End-of-year checklist: everything you need to think about before June 23

At School

• Check the exact end-of-class dates for each child, which sometimes vary from one school to another or from one level to another
• Confirm if there are any special end-of-year activities to attend: shows, graduation ceremonies, theme days
• Collect all remaining school supplies at school: notebooks, storage boxes, library books
• Return borrowed school library books and check for any outstanding fees
• Sign and return all end-of-year documents: authorizations, re-enrollment forms for next year
  
• Thank teachers if it's your habit, with a small gift or a card made by the children

Extracurricular Activities

• Confirm the end dates of each activity and note if there are any special end-of-year events
• Return borrowed or rented equipment: uniforms, instruments, sports equipment
• Check if registrations for the fall season need to be made now
• Retrieve all personal belongings left at practice or class locations

Summer Logistics

• Confirm summer camp registrations and note the dates, addresses, and contact information for each camp
• Prepare lists of required materials for each camp and start gathering items
• Identify weeks not covered by a camp and confirm who will look after the children during those weeks
• Plan and book family vacations if not already done
• Check passport validity if traveling internationally
• Prepare a list of what the children will need for the summer: swimsuits, sandals, sunscreen, bike helmet

At Home

• Sort school clothes and separate what will be kept, donated, or thrown away
• Organize and sort school supplies (use this little trick to help you!)
• Sort the year's work and crafts: keep the most significant, recycle the rest
• Make a list of repairs or purchases to plan for the new school year: new school bag, clothes, supplies
• Clean and put away lunchboxes and water bottles for the summer

Health

• Check if routine medical or dental appointments need to be scheduled for the summer, before the next school year begins
• Renew prescriptions if necessary before the end of the school year
  
• If a child has special needs for camp, transmit relevant medical information to the supervisors

Finances

• Gather receipts for childcare and activity fees for the year for tax declaration
• Check if employer reimbursements or tax credits are available for registered summer camps
• Review the budget dedicated to the year's activities and adjust planning for next year if necessary

Year-End Review

• Take the time to discuss with each child about their year: what they enjoyed, what was difficult, what they would like to experience differently next year
• Note the activities that worked well this year to facilitate registrations next year
• Ask the children what they want to do during the summer: a wish list to check off together can become a beautiful family project!

One Last Tip

All this information can easily be centralized in Octave: important dates, material lists, camp contacts, tasks assigned to each family member... Instead of managing all this in your head or in ten different email threads, a single place accessible to the whole family will allow you to reach June 23rd with the feeling of having everything under control.

Happy end of the year! 🎒☀️