Preparing for the New School Year

It’s the beginning of July, and many of us are preparing for the new school year.

• Enrolling new children and families in to our programs

• Hiring new staff for our classrooms and other positions

• Making sure all forms are completed and compliance regulations are in place

Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

And sometimes, in all that hustle and bustle, we can overlook our staff or take them for granted.

Now, don’t get me wrong. We often put out a treat like donuts or plan a luncheon to welcome staff back. And I know many of us are preparing for some type of pre-service.

Yet, what would it look like to really “check in” with our staff and each other?

See below for a few question prompts to get the conversation started:

• If you took time off over the summer, what did you do to relax? How can you continue to do something like that (or similar) during the school year?

• What would you like me to know about your summer or upcoming school year? Why is this important?

• What are you looking forward to this school year and why?

• What are you dreading this school year and why?

• What changes are you planning on making this year? And why?

I’m sure you can think of a few other questions, as ultimately, it isn’t really about the questions.

It’s about you… taking the time to stop… and just “be”!