Back-to-School Bulletin Boards for 2012-2013

Jul 17th, 2012 | By Brandi Jordan | 63 comments | Category: Bulletin Board Ideas, Contests & Promotions, Lead Article, New School Year Preparation, Teaching Bootcamp

It’s that time again! School is about to start and getting your bulletin boards in order is a top priority. No matter what your classroom theme is, the three ideas below are sure to transform your empty boards into a welcoming display for students and families.

We’re Super!

Encouraging students to reach their potential begins from the moment they step into your classroom. Create a super hero theme bulletin board that not only welcomes them, but that can honor their achievements throughout the school year. If you are looking for a positive reinforcement bulletin board, this is it.

Directions:

Start by covering the board in light blue fabric. Create a welcome sign or use the Welcome Super Class Kit from Really Good Stuff to decorate the board. The Super Student mats can hang as a display and will be especially poignant for Back to School or Open House Night*. Throughout the year, honor students for their reading achievements, artistic endeavors, math know-how, and classroom kindness by posting their names and/or pictures on the board.

*Tip: For Back to School Night, simply flip over the Welcome banner as the opposite side says, “Welcome Families To Our Super Class.”

Believe In Yourself

There are some messages that you want your students to hear everyday during the school year and one of them is to believe in themselves. Make one small back to school bulletin board a simple reminder and positive reinforcer for the entire year.

Directions:

Cover the board with fabric or paper of your choice. Around the edges, hang a bee border. In the center, hang a positive message or motivational poster. Keep it simple. Make the focus of the board the words in the message and do not distract from it with a lot of cut-outs and accessories. Remember, the purpose of the board is to provide daily, positive reinforcement of your students’ worth and abilities. Change the poster or message daily or weekly throughout the school year.

Team Spirit

When you are looking for something different for your classroom, it is easy to get caught up in the cute factor that dominates a lot of common classroom themes. The problem is that many of your male students probably are not going to be as into polka dots and flowers as the girls. This year, pick a back to school theme that will resonate with all of your students and encourage a sense of team spirit.

Directions:

Using a soccer ball or baseball print fabric, cover the bulletin board completely. Create a sports related banner or use the Everyone Wins on Our Team! Kit. Use cut-outs of team t-shirts as the common theme throughout the room. On the board, hang the class rules and expectations. A positive, encouraging message is also a must. Not only does the sports team theme appeal to the majority of students in your room, it is a great way to start off the year discussing classroom community, kindness, and support. When families arrive for Open House Night, simply flip the banner and encourage parents to write positive messages (i.e., “You can do it!”, “Keep trying”, etc.) on conversation bubbles that can line the edges of the bulletin board. It is a great reminder to parents that their praise and support will help their child succeed during the school year.

This article contains a $25 Really Good Stuff Gift Certificate Secret Giveaway! Pin one of the three products linked in the article above to your Pinterest board and leave the link of your pin below. Want more chances to win? Pin all three products! Be sure to leave a separate comment for each pin with its Pinterest link. Entries are due by 11:59pm EST on 7/17/12. A random winner will be announced on the Really Good Stuff Facebook page on July 18, 2012. Good luck!