It takes me about an hour or two to break down my classroom at the end of the year. I simply take everything off the walls (a few posters, some rules and the bell schedule), I throw all student work/work folders in the trash and I pack up my stuff. I don't have a lot of stuff in my classroom - no more than 3 plastic crates of books, binders and file holders. I have 2 smaller plastic boxes with art supplies and teacher supplies that I can reuse the next year. I put all of this stuff in my trunk and some summers I just leave it there until school starts in August. Everything else goes in the trash. I don't bother to clean or wipe anything down. I just move the desks against one wall and that's it.
No classroom this year, but for my office I just plan on taking home a few personal items, leaving the rest here. Turning in my computer is about the only thing I have to do.
My classroom books are sorted into boxes: sports, Junie B, etc. The kids each take boxes and make sure they are still sorted. Everything off the walls. I take everything out of the cupboards, totes, my desk, shelves, etc. We wipe them out, put it back in. And TOSS! Kids help with this. I clean up my WORD files. Delete, folder them, etc. I clean up my email...delete or folder them. I make a list of things that need to be done for next year. The 'Must do' list and the 'Would be nice to do' list. We have to turn in our keyes today by 4:00 and don't get them back unitl late August. So I haul home every name tag, stencil, and marker I MIGHT need.
At this point, I'm not sure. I assume it will be like it was at my previous school--everything off the floor and onto the permanent shelves or window ledge. Personal belongings home or locked away.
I don't have to do anything, I keep my classroom as long as I'm employed at the school or if I want to change it (I could teach in the computer lab, but I wouldn't want to due to the set up) I even have access to the room during the summer, so I can literally just walk out at 1:55 on June 6th, leave it messy and it won't matter. When I get back in there during the summer, I'll clean it
I forgot, we'll also need to empty our desks and the top two drawers of our file cabinets (to make for safer movement of it out of the room when floors are waxed).
- clear the surfaces on furniture that will be moved - clear off white boards - take everything off the walls (bulletin boards can stay covered) - sort book bins - everything off the floor onto permanent shelving
I pretty much take everything off of shelves and place it on a counter or in a cupboard. The bulletin board borders and backgrounds stay up.
Take down student work and lave most of my posters. I cover my calendar wall with butcher paper to keep it clean and protected. We have to label everything and stack chairs. Any open bookshelves need to be covered with butcher paper too.
I am lucky. We keep our keys so it's not a rush to be done on the last day. I try to get a lot done but usually end up going in at a later time. I am teaching a 3 week summer school in August so I will be in and out.
Everything off of floor. Unplug and cover computers. cover shelves clean up files on computer Purge, purge purge stuff I haven't used in a few years (very hard to do!)
We have no permanent shelving, counters, or windowsills, so every single thing (including text books, teachers books, file cabinet contents) has to be packed into boxes for the summer so the room can be deep cleaned. Then at the end of the summer, we have to unbox everything and put it back. It is so much work!
Ugh I don't want to think about it but I have to start soon. -Take down all bulletin boards -Cover/lock away electronics. (Computers/printers are bolted to the tables, but ipads, my 3D printer need to be put away) -Roll up the rug -Clean all shelves, tables, chairs (the kids help with this) -Organize cabinets/shelves -Pack away library books that belong to me -Move all furniture to the center of the room, stack tables and chairs (obviously this is done the last day) -Cover all bins/shelving to prevent them from getting to dusty -Items that are not covered on shelves get put away in closets and cabinets -Bring home pillow case covers to wash them
I'm SO dreading this year, because summer school is being hosted at our school. An amazing amount of stuff just magically goes missing from summer school rooms. So, this year, EVERYTHING is coming home. It's going to be a beast.
Make sure all mobile furniture is empty, pack everything, stuff it and stack it into and onto the non-mobile furniture in the room, turn in all expensive tech stuff to be stored elsewhere, and turn my keys.
That's exactly how it is on my campus, too. Must be an alternative school thing! :haha: We do have to box up all of our media equipment, but even then, the librarian will come around and do it for us if we can't.
We have to: - have everything off of the walls (but we can leave up bulletin board paper) - everything off of the tops of cabinets - everything except desks off of the floor - everything off the bookshelves (textbooks either returned to the book room or stored in a cabinet). - turn in keys, remotes, computer, and microphones I choose to: - empty my desk so I don't have a hot mess after they move it for waxing - empty my file cabinet so I don't have a hot mess when they move it for waxing - clean out my cabinets (if I haven't used it in two years, out it goes) This year I'm moving rooms, so I have to pack everything up and hope the other teacher is moved out when I'm ready to move in on the last day. We don't have access to our rooms over the summer, and I definitely don't have room in my house to store my classroom over the summer.
This year I have to take down all wall decorations as rooms will be painted over the summer. I also clean out all the drawers in the demonstration table and reorganize everything that for some reason didn't get put away throughout the course of the year. Student work I don't wish to keep gets tossed on my last day. When I leave for summer there is absolutely nothing left on my desk or any tabletop. It's all locked up in my storage closet.
