Academics · Subject Resources

Every start of school,
on one list.

A new school year, or a move to a new school in the middle of one, comes with the same dozen jobs and a few that depend on the child. Pick the school stage and first day, mark the usual tasks, add your own with dates, and the generator counts the days left, adds reminders for kindergarten, high school or a new school, and prints a list for the fridge.

Start a checklistWhat you get

Checklists

The worked example is made up: a third grader moving schools in January, a high school junior from last August, and next fall’s kindergartner. Saved on this device only.

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What you get

Academics · Subject ResourcesFree

What you finish with
A checklist per child per school start: the child, stage, school, first day and whether the school is new; twelve usual tasks marked done, not yet or not needed; your own tasks with due dates; and what they look forward to or worry about. Counts the days to the first day, open and overdue tasks, adds reminders for the school stage, and prints a fridge list.
Who it is for
Parents and caregivers of children from pre-K through high school, including families moving schools midyear.
Format
Browser checklist with a saved list per child. Prints the fridge list, the full record, every checklist in a table or a blank form; downloads a spreadsheet (.csv); exports and imports a file.
Access
Free. No account, no sign-in and nothing to install. Everything you type stays in this browser; nothing is sent to Caveat.
Where it lives
The Subject Resources space in Caveat Academics.
Support
Questions about access, an order or a correction: team@caveatacademic.com.

How to use it

  1. Pick the stage and the first day.
  2. Mark each usual task.
  3. Add your own tasks with dates.
  4. Ask how they feel about it.
  5. Print the list for the fridge.

Start a checklist

Getting ready

A calm first week, counted back1A month beforeForms, immunization record,meal application, records from2Three weeks beforeLogins tested, supply listchecked against what you have3Two weeks beforeRoute and after-school planfor every weekday4One week beforeBedtime 15 minutes earliereach night; visit the school5The night beforeBag packed, clothes out, ashort talk about the morning6The first weekAsk one open question eachday; note anything to raiseA calm first week, counted back1A month beforeForms, immunization record, mealapplication, records from an old school2Three weeks beforeLogins tested, supply list checkedagainst what you have3Two weeks beforeRoute and after-school plan for everyweekday4One week beforeBedtime 15 minutes earlier each night;visit the school5The night beforeBag packed, clothes out, a short talkabout the morning6The first weekAsk one open question each day; noteanything to raise
Paperwork first: it takes the longest and blocks the rest.

Paperwork that blocks the first day

The papers most likely to hold up a start are the immunization record, proof of address for a new enrollment, and medication forms. A free and reduced-price meal application is usually needed every school year; in many districts it can also lower fees for things like testing or activities.

Moving schools midyear

A new school can request records from the old one, but it helps to ask the old school yourself and keep copies of the latest report card and any IEP or 504 plan. Federal law requires a new school to provide services comparable to an existing IEP until it adopts it or writes a new one.

Sources

  1. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service: free and reduced-price school meals and the Community Eligibility Provision (fns.usda.gov).
  2. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 34 CFR 300.323(e)–(f): IEPs for children who transfer schools.
  3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: school immunization requirements are set by each state (cdc.gov).
  4. Your school or district’s enrollment and back-to-school pages.

The worked example is made up. Required forms and dates are set by your state, district and school. Nothing you type is sent to Caveat. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.