First Day of School Activities Calendars

Official Business

• Official activities such as registration and fee payment should be the first order of business. Upon arrival, guardians and students receive a warm reception and direction towards the administration offices to handle official matters. In some schools, the orientation of the students is the first activity. During the orientation, a welcome speech is given by the principal and instructions are given to ensure flow of activities for the rest of the day.

Settling In

• Settling in for the students involves issuing student IDs and class timetables, assigning rooms and lockers. This activity takes place as the second order of business to ensure students can take part in the rest of the activities, such as attending class and settling into their rooms. Teachers and boarding mistresses can aid in the flow of these activities. Kindergarten children pick places to sit in the classroom with the help of the teacher. The new students get a school tour to acquaint themselves with the school and during this time parents and teachers can interact through introductions

Icebreakers

• Students and teachers alike can be nervous on the first day of school. An icebreaker activity helps drive away the nervousness. Getting the children to introduce themselves or write a time capsule helps. A time capsule is a list of the children's favorite things and likes, they fill in the list at the beginning of the year and compare it at the end. Stating the rules and the regulations of the school and class is more appropriate for the older classes and university level. This activity happens at the beginning of the first class on the first day. Allowing the students to state their expectations of the teacher or lecturer also helps break the ice.

Book Preview and Tests

• Previewing the textbooks for that particular grade helps the students understand what to expect in the new school year. Some schools give a pre-test on the first day of school to determine the children's strengths and weaknesses. This helps the teacher plan on the areas to spend more time on, and the students know what to work on for the year.