Back-to-School Photo Backdrop... Quick, cheap, and easy {and a FREEBIE reminder!}!!!

Looking for a fun way to jazz up your Open House or just want to take pictures of your students the first week of school in your classroom?

I wanted to make something fun and interactive to make my Open House this year memorable.  If you follow my blog, you may have seen that I'm out of the classroom now and in the office... I'm the principal at a K-2 elementary school.

I am SO excited about this new journey.  The staff has been AMAZING and we've all been working this summer to plan and prepare for next year.

Last week, I decided that adding a photo backdrop for Open House would help make the night even more fun for our school families.

So... I printed these letters and went to the Dollar Tree.  I literally spent $3.00 there buying colored tablecloths to use as backdrops.  You could use large rolls of butcher paper too!

The next day, I hung the tablecloths up in the hallway and used packing tape to attach the letters.  I LOVE how they turned out!

 You can find this on TpT with printabes for PreK through Sixth grades!

While you're at it, check out this pack to get organized for your Open House event!

And... don't forget this FREEBIE to make your Open House Scavenger Hunt even MORE fun!

Quick, Easy Idea for Open House Night!

T'was the night before Open House when all through the school...

Tomorrow is our Open House!  I was lucky enough to teach a bunch of my incoming kiddos during summer school, so I already know them, but I can't WAIT to meet the rest of them and see my old kiddos who always come back to visit!

This is one of my favorite things to do at Open House.  It's QUICK and EASY and LOW PREP for me!  It gives parents something fun to do too and gives us something extra to do on the first day of school.  Because I am sure you're always looking to fill time on that totally non-crazy day!  Haha!

Anyway... here it is!

Easel's up, markers are out, and we'll read this together on the first day of school!

I'm Ready for Open House! {And Updated Product Info!}

Tomorrow is my Open House and I am ready!  We start the day with a district wide breakfast, followed by a day of staff meetings, followed by a night of student and family fun!

Here is my table, full of sign-up sheets for parents...

I wrote brief instructions/info about each sheet on my dry erase clings that are on my table!  I blogged about those HERE.

All of those forms {plus lots more!} are available in my Editable Open House pack.  It opens in Powerpoint so you can customize all of the forms for your classroom.  If you have the pack, pop in to your dashboard because I just added three new pages so you can organize how your students go home!  I have a dismissal page out for tomorrow.  I pre-programmed my students' names and have asked parents to make an X in a box to show how their child goes home.  Then I'll use that info to make a quick chart {also in the pack!} for my room.  Click the pic for more info!

Last... look what I got at Meijer... they're magnets!  They were $2 each and they had all letters in many styles... I love 'em!

Looking For an Open House Organizational Tool? {And Monday Made-It Too!}

If you are like me, Open House night goes by in the blink of an eye.  You smile a lot, shake lots of hands, and give lots of hugs.  You stress out a little bit before hand wanting everything to go perfect so families feel comfortable in your classroom... and then it's over as quick as it began!

Open House in my classroom is a way for me to meet parents, students, grandparents even... for kids to explore their classroom and for parents to sign-up to donate, volunteer, and supply our classroom with things throughout the year.

Last year I put together a fully customizable Open House tool to take the stress off of you so you can enjoy the night!  Just open in PowerPoint, type your own info, print, and DONE!... but I think it was just after everyone's Open House last year so I wanted to show it off early this year!

Check it out on TpT

I was so happy when I got the opportunity for my sweet friend The Good Enough Teacher to review this product AND give one away on her blog this week!

You can click the picture to head to her blog and see what she had to say about the pack and for your chance to win!  I'm going to give away two at Krystal's blog this week!  She's got several great giveaways lined up in the coming weeks, so be sure to follow her to keep up!

 Check out The Good Enough Teacher's review & enter to win!

I am off to the car dealership where my SUV is getting FOUR re-calls taken care of!  YUCK!  Coincidentally, the dealership is right next to a Target, Hobby Lobby, and Dollar Tree!  So, if you need me, you know where I'll be!

Pop in tomorrow for a little giveaway of my own from my friends at Learning Resources!  You don't want to miss it!

And... I'm linking up for Monday Made-It again!  I've been busy this week creating for my classroom.  You saw my CRAZY piles yesterday... {click HERE if you missed it!}... so this week it's been all files because I can't add one more thing to my stack!

 
Tara's post last week on Monday Made-It inspired me to revamp my "Homework Club" pack and here it is...

 Check it out on TpT - it's $1 off right now!

And I JUST finished a new opinion writing resource pack!  It's hot off the presses!  I'll even send a copy to one person... you see, today I have to take my car to the dealership to get many recalls fixed.  BOO!  Currently, I am driving without air bags, which is just one example of something getting fixed today.  I do not know when I will get home.  But, when I do, I will immediately get on the computer (as soon as I can) and will send the pack to a random comment.  I already wrote down the number I am going to pick so hopefully the comments can get there while I'm gone!   Just be sure to leave your e-mail address!  I'll announce the winner on my Facebook page too!

Here are some pics of what I made...

Check it out on TpT... it's $1 off today!

Informative pack coming soon and narrative done already!

Can't wait to see what ya'll made this week!

Open House Organization!

Happy Sunday!  I think I'm going to pop in to school today to make sure everything is READY for kiddos on Tuesday!  You know, just in case some evil elves came in since Thursday and messed things up...?  I just have to check and make sure!  (And sharpen 28 pencils so they have something on their desks right away to complete their wordsearch with them they walk in!)

Last Wednesday we had our Open House.  I like having it before school starts because it turns the experience into a time for students and families to explore and spend time in the classroom and makes it less likely to be a mini-conference.

I always have tons of forms out for parents- sign in sheet, party sign up forms, volunteer sign up, e-mail list... and I have just finished turning all of those forms into something editable that I could share with all of you!

The packet is for sale at my TpT and Teacher's Notebook shops and contains 27 pages of different forms and things for Open House.  It is a Powerpoint file in which all of the "pages" are actually JPEG files so you can put your own text boxes right over top of them to customize them for your classroom!  And I put in all of the text boxes for you... so all you have to do is customize your own messages and cute fonts!

Find it on TpT          or          Teacher's Notebook

I'm really excited about this and know it might be a little late for some of you... but if you haven't had Open House yet or you want to save it for next year... it might be right up your alley!

Want to win one?  I'll give a free copy to the first two people who correctly guess the number of students I'll have in my 3rd grade class!  Don't forget to leave your e-mail address!  Liz and Danielle guessed correctly... I have 26 students!  I need the two extra pencils... just in case!  And kudos to those of you who knew I would be teaching multiple classes of reading throughout the day!  *Technically* I have about 115 students... but 26 are my core class!

Enjoy!!!