hershey’s Kisses. Because everyone deserves some chocolate!

A Note from Parents

After the big night, students are so excited to come to school and see what their parents left for them! Before leaving, each parent writes a note to their child sharing a little bit about the night—what they learned about first grade, how proud they are of their child, and, of course, how much they love them.

Again, I make sure students whose parents weren’t able to attend aren’t left out. I ask parent volunteers to write a special note for those students so everyone has something waiting for them the next morning.

Parents leave the notes at their child’s work spot for them to find when they arrive at school. And, of course, they leave a Hershey’s Kiss too!

💚 Grab the FREE Back-to-School Night Parent Note

Making Back-to-School Night Count

Back-to-School Night is just one evening, but it’s such a great opportunity to bring students, parents, and teachers together at the beginning of the year. A little preparation from the students, some helpful information from the teacher, and a special note from parents can make the night feel important without making it complicated.

And maybe a few Hershey’s Kisses don’t hurt either. 💚