Back to School

Everything you need to start strong

Lesson plans, classroom setup ideas, and first-week activities to help you hit the ground running. Browse the collection, download what fits, and bookmark the rest for later.

Two woman stand in a library. They high-five each other.
Two woman stand in a library. They high-five each other.

High Five Friday

An activity to spark quick check-ins and conversations while offering a small reward.
Ongoing
Four people sit around a table scattered with papers with images of food on them.

Soup, Salad, or Sandwich Game: A Staff Icebreaker

A quick warmup at the start of a staff meeting or gathering to get people talking.
10-15 min
A notecard with a written note, scissor, and paper clips lay on a green background.

9 Ways to Welcome New Teachers and Staff to Your School

Pick the ideas that fit your team and your style.
Ongoing
On a small round table lays a stack of children's books. Next to it is a sign-in sheet, and small pieces of paper with colorful papers on them. A colorful rug is in the background.

Read Together, Grow Together

A family reading activity that connects home and school.
45-60 min
One person holds a clipboard with a piece of paper on it, and a pen in hand. Two others stand around, and all three point at the clipboard.

Common Thread

A fast, no-prep icebreaker where small groups race to find the most unique things they all have in common.
10-15 min
Three notecards each with one word on them are taped to a red wood wall. A hand reaches in from the side to tape one more notecard on the wall.

One Word Values Activity

A goal-setting template and activity that helps your staff start the year with focus and intention.
20-30 min
Cut-out puzzle pieces, sheets of paper, scissors, and pens lay on a dark blue background.

Piece By Piece

Celebrate every role on your school team, one puzzle piece at a time.
Ongoing
A man and woman stand facing each other. Each holds a clipboard. They are talking and laughing.

Together We Thrive: Team-Building for New & Veteran Staff

Find activities that build trust, connection, and belonging all year long.
15 min (per session)
Three sheets of paper that say "team value ideas" streamers, sticky notes, and tape lay on a green background.

Establish Your Team Values

A collaborative staff activity that gets everyone on the same page from day one.
30–45 min
A hand writes on a postcard that says "welcome to the team."

Postcards to Welcome New Staff to Your Building

A low-prep onboarding activity that helps school leaders build connection from day one.
5 min
A man sits at a wood desk with pens, a coffee cup, and sheets of paper on it. He holds two pieces of paper in his hands.

SMART Goals for Teachers and Staff

A practical guide for leading goal-setting conversations that help staff grow, stay focused, and feel supported all year long.
20-30 min
A woman stands in a doorway to a school waving. Two women walk toward her.

Back-to-School Night Ideas That Families Will Remember

A list of ideas to engage families and students.
1-2 hours
A hand holds up a pennant that says "first day" on it. Blue sky in the background.

Celebrating the First Day: Fun Ways to Welcome Students

A menu of easy, high-energy ideas to make your school's first day feel like a celebration.
20-45 min
A binder with multiple sheets of paper and pen on it lays on a green background.

One Message, One School

A school culture guide helps principals plan a unified kickoff with scripts.
30-60 min (per session)
A sheet of paper that says "toot your horn tuesday" on it, clipboard, blue streamers, and maker lay on a yellow background.

Toot Your Horn Tuesday

A weekly teacher recognition idea for school leaders.
2-3 min (per visit)
Sheets of paper, notecards, pens, and a clipboard with a piece of paper on it lay on a green background.

10 Ways to Support and Retain New Teachers

10 practical leadership habits principals can use all year long.
Ongoing
Two pieces of paper pinned to a bulletin board with a grid printed on them. Green string connects squares from each paper. Colorful pens lay around the papers.

Connection Quest

A hands-on activity that encourages conversations and strengthens their sense of belonging.
15–30 min
Two women stand and each hold a small piece of paper toward one another.

Teacher Telepathy Icebreaker

A staff meeting icebreaker where teachers write words to match a colleague.
15-20 min
A poster that says "corner 2" is taped to an orange wall. A hand reaches in to place a list of questions below it.

Who's In My Corner Icebreaker

A fun, no-prep way to kick off any staff meeting or PD day.
15–30 min
Hands hold a small piece of paper that says "let's talk" on it. Several other small notecards lay on a table with notebooks and pens.

Let's Talk Table

A low-key way to connect with staff and build real trust, one conversation at a time.
15–30 min
A poster with "welcome back" sits on a wooden table. Next to it is a sticky note pad where someone writes a note with a blue pen. Scattered around are small bags of snacks.

Back to School Bash

A snack cart send-off to welcome your staff back and kick off the year right.
30–45 min
Two women sit at a table, one smiles at the other. There are notecards and pens in their hands.

Fun Fact Frenzy

A quick, no-prep staff meeting icebreaker where staff write surprising facts about themselves and the group guesses whose it whose.
2 min
Multiple sheets of paper, markers, confetti and tape lay on a table.

Teacher Celebration Styles Quiz

A staff appreciation activity that helps you learn how each teacher likes to be celebrated.
15-20 min
Two women hold bingo cards and face each other. Each are writing on the cards. Background is a multicolored rug.

Back-to-School Team Building Bingo

A fun staff meeting icebreaker your team will love. This bingo activity gets staff moving, talking, and connecting in just 10 minutes.
10-15 min
A person writes on the sidewalk with chalk. Message says "outdoor movie night."

Outdoor Family Engagement Activities

Outdoor family engagement activities for schools, from picnics to glow runs, that help families and staff connect.
30-60 min
Three sheets of paper with lists of ideas are on a white bulletin board. A blue boarder and markers are around them.

35 Fun-Raisers for School Spirit

Ideas organized by category, from big events to quick wins, ready to help schools raise money.
Varies
Several sheets of paper with large words on them lay on a pink background.

Purpose Paves the Way

A quick team building activity for teachers using a shared staff bulletin board.
5 min
A man stands in front of a table in a library reading off a piece of paper. At the table, two women stand and two women sit.

Stand Up If

A fast, fun staff meeting icebreaker where teachers stand up if a statement applies to them.
5-10 min
Two women sit at a wooden table. One writes on a sheet of paper. Notebooks, pens, a laptop, and post-it notes are scattered on the table.

Similarities and Differences

A quick, low-prep icebreaker where staff mingle and discover one similarity and one difference with each colleague they meet.
15-20 min
A woman in a red dress stands in a library. In front of her is a table with three women at it, two of them are raising their hands.

Mystery Staff Member

A fun back-to-school icebreaker where staff fill out an "About Me" form.
15-20 min
Two women hold bingo sheets and write on them with pens. A colorful rug is in the background.

Find Someone Who Icebreaker

A staff meeting icebreaker that gets people moving and connecting fast.
10-15 min
A colorful paper chain lays on a yellow table. Two hands reach in to add another link to the chain.

Family Connection Projects

A year-round family engagement project for school leaders.
Ongoing
Someone stands in front of a wood table with paper cuttters and office supplies on it. They place items in a blue folder.

Classroom Support Program

A list of tips for organizing classroom volunteer programs.
Ongoing
A white board is covered in colorful sticky notes and a piece of paper is taped at the top that says "you said, we did." A hand reaches in from the left and places another sticky note on the board.

You Said, We Did Board

A way to visually display staff feedback paired alongside leadership actions.
Ongoing
Small dishes of ice cream with spoons in them sit on a table.

Attendance Adventures: Sundae in August

A sundae bar gives classes a visible reason to show up together.
20-30 min
A group of three women and one man sit at a table in a library playing a card game.

Staff Taboo Showdown

A school-themed word game that gets staff laughing and competing!
10 min
Someone holds a piece of paper with "this" and "that" on it. People in the background stand to one side of a room.

This or That Icebreaker

A get-on-your-feet icebreaker where staff vote on fun "this or that" prompts.
5-10 min
A hand places a handwritten note in a backpack.

5-Minute Ideas for Family Engagement

Quick family engagement ideas for schools, from phone calls to postcards.
5 min
A man sits at a desk with a notebook, coffee cup, and open laptop. He fills in a bingo card with a blue pen.

Family Connection Bingo

A bingo card full of family engagement activities.
Ongoing
Man holds a piece of paper with writing on it as he stands in front of three women seated at a table.

Habits for High-Impact Meetings

A guide to help school leaders make meetings more purposeful and productive.
Varies

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