High School Interest Chair
There are three things I do before school begins each year so I can have a smooth start: Have my lesson plans done for the first six weeks, have my shows picked before school starts, and have my budget worked out for the school year.
I have my lesson plans worked out for the first six weeks, so that I do not have to worry about that in all the confusion of starting school. I know sometimes things come up once you get into the school year, but it is easier to modify than to come up with totally new plans. Even if you do not have a rough outline of what you want to cover each six weeks, make sure you have an overview of the school year written for your own reference (for example, teaching mime and pantomime and body movement and voice the first six weeks, playwriting the second six weeks, etc.), so that you are able to plan appropriately and not repeat yourself.
Make sure you have chosen the productions you will put on for the school year before school begins. Keep in mind from the prior year what students you expect to have back; if you are a new teacher, have two to three productions in mind, then you can make a decision once you get to know your students a little better. It makes starting the school year easier when you have these decisions behind you, and the students can start getting excited about the shows. It also gives you the opportunity to plan things appropriately and well in advance, instead of last minute scrambling (How will we build the set? Where will we rent the costumes? What props do we need, especially those hard to find ones?). When choosing a show appropriate for your program, there are two different schools of thought: Pick a show that fits your students, or pick a show that you like, and the studnetns will come and fill the roles. I personally land in the middle: I pick a show that I know my students can handle and will make them grow.
If you know your budget before school starts, obviously that will make planning go more smoothly. The funding for royalties, costumes, set building materials, and advertising all need to be planned for appropriately. The earlier you can get that done, the less stress you will be under later. If your school is anything like mine, there is a lot of paper work to do to get money funneled to the right places! We all know how difficult that can be to get done in your brief planning period.
Above all, I would advise you to remember why you are there every day…to try to have a good time getting to know your students…and always try to teach them all the good things that theatre has taught you. I hope these ideas will help you get your school year off to a smooth start. Make this one great!