Opening+Day+Activities

How can you design the opening day of school so students are excited to come back? How can the opening day be planned to build relationships and get kids engaged in school?
 * Essential Questions:**

Magnolia High School Lip Dub

[|30 Ways to Show Students You Care.doc] [|First day activities.doc]

**Ideas for Opening Day Activities** York High School
 * Planning completed with the student advisory group
 * Half day on day 1
 * Schedule:
 * 8:00 – 8:30 in Gym
 * Introductions by the student advisory group
 * Introductions of teachers
 * Principal short message
 * 8:30-9:00
 * Game or activity
 * Dance contest
 * Sumo wrestling
 * Bounce house jousts
 * 9:00- 12:00
 * Shortened schedule – kids go to each of their classes
 * Teachers are encouraged to avoid covering class rules
 * Class meetings on day 2

York Elementary
 * Planning is done with the teachers with community involvement
 * The purpose is to build relationships – make sure every student is included and all the staff members participate. The idea is to build community and promote team building
 * It is a celebration of the upcoming year and includes community members
 * Tie the back to school night to the activities on day one. Parents will get a feel for the day if they attend the back to school night.
 * Schedule
 * Morning assembly
 * Split the groups into K-2 and 3-5
 * Half go to the celebration, half go to their class for an hour
 * Switch
 * Finish with an all school parade and assembly with school cheers
 * They have a theme for each year and tie in the opening day to the theme
 * Past activities
 * Beach Party
 * NASCAR
 * Old Fashioned Carnival.