School Orientation Checklist
The following orientation checklist has been developed to assist administrators when
introducing and welcoming new school staff. The goal of orientation is to promote and develop
teacher confidence to ensure a successful start to the year and profession.
Building Tour: School layout and location of:
o
Washrooms
o
Staff room
o
Office
o
Specialized programs and Personnel, e.g. Student Services, Special Education, Student
Success, Library, ICT, Custodians, Federation reps.
o
School Yard – duty areas, smoking area
o
Hallways, stairways, duty areas
o
Teacher parking
Building Procedures:
o
Hours for teachers, keys, building use outside of school hours, alarm code
o
Duties/Supervision - bus, clubs, activities
o
Attendance policies and procedures
o
Daily school routines: announcements, movement of students, entry/exit from building,
washrooms, lunch, break
o
Locks/lockers
o
Student and teacher dress code
o
Lockdown/Fire drill procedure
o
Lunch supervision
o
Student accidents, emergencies
o
Phone/fax instructions/PA
o
Email
Access to Resources:
o
Classroom and teaching supply requisitions, budget process
o
Audiovisual equipment requests
o
Computer access (booking)
o
Discretionary funds
o
Shared equipment and materials
o
Textbooks, supplemental materials
o
Location and operation of copy machines, transparency machines, laminating
equipment and supplies
Student Discipline:
o
Behaviour expectations for hallway, lunch, washroom, school yard
o
Cell phone, hat policy
o
Establishing and enforcing classroom behavior expectations and routines
o
Consequences for extreme behavior problems (contact parent, referral)
Curriculum/Program:
o Referral process for students with special needs (gifted, special education)
o School Improvement Plan
o Mentoring support
o Curriculum guidelines
o Assessment plans
o Division/Department Planning/Collaboration
o NTIP upcoming PD
o Timetables/schedules/class lists
o Field Trip procedure
o Student profiles
o Student OSR
o Special Education policies and procedures
o Opening Day schedule
o Homework policy
o Missed/late assignment policy
o Open House/Parent’s Night expectations
Personal and Professional Decisions and Procedures
o Calling in sick
o Personal days
o Teacher Performance Appraisal process
o Individual strategy form
o Long Range Plans
o Lesson plan procedures and expectations
o Assessment plans
o Subject matter experts in the building
o Professional learning communities
o Contacting parents/letters home/progress reports
o Staff meetings
o Interviews/meetings with parents
o Safe Schools Policy
Organizing the Classroom:
o Options for room arrangement and its effect on teaching and learning
o Student work collection and distribution system
o Storage and access to materials
o Student access to text, equipment, teaching centres