Celebrate Back-to-School With Signs & Banners!

What excites kids and parents alike? The end of summer break and the start of another school year! It is a fun time. Students are excited to learn who their new teachers will be, catch up with friends, return to school sports and clubs, and take on new classes. Parents can get back to the predictability of the school-time routine. With all the excitement, it is also a time of change that may lead to some anxious students and parents. Offering informative print products to your local schools and parent-teacher associations (PTAs) can help launch a successful and smooth start to the new year!

Wayfinding Signs to Smooth the Return to School

Print can play a significant role in getting to school and the right classroom. Students may arrive by school bus, on foot, by bike, or by parent drop-off. For parent drop-offs, there is typically a well-designed traffic pattern that is confusing for adults unfamiliar with the required procedures. Take the mystery out of drop-off by offering outdoor directional signs, teardrop flags to mark entrances, and A-frame signs at each drop-off point (drop 1, 2, 3, etc.). Don’t forget to suggest a Welcome Back! banner for all school entrances as a point of school pride for the new and returning students.

Pair the signs with an EDDM campaign in the neighborhood to remind everyone that school is about to begin and a checklist for the first day of school.

Signage for Inside the School

Schools are a labyrinth of interconnecting hallways. Suggest wayfinding signs and posters to help new and returning students who need to locate their classrooms, cafeterias, and exits. Signage is even more important for higher grades that change classrooms throughout the day. For schools with lockers, signs that provide guides to locker numbers and how to get help if students lock themselves out are always appreciated. Window clings can add colorful reminders of class start times, while floor graphics are another great way to help students and teachers navigate. Offer signs on pull-up stands posted at each classroom door with a picture of the teacher and a few fun facts about the subjects they teach as a great way to start the year.

Get creative by offering inexpensive business cards or postcards that teachers can use to create About Me cards for the students. One side of the card could have space for the student to draw a portrait of themselves or attach a photo brought from home. On the other side, add icebreaker questions for the students to complete and share with their classmates. Consider questions asking about the most fun summer adventure or goals for the new school year. These are just a few questions to fast-track introductions and friendships, but if you run out of ideas, consider looking at Twinkl or Panorama for inspiration.

You can also offer teacher and room assistant trading cards that show the teacher’s picture, contact information, and office hours!

Get the PTA Involved

Parent-teacher associations usually operate independently but in cooperation with the school system. They organize parent volunteers to support the teachers and host many activities throughout the school year. PTAs may welcome students back on their first day by handing out breakfast or small boxes of essential school supplies. Make sure to suggest custom boxes (e.g., roll-end tuck-top boxes) with the school’s logo or mascot that can be used at events throughout the year. A custom event tent is also a versatile item that will keep volunteers protected from the sun, rain, and other weather, the entire school year. 

Finally, PTAs organize fundraising events each school year. Custom-printed t-shirts and caps are perfect for these. The shirts unify the entire student body and boost school pride. A portion of the t-shirt and cap sale adds to the funds raised in addition to the raffles, donations, or participation fees offered based on the type of event. 

Back-to-school time is a fun time, marking the start of a new academic year. Help the school, teachers, PTA, and parents celebrate with custom-printed products and signage offered through 4over.