Make a newspaper for the start of the school year

Back-to-school newspaper

School holidays are almost over, and after a refreshing summer, the start of a new school year is just around the corner! For some students, the start of a new school year isn’t always plain sailing. A new school year often means new classmates, new teachers, a new curriculum, and new rules… and this may all seem a little daunting at times. That’s why, as a teacher, it’s important to create a welcoming environment. There are many ways to welcome your students back to school, and a school newspaper is one of them! A school newspaper is a fun and original way to introduce new students and help everyone get acquainted. You can add lots of practical information to your newspaper as well as stimulate interaction between students.

Make a newspaper for the start of the school year - Happiedays
Make a newspaper for the start of the school year - Happiedays

What to feature in your back-to-school newspaper

  • Introductions – Introduce your students to one another as well as to their teacher. Tell everyone a little about yourself and don’t forget to add some fun photos. Use interactive games to get better acquainted with one another. We’ve already come up with several fun games for you to use which you can find in our Back to School template.
  • Classroom layout – Add a rough sketch of the classroom layout accompanied by several photos. What’s new to the classroom this year? Which books can you find in the reading corner? Where is the play area? If you wait a couple of weeks to hand your students the school newspaper, you can make a game out of linking different objects that can be found in the classroom to their designated spot in the classroom.
  • School rules – Set forth a list of school and classroom rules for your students. If the teacher raises their hand, for example, the class is expected to be quiet. Your school undoubtedly has clear rules concerning bullying. You can reiterate those rules in your school newspaper. Take an interactive approach to make sure your students don’t lose their interest by using fun games and infographics.
  • Practical information for students and parents – Provide students and parents with the necessary practical information at the start of the school year. Add an overview of the school calendar, school outings, timetable, public holidays and school holidays. Add your personal contact information so that parents can easily contact you with any questions or concerns.
  • List of back-to-school essentials – What do the students to pack in their schoolbag? What items are not allowed at school or in the classroom? With a clear overview of the school essentials, everyone will come to school prepared! You can also add what students need for their pencil case or ask parents to start collecting certain materials for upcoming art and crafts activities.
  • Curriculum and timetable – Immerse your students in this years’ curriculum and introduce them to all the exciting things they’ll be learning this year. You can also tease this year’s school outings and give a sneak preview of the upcoming art and crafts projects. Sharing the class timetable may also prove helpful for both students and parents.
Make a newspaper for the start of the school year - Happiedays
Make a newspaper for the start of the school year - Happiedays
  • School safety – Your school undoubtedly has a school transport policy. Pen down the most important issues from the policy in your school newspaper. You include things such as safe routes to school, bicycle safety equipment, drop-off zone rules, and other useful tips for both parents and students.
  • Interactive games – It’s definitely recommended to add several fun games in your back-to-school newspaper. That way your students will really enjoy reading the newspaper. There are heaps of fun games to add to your school newspaper, such as crosswords, word searches, spot-the-difference, worksheets, and lots more! You can use these games to help students get to know each other better, to revise last year’s subject material or to go over the school rules. Are you lacking inspiration? Just head over to Google and search for “make crosswords” or “make word searches’.

EXTRA! If you want to make your school newspaper extra special, you can get super creative and have your students craft something from your newspaper and add the instructions in the newspaper itself. You can find several arts and craft ideas with newspapers on our Pinterest Page.

Head over to our school templates and start you year off with a bang!