6 THINGS YOU MUST DO BEFORE SUMMER BREAK

Alright teacher friends, it's about that time again! The end of the school year. Your brain is scrambling with so many thoughts...

First of all, how did this year fly by, yet again?!
Are my students ready?
How is it time for report cards already?? The fourth quarter JUST started!
Must plan the end of the year party...student gifts...parent volunteer thank-yous...next year's welcome letter...

I could keep going but I think I'll stop because I can feel my stress-level rising just typing this.

Among these responsibilities also comes packing up for next school year. And this whole thing has me thinking. Every year I say, "Next year I'm going to be more organized." "Next year I'll have all of my intervention activities prepped in August." "Next year, next year, next year. Well next year comes (always faster than I thought it would) and with all of the other beginning of the year responsibilities, I never get it done. Come the following June, I'm saying it again. Next year.... Well, no more for this teacher!
I am determined to prep all of those organization materials that I say I'll do at the start of the year. But I'm determined to do it now. And you should be too! Check out the following suggestions from myself and the (amazing) credited TPT'ers below AND a free checklist at the bottom of this post.

Here are some recommendations for your MUST-DO LIST before THIS school year ends:

Pack, pack, pack! But do it neatly :)

"Pack carefully and be organized. you'll be thankful in August when you are unpacking." - Kestner's Creations Primary Pickins

Clean Out and Take Inventory

Go through your classroom library to get rid of old books and take an inventory. - Middle School Cafe
"Purge everything. Clean as much as possible. I'd love to say prepare everything for the first week, but I know realistically I'm drained by the EOY and not up for much beyond cleaning." - HappyRock Creations
"Clean all book bins with a magic eraser, inventory and organize all classroom supplies (markers, colored ,pencils, glue sticks, etc.) so that I know what I need to buy over the summer, and clean all student white boards. I don't want to do any of it come August!!" - 2nd Grade Sassy Pants
"Organize my files! They get so messy throughout the year." - Kinder Sparks
"Grab all the school supplies I can for the following year before they run out this year from the supply room. Give PTO parents all my decodable books to fold and staple over the summer." - The Primary Brain
"Re-sort my leveled library, clean out student book boxes, take down Reader's Workshop Anchor Charts and store them until next year." - The K Files

Organize your centers and make copies for the first few days or even weeks!

Put Beginning of the Year Centers in tubs and make copies of: Welcome Letter, Flip book, FB Form, Data Binder Pages, and first 2 days lessons. - Matthews' Kindergarten Mischief
"I think about what copies I used regularly. For example, I give a problem solving packet each week for math and a vocabulary sheet for my students every Monday. I make copies of these pages for next year. I fill them in milk crates, label them week 1, week 2, etc." - Llama with Class
" I plan out and photocopy my first two units of each class. This helps me focus on all the other new school year work that I need to do and I don't have to worry about the copying machine working or if, by the grace of God, it is, wait on the line forever." - Samson's Shoppe
I plan to organize my centers in bins by center type. For example, I'll put my all of my "A" Centers for my MATH Rotation in bins, organized by skill. - Teaching Little Leaders

Prep Your First Week Essentials: Routines & Read Alouds

"Have the first week planned, run off, read alouds ready, anchor charts made & my list of routines ready to teach!" - 1st Grade Fireworks
"Copy first days of school packets. Copy and organize math morning work in student folders." - Believe to Achieve by Anne Rozell
"Organize posters and bulletin board displays." - Kaycee's Creations
My routines are all ready to go for August on my Back-to-School Classroom Procedure Slides :) - Teaching Little Leaders

Make a Summer Plan.

Make a plan for preparing over the summer. "I need to plan what I need to do, what to go over, what to read, etc." - The Magnolia Loft
"Run copies of any large items that need to be cut/laminated to take hope over the summer." - The Primary Brain

Prepare advice for your new class.

"I have my current students prepare advice for my future students. I used to have them write letters to future third graders and more recently I have had them fill out flip books of advice. I make sure to save this information in a safe place so that it is ready to share with my new students the first day of school." - Llama with Class

Favorite Organization Tools from TPT'ers:

Binders
Large Iris Cases
Plastic Drawers
Labeled Baskets and Bins
Book Bins
Dollar Store Bins
Google Drive
Fold and File Box (Fits right into your teacher bag for papers going to and from school. S/O to Llama with Class for this one!)
Data Binder
Colored Hanging Folders (use different colors for different subjects. Thanks, Kinder Sparks)