The start of a new school year looks different for every family. For some, it’s helping a child feel comfortable with a new routine. For others, it’s introducing a new teacher, making sure accommodations are in place, finding the right adaptive tools, or preparing for a smoother transition back to school. Most families are juggling all of it at once.
The weeks before school starts aren’t about checking one box. They’re about bringing together all the pieces that help your child have a successful year. Whether you need a tool to simplify a task, guidance to make a decision, or answers to a question you didn’t even know to ask, we’ve gathered everything you’ll need to get started. Check out these week one essentials.
All About Me
A new school year means a new team getting to know your child. While your child’s IEP has everything they need to know, let’s be real: most educators don’t have time to digest dozens of lengthy IEPs before students walk through the door. That’s where our All About Me comes in.
If you’ve uploaded your child’s IEP to the Undivided platform, you can generate a personalized one-page profile in just a few clicks. We’ll pull together your child’s strengths, communication style, accommodations, supports, goals, and more in an easy-to-share format for teachers, therapists, and support staff before the first day of school. Whenever the IEP changes, simply generate an updated version and email or print it for your child’s team. Watch the video to see how it works.
Campus orientation checklist
Another important step to complete before week 1 is scheduling a campus tour if your child is attending a new school or needs priming. Use our school tour checklist to know what to look for and what questions to ask to help your child navigate a new classroom and access the supports they need.
Adaptive school supplies
Explore our 35 favorite adaptive school supplies for sensory support, motor skills, low vision, executive functioning, academics, and more — with ideas to discuss with your child’s school team.
Visual stories, books, & more ways to motivate
Visual stories to prep with. Help your kiddo know what to expect with our back-to-school visual story templates for elementary and middle/high school, plus tips for creating your own.
Back-to-school books we love. Don’t forget to browse our back-to-school children’s book list that features stories about the first day of school, back-to-school shopping, self-advocacy, and more to help every kiddo start the school year with confidence.
Help your kiddo feel ready for school. Make the back-to-school transition a little easier with our expert strategies to motivate your kiddo, from visual schedules and routines to reward systems and apps.
Numbers to note: 9.5
School-age children and teens need about 9.5 hours of sleep each night on average. As kids shift from summer routines back to a school schedule, sleep challenges may become more noticeable. Help your child get better sleep as they head back to school with expert tips for sleeping through the night.
Undivided Conversations → Streaming on Facebook and YouTube
Starting the School Year Right → Saturday, August 8, 10:00 a.m. PT. Join Non-Attorney Special Education Advocates, Dr. Sarah Pelangka and Lisa Carey, as they guide us through essential strategies to start the school year off on the right foot!
Office hours → Wednesday, August 12, 12:00 p.m. PT
Do you have questions about homeschooling or transitioning your child to/from homeschool? Come to this week’s office hours session with Homeschool Specialist Gabriela Gangitano. Office hours are open to Undivided members only, so if you’re not a member yet, get started here to participate.
Dropping off children on the first day of school can feel just as nerve-wracking for parents as for their kids. Hear tips from an Undivided parent about making dropoff easier on yourself→
Is your child with a disability attending the same school as a typically developing sibling? Check out this advice for supporting siblings→
This week in our private Facebook group for parents: tips for the transition to a new school year, community safety, free future planning classes, utility discounts, and more! Join the discussion→
Help make the back-to-school season easier for more families! Share Undivided’s free resources on LinkedIn→
