Purchase a large, stackable plastic container with a lid at the beginning of the school year. Use the container as a gathering place for items you can use for bulletin boards. As you find items and inspiration throughout the year, you can put them in the container for later. Place two large manila envelopes into the container. Write "Ideas" on one and "Meeting Ideas" on two. When personal bulletin board ideas strike you, jot them down on a sticky note or a piece of paper and slide them into the envelope. When you receive hand-outs for bulletin board ideas at meetings, place them into the "Meeting Ideas" envelope. Keep both in the container. Items to keep in the container include cotton balls, glue, googly-eyes, wrapping paper tubes, letters, numbers, streamers, fake autumn leaves and paper plates.
Measure the length you need for your bulletin board. Most school offices supply bulletin board paper. Bulletin board paper is sold with the necessary width.
Decide what type of bulletin board you want to create. "Welcome" bulletin boards are created at the beginning of the school year. Holiday bulletin boards, birthday bulletin boards and lesson-oriented bulletin boards, such as ecology-themed boards, usually stay up for one to three months. Other bulletin boards, such as those created to augment lessons or to promote fund raisers or field trips, usually are short-term or created for a door or small wall.
Choose the color scheme you want to use. Coordinate the bulletin board paper and the border.
Cut the bulletin board paper to fit the board. Hold the bulletin board paper up to the board and staple it on with a stapler that opens flat. Staple the paper all the way around.
Unroll the border, line it up with one of the corners and staple it into place. Continue unrolling it, lining it up with the edges of the board and stapling it over the paper or fabric you are using. Bulletin board border can also be lace or ribbon.
Center the title of your bulletin board and staple it into place first. Try to create a catchy title. On an autumn leaves reading board featuring leaves with students' names, use a title such as, "Fall Into a Good Book!"
Staple pictures or other items to create your board. Use cotton balls for snowmen or paper plates for large cookies. Children love to see their name on bulletin boards, so place them on the board as much as possible to boost self-esteem.