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How Schools Are Ringing in the New School Year
by Benjamin Payne, Communications Coordinator, NSCAF.
The first days of a school year set the tone for everything that follows. Before a single textbook opens, students and parents are taking the temperature of the building: Do people here know my name? Is this a place where my family belongs? Schools that answer those questions early give families a reason to lean in for the next nine months.
Beginning-of-year celebrations do more than mark a date on the calendar. They rebuild camaraderie among teachers returning from summer, invite parents into school life from day one, and give a school the chance to show what makes it unlike anywhere else.
Below are five ideas from All Star schools across the country, each one a reflection of the community that created it. We hope they inspire you!
Milestones are worth celebrating, but so too are the moments leading up to them.
Lake Oconee Academy in Greensboro, Georgia marked the start of the year with a Last First Day of School celebration for the Class of 2027. Seniors gathered for a breakfast before the bell, then walked to class through a campus lined with people who came out just for them.
“Sidewalks across our Pre-K through 12th grade campus were lined with underclassmen, teachers, staff, and parents who came together to cheer them on as they began their final first day of school,” said Jamison Baynes, communications coordinator at Lake Oconee Academy. “There was so much joy, excitement, high-fives, and even a few happy tears from parents watching their seniors experience this special moment.”
For Baynes, that is the point of the tradition. “It reminds us to celebrate not only life’s biggest milestones, but all the meaningful moments along the way also.
For many families, the first real introduction to a school is a handshake.
East Valley Institute of Technology in Mesa, Arizona opened its campus to students and their families for a “Meet the Teacher” event, giving parents a look at the programs their children had signed up for and a face to connect with the coursework.
“With a record enrollment of over 9,000 students, EVIT provides tuition-free career training to East Valley high school students and competitively priced programs for adults throughout the Phoenix area, including apprenticeships, associate degrees and certificate programs,” said Patrick Jervis Jr., digital marketing manager at EVIT.
These kinds of events are among the easiest traditions to start. They require no budget beyond open doors, and they turn the first day of class into a reunion rather than an introduction.
Sometimes a school year deserves a dramatic entrance.
West Clayton Elementary School in Jonesboro, Georgia opened the year with a Back-to-School Pep Rally, hosted alongside a community partner.
“We kicked off the school year with an exciting Back-to-School Pep Rally hosted by our partner in education, College Park Skyhawks!” said Brandy M. Shelton, magnet specialist at West Clayton Elementary. “Our Panthers celebrated the start of a new year filled with school spirit, excitement, and opportunities to learn and grow.”
Bringing in a local partner gives a pep rally energy that a school cannot manufacture on its own, and it shows students that people outside the building are invested in them too.
Some of the most important preparation for a new year happens before a single student walks through the door.
Teachers at Renaissance Charter School at Plantation in Plantation, Florida spent part of their summer at the AVID Summer Institute, then brought what they learned home to the rest of the staff.
“Our dedicated teachers attended the AVID Summer Institute, where they gained valuable knowledge on WICOR strategies (Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization, and Reading) to enhance student learning and achievement,” said Miriam Soto, AVID site coordinator at Renaissance Charter School at Plantation. “Upon returning, our educators shared these best practices with colleagues, ensuring that AVID strategies are implemented schoolwide.”
The result is a faculty that starts the year all on the same page. Soto says the school cannot wait to see students “grow, achieve, and thrive as we continue Leveling Up to Excellence this year.”
There is something to be said for meeting a school before the school year meets you.
Silver SPRUCE Academy in Durango, Colorado plans to hold a Back-to-School Open House ahead of its first full day, built around this year’s school theme of “Imagination & Innovation.”
The academy’s home education enrichment program runs full days, and many of its high school students will start concurrent enrollment courses this fall, earning college credit while finishing high school.
“So excited for another year of experiential learning through organized chaos!” said Natalie Horn-Howard, executive director of Silver SPRUCE Academy, which is celebrating 13 years serving families.
An open house held before the first full day gives parents a chance to ask their questions when there is still time to answer them, and it signals that families are participants — not spectators — in the year ahead.
