Back to School Checklist for 2024-2025

Who’s ready for school to start? (Pick me!)

A new school year means a chance for a fresh start, new things to learn and new friends to make. 

As you gear up for back to school this fall, you may feel like you don’t even know where to start. 

Never fear! We’ve put together a back-to-school checklist for parents so that you won’t miss a single thing. 

This back-to-school checklist will go over your child’s health, study supplies and materials, back-to-school organization and academic prep. By the end you’ll feel like you have everything needed to make this the best school year yet!

Your Child’s Health

While school may seem like it’s just about your child’s brain, learning happens best when the whole child is taken care of. 

Making sure that your child is healthy and ready to go to school every single day is crucial for their success. Start by scheduling a visit with their doctor to get their annual physical or well child check done over the summer. 
This appointment will give you the opportunity to check your child's overall health, monitor their growth and developmental milestones and discuss any concerns or health issues.

It may also be time for your child to get vaccinations or booster shots. Most schools require proof of up-to-date immunizations before your child can attend. Commonly required vaccinations include:

• MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella)
• DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis)
• Varicella (chickenpox)
• Polio
• Hepatitis B

Check with your child’s school or local health department for specific vaccination requirements. 

Make sure that you understand school policies before the first day. These policies might include how to handle:

• Illness and Absences - Know when to keep your child home and how to report if they won’t be there.
• Medication Administration - Understand the process for sending medications to school and how they will be administered.
• Emergency Contacts - Ensure the school has up-to-date contact information and emergency contacts.
• Allergies and Dietary Restrictions - Inform the school of any allergies or dietary needs and understand their policies on handling these.

If your child will need any other support during the school year, get this in line before the first day. This could be anything from IEP support to simply touching base with their teacher to be on the same page. 

With a supportive environment in place, your child will be ready to succeed from day one. 

Study Supplies and Materials

Most teachers or schools will send out a list of needed school supplies. This is a great starting point!

You can then go through their school supplies from last year. Lucky for your wallet, there are likely quite a few things that they can reuse. 

Pencil holders, backpacks and water bottles are easily reused from one year to the next. 

You can also reflect on last year to ensure you get exactly what your child needs. Were there any items you bought too many of last year? Maybe they only need 12 pens instead of 24 or 4 notebooks instead of 8. Scale back for this year. 

Ask yourself what you had to go back to the store and purchase after the school year started last year. Add those things to your initial shopping list and save yourself a trip. 

The official school supply list may not include organizational tools that will help your students with their personal systems. Some of these tools may include folders, binders, and labels to keep their work tidy and accessible. 

If your child struggles with keeping track of assignments, adding a few colorful folders or a small binder could make a big difference.

Be sure to double check for supply lists for after school or extracurricular activities. 

As you start to gather supplies, keep your eyes open for sales and coupons that will ease the burden of buying school supplies. Many stores offer significant discounts on school supplies during the back-to-school season. 

Some supplies like pencils, erasers, and glue sticks can be bought in bulk at warehouse stores or online. This is often cheaper in the long run and ensures you won’t run out mid-year.

And don’t overlook thrift stores and dollar stores for basic supplies. They often have great deals on items like notebooks, folders, and art supplies.

Back to School Organization

Getting organized is a little bit of upfront work for a lot of avoided stress during the school year.. 

Back-to-school season is the perfect time to implement new routines and structures that help your child thrive. 

Getting ready for the new year by hanging a school calendar in a place that it’s easy for everyone to reference. Highlight important dates like days off school, parent-teacher conferences and special events. Add the calendar into your phone to keep it with you everywhere. 

Create a command center or drop zone in your house. This is the place where everything goes that is needed for school. Have a designated spot for backpacks, lunch boxes and homework so that nothing gets lost in the shuffle. 

Have a family meeting about the morning and after school routines. Who is doing what? Consider making a routine chart so everyone can see exactly what is expected of them. 

Create a study area in your house. Having one place to do school work can make homework time distraction-free and easy. Make sure that all the supplies your children will need are easily accessible. 

Dedicate a spot for artwork. Whether this is a clothesline with clips or interchangeable frames, have one place to showcase your student’s hard work. 

Make a plan for packing lunches. Will you do it the night before? Is everyone responsible for their own or will you all pack lunches together assembly line style?

Have nutritious, tasty breakfast and snack options that are quick and easy to grab. A well nourished brain is better at learning!

Need more organization ideas? We outline 31 Back to School Hacks for 2024-2025 here!

Academic Prep

No one wants the dreaded summer slide to happen to their child. 

So you may be wondering how to best prepare your child for the academic challenges that lie ahead. 

One of the most effective ways to prepare your child for the upcoming school year is to review what they learned during the previous year. This not only reinforces existing knowledge but also helps identify any areas where your child might need additional support. 

Not sure how to test what they learned last year? Try revisiting their old work. Go through last year’s assignments, tests, and projects. Discuss what your child found easy or difficult.

Encourage summer practice. Use workbooks and online resources, like Prodigy, to review last year’s curriculum. Aim for a balance between reinforcing skills and keeping it fun.

And read together! Simply spend time reading books that are appropriate for their grade level. Discuss the stories and ask questions to enhance comprehension.

If you notice areas that your child is struggling in, reach out to your child’s school for support. You may be surprised what resources are available to help your child even throughout the summer. 

Once the school year is getting closer, there are lots of ways for you to get involved in preparing your child academically. 

• Schedule a meeting - Meet with your child’s new teacher before the school year begins to discuss any concerns you have. Bring your child along if they are feeling nervous about a new classroom. 
• Understand the Curriculum - Familiarize yourself with the curriculum for the upcoming year. Knowing what will be taught can help you support your child’s learning at home.
• Tutoring and Extra Help - Inquire about tutoring programs or extra help sessions offered by the school. Many schools provide after-school tutoring or have peer tutoring programs.
• Special Education Services - If your child has special educational needs, ensure that their Individualized Education Program (IEP) is up-to-date and that you are aware of the services they will receive.
• Communication - Stay informed about how the school communicates with parents. Sign up for newsletters, join parent-teacher associations and use any online portals provided by the school.

For even more resources for the upcoming school year, check out our Back To School Hub. 

Prodigy at Home

If you’re feeling a little crunched for time this summer or aren’t super confident in your ability to review last year’s material, Prodigy is here to help! 

Prodigy Math and Prodigy English were designed according to curriculum standards so they will teach exactly what your child needs to learn for the new school year. 

And they’re a ton of fun! 

As your child journeys through magical worlds, they won’t even feel like they’re doing schoolwork. 

But you can rest assured knowing that Prodigy’s algorithm is working hard in the background to make sure your child is receiving targeted practice in areas that they’re struggling with. 

Regular use of Prodigy Math and English can significantly enhance your child's readiness for the upcoming school year and placement tests. 

Turn play time into learning time and set your child up for a great school year by starting with a free Prodigy parent account today!