Send home a questionnaire (online or paper) asking families to tell you 3 things that will help you know their children better. Put the collected data into a spreadsheet for staff to refer to as you begin the year. 

Bonus points if your staff divvy up and read through the messages to identify where you can meet needs. 

Names are important. There are some students who will go their entire academic career and not have their names pronounced right on the first day of school (or they are called something that isn't their preferred name).

On Day One, have students write out their preferred name phonetically or record it on a phone so you can practice getting it right. 

Come back to names by asking students to share their name and then share, in 30 seconds or less, the story of their name. Have them choose the one that feels comfortable to share:

• What is something you like about your name?

• Where did your name come from?

• What does your name mean?

• Why were you given your name?

• Where were you given your name?

Have students focus on positivity by going through a Top 10 of the Week. Ask each student to think of their Top Thing from the week. 

Have students discuss with each other and then randomly call on 10 students to share their personal Top Thing so you have 10 different students contributing to the Top 10. Students listening can snap their fingers or nod if they relate to what is shared.  

Be a Kindness role model. See if you can send off 5 text messages or emails with notes of specific encouragement. Better yet, send 1 of these messages in front of your students! 

Send a note to these 5 people in your school:

• A person that inspires you to educate better

• A person that has mentored you

• A person that has been doing this work a long time

• A person who is new to your school

• A person who you want to learn from this year