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August

Newsletters: Prepare staff welcome letters and school newsletters for mailing early in August.

Supplies and Teaching Aids: Review purchase orders and make sure materials are present or scheduled for delivery. Supervise but delegate the work. Make sure teacher supply lists are ready.

Building Walk-Through: Delegate responsibilities for upkeep and maintenance to your custodial and maintenance team, but be aware of the codes and needs.

Opening Day Activities: Make a plan for how students and parents will be welcomed back on the first day. Make arrangements for enrolling new students and handling the many questions that will arise in the main office. Make a back up plan in case of rain.

Administrative Duties: Meet with the assistant, secretary, and other team members to divide duties. Assign yourself the duty of instructional leader; otherwise, management details will rule your time.

Welcome Other Staff: Schedule time to meet with new itinerant staff members who come to your building such as bus drivers, social workers, nurses, food service personnel. Make sure all feel like a part of the staff.

Handbooks: Verify that student and staff handbooks are printed and ready for distribution. Create a master list of any changes to distribute at the first staff meeting. Review and include your code to student conduct and any contracts for dissemination to parents.

First Staff Meeting: Plan the first staff meeting. Build in team-building time as well as professional development. Set the tone to focus on instructional and academic issues. Print memos to cover the “administrivia” announcements.

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