Grab that Afternoon Coffee: Back to School Night and Open House Playbook

Open House and Back to School Night are events that are great ways to start the year off well. It can help build connections and can be great community builders. Based on your role in the school, I have a quick list of things to remember or try during these after-school events.

Note: When I mention the terms Open House and Back to School Night, I refer to events open to all students and parents/guardians. This is the time to get acquainted with the school and meet the teachers.

Parents/Guardians

You are racing around figuring out your child’s schedule or ensuring their lunch number account is up for the school year. You are meeting and reconnecting with classmates’ parents and are navigating what your child’s school will be like. Here are three things to remember at Open Houses and Back to School Nights.

Open House and Back to School Night are not individual parent/teacher conferences.

• There may be a select time to meet with your child’s teacher at the elementary level. The secondary level may vary more whether you coordinate with the teacher, speak to the team lead, or contact Student Services (Counselor’s Office). Either way, if you have a concern, you can learn how to schedule the conference but let the educators focus on the whole class.

  • Want more information on parent-teacher conferences? Learn here!

Limit talking about grades.

• Open House and Back to School Night usually happen very early in the school year, if not before a bus full of children grace the halls on the first day of school. Chances are the teacher is still trying to memorize names. The most productive conversations about individual assignments may not occur during the busy evening. Learning how to check grades is essential. Try to limit the personal student grade talk.

Asking questions about classroom materials

Curriculum may be a topic in at least one of these school-wide events. Remembering your child’s class is filled with people from all walks of life is vital. Lessons are selected to intertwine different topics. It is great to ask questions, but understand, especially as students get older complex and challenging subjects may have to be addressed throughout the school year.

Educators:

Fun fact, these two days were some of my favorite times in the school year! I got to see the parents/guardians, and if the student came or their siblings showed up, great! Things beyond an educator’s control, such as attendance, can be difficult for schools with transportation issues or parents/guardians working jobs and cannot take time off. One way I relieved that is I did not want to have to watch children as the barrier to attending. Another would be translating my welcome letter and class information list in the class’s four or five most common languages. (Tip: I wouldn’t copy and paste what Google Translate or AI says. Each district has different resources or personnel for translation services. I would go through them). I may have ruffled some feathers, but I believe access to the school is vital, and having conversations is terrific. Therefore, if you need to bring a kid or two so we can foster meaningful connections at the beginning of the year, I am all for it.

Try to present for the entire time limit.

• See if there is a schedule or rotations that the parents/guardians will go through. If not, I would have a brief slideshow on a timer on a screen or projector. Then try to have stations of activities students will be doing and former student work (remember to cover names). Sometimes if the event is more structured, I would have the parents sign up for a quick trivia game to see some activities used in class.

Create a children’s area for coloring.

• Going hand-in-hand with inviting children to the event, I would have a kids’ table. There would be coloring sheets, older paper the art teacher did not need, and crayons. Many times the adults migrate there as well. It was a great way to have an area with a fun, light-hearted atmosphere. The younger ones can color, and the adult’s attention can be more to the child enrolled in your class.

A brief bio about you, but showcase your class and curriculum.

• Parents and guardians would love to get to know you. Sure, there may be your college banner, but explain why you teach the grade level or subject. What is your passion, and how will you connect with students? Make it brief so you can make connections or possibly do an activity with the parents so they will learn the course curriculum better.

Let’s have a wonderful school year! Have an excellent Open House and Back to School Night!