Start of the School Year: Planning for School Business Officials

Conduct thorough safety checks of all facilities, including classrooms, gymnasiums, playgrounds, athletic fields, and related equipment, to ensure they are in proper condition. Inspections should pay special attention to safety devices such as fire and smoke alarms as well as emergency exits. SBOs and their teams should also assess the adequacy of the summer maintenance work and be prepared to redirect personnel to specific high-priority projects that need to be completed before students return for classes.  

Ensure that all district vehicles, including school buses, vans, and cars, meet state safety regulations, are in good working order, and have been serviced or repaired as necessary.  

Confirm that emergency plans are up to date. Verify that building and district-level policies are consistent with each other and that staff members have received sufficient professional development preparation needed to implement them safely, if necessary. As part of this process, schedule regular practices similar to fire and safety drills.  

Coordinate the operations of key departments, such as transportation and pupil personnel. In so doing, SBOs and their teams become familiar with bus routes, student pick-up schedules, conduct rules for bus riders, the costs of lunches, and the provision of services, equipment, and materials for children with special needs to ensure their safety. 

Make facilities welcoming. Encourage teachers and librarians to decorate their workspaces for the beginning of the school year. Follow up by sending staff members notes of appreciation to help enhance the school climate. 

Update the board’s master calendar. Ensure that all board-sponsored events and activities are cleared through the person responsible for the master calendar during the academic year to avoid system-wide scheduling conflicts.  

Be mindful of religious calendars to avoid scheduling school events during religious holidays and/or celebrations. Furthermore, since this is typically a central office function that may be delegated to building-level leaders, SBOs and their teams should identify the appropriate individuals responsible for coordinating these efforts. 

Develop a schedule for observing and evaluating staff, especially new employees. On a related note, consider creating mentor programs and support systems to aid and guide new employees. 

Keep faculty and staff informed about the status of personnel changes, summer building projects, and curricular developments. Send them welcome letters that include information about changes in their schools, as well as scheduled professional development days and orientation sessions for staff to be briefed on all such changes. 

Conduct meetings to familiarize staff with modifications and updates to the board’s policy manual and administrative procedures handbook.  

Verify the readiness of instructional materials and equipment necessary for the start of the school year. 

Send information about orientation sessions focused on student activities and the first weeks of classes. 

Review all written materials distributed by the district. Ensure the accuracy and professional appearance of written materials concerning students, as well as those distributed to children, sent home to their parents, and placed on board websites before the first day of school. Review health and permanent record cards, forms for participating in extracurricular activities, handbooks, registration forms, calendars, and permission slips indicating who is authorized to pick up children if they need to leave school early.