Three Ways to Set the Tone for the School Year

Back-to-school arrives with so much possibility—and so much happening all at once. For children, there are new classrooms, people, routines, and expectations. For educators, there are materials to organize, families to meet, schedules to establish, and a seemingly endless list of things that need to get done.

It is one of the biggest transitions of the year, and it can feel overwhelming and dysregulating for children, educators, and families alike.

In the middle of it all, Kind Mind founder Lee Sowles offers educators a simple reminder: “Give yourself permission to use this week to build community, connection, and safety in the classroom.” 

Time spent helping children feel seen and supported is not separate from the work of starting school. It is what helps make the routines, relationships, and learning that follow possible.

Begin With One Intention

Before a workshop or another big event, Lee takes out a piece of paper and writes down one core intention. It gives her something meaningful to return to when the logistics, expectations, and nerves begin to take over.

For an educator beginning the school year, that intention might be: My intention is to connect with every child and help them feel seen, supported, and ready to begin.

Writing it down creates a shift in focus. Instead of measuring the first days only by how much was accomplished, educators can also ask: “Did I connect with each child? Did we begin building trust? Did children leave feeling more grounded than when they arrived?”

As Lee explains, educators face countless expectations, but beneath them is something much more fundamental: “What they really want is to connect with each kid.”

Here are three small ways to make connection part of the school day from the very beginning.

1. Welcome Each Child Individually

Start at the door.

Greet each child by name and offer a smile, wave, high-five, fist bump, or another greeting that feels comfortable to them. Notice what each child prefers and give them a moment of individual attention before they enter the larger group.

It does not have to be elaborate or time-consuming. That brief interaction communicates something important: I see you. I’m glad you’re here.

2. Get Grounded Together

Create a consistent morning connection point, whether you call it morning meeting, circle time, or something else that works for the age group.

Invite children to place their hands over their hearts, close their eyes if they feel comfortable, and take five slow breaths. Then offer a simple check-in: “What are two words that describe how you are feeling today?

This gives children an opportunity to connect with themselves, notice how they feel, and hear from others. It also allows the group to begin the day together rather than rushing immediately into the next task.

3. Close the Day With Care

The end of the day can be another chaotic transition. Some children may be excited to leave, while others may feel uncertain about what comes next.

Before everyone heads in different directions, create one final moment of connection. Come together, take a few breaths, and invite children to reflect through conversation, writing, or drawing.

Try one of these prompts:

• What is one thing you want to celebrate today?
• What is one thing you feel grateful for today?
• What is one thing that brought you joy today?

These questions help children recognize that their experiences mattered—and allow the group to end the day with intention.

Small Moments That Shape the Year

These practices are not only for the first week. Over time, they can become predictable anchors within the school day.

An individual greeting says, “I see you.” A morning pause says, “We begin together.” An end-of-day reflection says, “What happened today mattered.”

This is how Kind Mind is designed to work: inside the routines educators already lead and the everyday moments when children need connection most.

A successful start to the year does not require getting everything right immediately. Choose one intention. Create a few meaningful moments of connection. Then allow those moments to help shape the calmer, kinder, more connected classroom you are building together.