End of Term Procedures Carolyn Hornik and Bonnie Glasgold

End of term procedures can be extremely time-consuming, especially for a new teacher. It is a good idea to begin preparing your records at the beginning of May so that the record keeping involved at the end of the term does not become overwhelming.

On May 1, preference sheets should be available. This form is used to organize the staff for the following school year. Be sure to choose your first three grade choices. This applies even if you want to be selected for an out of classroom position.

Note: if a teacher is denied his/her first grade choice two years in a row, he/she can grieve and win. If grade choices are not written on the preference sheet, a teacher cannot win a grievance.

If you are responsible for completing cumulative record cards, these are the records that should be in each student’s cumulative record folder:

• Cumulative Record Card a.k.a. Personal and Educational Record (white )
• Reading Card (white)
• Home Language Identification Survey
• Yellow Health Record

The following items need to be checked on each card and revised, if necessary:

• student’s name
• current address
• telephone number
• family composition
• date of birth

The Cumulative Record Card should include: honors and awards, participation in extra-curricular activities, parent/teacher conferences, new class and date of the beginning of the new school year, outstanding service and achievement, special abilities and interests, interventional services, IEP, attendance, date, personality ratings and grades. The grades on the record card must match the report card grades. There should be no erasures on the Cumulative Record Card. Corrections need to be initialed by the teacher.

The Reading Card lists the Multiple Leveled Library Independent Reading Levels that have been mastered.

Information on the Home Language Identification Survey is provided by a parent or guardian when a child is admitted to the school. Information includes languages the child understands, speaks, reads, writes, as well as the languages spoken at home. Part II of this form focuses on instructional planning. Additional information includes previous schools attended in the USA and in other countries, and previous group experiences such as daycare or pre-school.

The Health Record lists the following information: student’s height, weight, vision, and hearing, physical exam results, teacher observations related to the student’s health, the total number of days absent and the cause of each absence. (To expedite this process, when students bring in an absence note upon returning from an illness, record the date and reason for the absence).

Additional cards such as Nurse’s Cards and Office Cards will need to be checked, revised, and updated with each student’s new class. Program Cards, Report Cards, and for graduating students, Articulation Cards, will also need to be completed.

Check each incoming record card for accuracy and completeness. Print a working class list of your incoming students.

More end of term procedures include going through closets and file cabinets. Keep one of each handout that you would want to use again, a few student work samples for each project, and materials needed for each project. Place materials for each unit or project in a separate manila folder or plastic container. Label everything clearly so that you can easily find the materials when needed next term. Arrange the folders by season, unit, and/or topic.
Arrange student textbooks and your professional library in an orderly manner. You may want to number each student book. A record containing the names of each student and each textbook he/she has received can be kept. In this way students would be accountable for returning the correct textbook to you at the end of the year.

Begin planning instructional units to be taught during the following term. Collect materials needed to teach each unit. If you will be in a new grade next year, meet with an experienced teacher of that grade. Working with other teachers on the grade allows a sharing of strategies and materials, and a division of the preparatory work to be done. Find out what materials are available and where they are kept. Collect more materials over the summer.

Working together with the teachers of your grade, prepare a supply list for students entering your new class. Include easily overlooked items such as tissues, paper towels, and baby wipes (these are great for all kinds of messes).

Print a welcome letter that will accompany the supply list. This letter can be mailed at the end of August so that students will come on the first day of school with their supplies. Make sure to include the date of the first day of school for students and your room number. Remind parents that they will be invited to a Parent Tea or Orientation so you can meet them and acquaint them with the curriculum and class policies. Some teachers may prefer to have students bring the letter home to parents on the first day of school.

If the letter needs to be written in languages other than English, translations can be obtained from http://babelfish.altavista.com. For languages that are not available on this site, school secretaries may have language translation software.

Lastly, remind yourself to have a great summer vacation!

See also:

Completing the School Year End of Term Procedures Successfully by
Arlyne LeSchack

How to Plan for a Successful End to Your School Year by Miriam Bissu