Back-to-School Planning: Five Steps for an Uncertain Year

Don’t you love New York in the fall? It makes me want to buy school supplies. I would send you a bouquet of newly-sharpened pencils if I knew your name and address.  Joe Fox, You’ve Got Mail

When back-to-school plans look more like a three-year-old’s scribbled flower bouquet than a bouquet of newly-sharpened pencils,

When images of students sitting at their desks in neatly lined rows are displaced by bad dreams of kindergartners hugging one another and/or their teacher,

When classroom rules have more to do with telling your students, “No, you can’t wear Johnny’s mask even if you like his superhero print better than your camouflage print…”

We’re a long way from Joe Fox’s back-to-school musings.

It’s July 22 as I write, and parents everywhere are still trying to figure out whether or not to send their children back to the school building or to try some combination of homeschooling and virtual schooling while many also try to work at home.

So maybe it’s too early to think about back-to-school planning or gathering back-to-school supplies. Even so, it’s not too early to take stock, to consider the months and year ahead, and to pray and plan for our children (and ourselves) as this school year begins.

This five-step process helps me plan, pray, know how to encourage, and make intentional time to gather as family. It also helps me to be a happier, more sane mom, and I hope it will help you as well.

5 Steps for Back-to-School Planning

If you’d like the free “Back-to-School Planning Guide” to work through this process, be sure to join Living Story subscribers. 

PS — I think this process is helpful even if you’re not a parent, student, or teacher. And grandparents, you can definitely participate!

1.  Check the calendar.

I like to get out a yearly calendar and print out the calendar from the school’s website then sit down with my planner and start writing in the important dates (In the free Back-to-School Planner, I’ve put a yearly calendar and a place to write these important dates).

I learned the hard way with four kids that if there will be a college graduation to attend (let’s all hope and pray that we get to hold and attend graduations in 2021!),  you’ll want to book hotel reservations far in advance unless you want the whole family camping in your son’s college apartment (word to the wise—you don’t!).

It’s a good idea to take note of holidays and early dismissal days so you don’t have any childcare surprises.

2.  Do some journaling.

This is a great time to take a look at various aspects of your child’s story. Consider these questions:

• “What struggles or weaknesses should we be aware of in advance?” (What unique struggles will my child face given the Covid-19 pandemic?)
• “What will be exciting and new for my child this year?”
•  “In what areas would we like to see growth?”

(The FREE Back-to-School Planning Guide has six suggested journaling questions. Be sure to get it!)

3.  Make a prayer list or prayer cards.

Take those struggles and those exciting things and turn them into prayers. Consider the following suggested categories:

• Praises: Thank you that we got Mrs. Awesome-Teacher, and that she is a Christian!
• Prayer for specific struggles: Please, may this be the year that Loren shows up to Math class with a pencil, and his notebook, and his math book, all at the same time.
• Prayer for spiritual growth: Lord, may this super-stern teacher help Tadesha learn how to be kind to people who seem like enemies.
• Prayer for friends: Please give my children kind and faithful friends; help my children to be kind and faithful to their friends.
• Prayer for the school: Lord, bless this school with your mercy, grace, and truth. May your name be glorified!
• Prayer for teachers: God, help these teachers in such a challenging year; give them extraordinary patience and Holy Spirit wisdom in every moment of every day.
• Prayer for challenged families: Lord, help those who will be especially challenged by this particular school year: single parents and their children, students and teachers with vulnerable health. Show us how we can help others in these hard days.

4.  Make a “To-Do/To-Gather” list.

Gather various school supply lists (Check out this Pinterest board for some ideas), and then get out your calendar and schedule times to get everything ready.

5.  “Be still and know that he is God.” Psalm 46: 10.

The year will hold all sorts of stories, but God, the One who plans all things for your children’s good and his glory, knows what he is doing. Take heart and take time to stop and smell the freshly sharpened pencils.

A Prayer for Returning to School

Lord God, you created so many interesting things; make us eager to learn and thankful for the opportunity for education. We want to continue to grow and gain new skills so that we may better serve you. Please help us, students, parents, grandparents, and teachers, to plan and prepare well so that we may honor you in this coming school year. In Jesus’ wonderful name we pray, Amen.