The end of the school year is here! There is so much to do at the end of the year. At my school, we receive an end-of-year checklist from our principal around, but as a music teacher, there are several other "must do" items that aren't on the typical classroom checklist.

Here are all of the things I think about and do as I wrap up the year in my music classroom:

Organization and cleaning

I have lots of storage in my room, from bookshelves, to drawers, to an entire storage closet! So, I check these tasks off my list:

  • Organize and clean my bookshelves
  • Organize drawers
  • Clean countertops
  • Organize my file cabinets
  • Clean my storage closet
  • Pull any books or resources that I'd like to take home with me for planning over the summer

Orff instruments

  • Find missing bars
  • Vacuum out the inside of the Orff instruments
  • Fix any bent or broken pegs

Non-pitched percussion

  • Throw away any broken instruments
  • Take a note of instruments I'd like to purchase for next year

Technology

  • Update devices as needed
  • Take any videos, photos, etc. off of the iPads
  • Take note of apps I would like to purchase or download
  • Dust and/or clean technology as needed
  • Shut down everything on the very last day

Inventory

  • Complete inventory and turn into my administrator
  • Return any borrowed resources from music teachers, borrowed books from the library, etc.

Class decor

  • Take down all my decor
  • Take down my bulletin boards
  • Think about next year's decor

Orders for next year

  • Fill out my classroom supply order (staples, pencils, etc.)
  • Fill out my music room order for resources, instruments, etc.
  • Write grants or requests to PTO for instruments or resources I can't buy with my regular budget

Recorders and band instruments

  • Hand out recorders for the summer
  • Make sure all band instruments were brought home with students or returned to the music store

Paperwork

  • Recycle any paperwork I don't need anymore
  • Shred any documentation, like health concerns, that I don't need any more
  • File any paperwork, workshop handouts, etc., that I'll be using the following year

Lesson plans

  • Edit or add notes to my lesson plans, so that if I want to reuse or tweak them the following year, I remember what worked well and what didn't
  • Turn in this year's lesson plans to my administrator

Grades

  • Grade any written work, and hand them back to students
  • Grade any other work, such as videos, SeeSaw portfolio work, etc.
  • Complete grades and comments for every grade level

Reflection

  • Reflect on what has worked well in my lessons this year
  • Reflect on what did not work well in my lessons this year
  • Look through workshop and conference packets from the year, and reflect on what I’d like to add into my lessons next year

Having this list has been really helpful for me as I wrap things up in my music room! If it is helpful to you too, feel free to print this out and cross out as you go.

Good luck with the end of the year!