Back to School Checklist

Below are some suggested “to do” items to help start off the school year with less stress. It's very important to plan ahead and anticipate your classroom needs. You don't want to not be getting your accommodations in class and get a bad grade because of that.

1. Email your teachers before school starts making them aware of your IEP and classroom accommodations, this way you're both on the same page- teachers are very busy during the beginning of the school year. This is a friendly reminder which will make your school year get off to a smoother start. You can attach a PDF of the accommodations page. You can choose to copy a parent or not on the email. For freshman or middle schoolers, I would copy a parent. Teachers at the high school definitely like to hear from students directly.

2. Follow up on the email with teachers on the first day of school (period 9/before class/after class) - This allows you to connect with your teacher on a personal level and make sure that your needs will be fulfilled. I suggest using a friendly, respectful but serious tone.

3. Before the first day of school know who your case manager is and where to find them if you have any issues in class.

4. If you have an aid in any of your classes, know which teacher is the aid, who is there to accommodate your needs and who is the main teacher of the class. This can sometimes add another layer of difficulty depending on how much the main teacher wants to be involved. Note that your emails should always go to both teachers.

5. The day before you have an assessment coming up make sure that you know that you are going to get the accommodations that you need- The day you are aware of the assessment, advocate to your aid or teacher through email, period 9, before or after class. For example, if you get extended time, where and when can you finish the test. Or, if you can take the test in a different location, where will that be? Have they reserved an office for you and will they be there or will you take it in Mr. Aday’s office or maybe your case manager’s office? If you have a preference, let them know. Communicating all of this first in an email makes it much less stressful than having to say it all before or after class when everything is rushed. Remind them of any other things you get like a calculator, questions read aloud or speech to text software. Sometimes you need a different location to use your accommodations like speech to text.

6. If an assignment is given out during class and it's due that exact class period and you don't have the accommodations you need do not let it go. You should either talk or email the aid or teacher immediately (once emailed tell the teacher “Hey, can you look at my email?” This way you have privacy about what you're asking for in the class and the teacher will not think anything of it)

7. If you're taking a test and know you're going to most likely need extra time be ready to stay after school and finish the test period 9 or you can ask the teacher to take it during one of your free period

8. It might feel awkward advocating for yourself at first because you are the student dealing with teachers but once you start, trust me, they will have so much more respect for you.