Make your back-to-school night memorable with these high school open house ideas, from resources to teacher-approved tips.
High school open houses can look very different from school to school and region to region. Whether your high school calls it “back-to-school night,” “meet the teacher night,” “open house,” “curriculum night,” or something else, the goal remains the same: connect with caregivers to ensure a positive learning environment and understand the academic requirements for students.
Some schools host these nights before the school year starts, and some after. Some have students participate, others focus solely on caregivers. Some give every teacher a 15-minute slot, while others may let caregivers choose which teachers they meet. Regardless of how your school runs it, these high school open house ideas will help you engage with everyone in attendance.
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1. Start open house off right by getting organized
Just like you would plan for a lesson, plan out what you’d like to accomplish during your high school’s open house. Use similar classroom organization skills to prepare any folders, notes, handouts, or newsletters you want to present or give to caregivers, and create an agenda for the evening. This saves you time, and it gives students and caregivers a peek into what your class is like.
FREE High School SPED & Transition Schedule | Morning Meeting | Back to School
By Transition Abilities
Grades: 6th-12th
This editable system includes 65 pages of organizational tools for back-to-school season. From daily schedules to “do now” activities, it’s got everything you need to start the year off right.
Back To School Bundle For Secondary Teachers- English Focus
By Fuller Teaching Resources
Grades: 9th-12th
This teacher organization bundle includes a syllabus template, binder covers, classroom questionnaires, diagnostic essay prompts, and more! It’s perfect for new teachers looking to get organized without getting overwhelmed.
2. Help everyone get to know each other
As the name “meet the teacher night” implies, caregivers are there to get to know you. To have a successful high school open house, it’s essential to give caregivers insight into who you are. By doing so, you assure them that their students are in good hands and create a foundation for open communication in the future.
More often than not, the high school open house is the first time you are meeting students’ caregivers, meaning you have little knowledge of their lives outside of your classroom. Give school, subject, and grade context where you can, and do it all with a personal touch to establish trust. Use “getting to know me” activities to introduce yourself to caregivers and maybe even caregivers to each other!
Getting to Know You for Middle & High – All About Me Back to School Activities
By Pathway 2 Success
Grades: 6th-10th
Use these getting-to-know-you and “all about me” worksheets for secondary students on those first days! They include inventories and worksheets that focus on student interests and learning styles. These can be a helpful way to integrate SEL supports from the start.
Back to School All About Me Activity First Day of School Beginning of Year
By Kacie Travis
Grades: 6th-11th
This icebreaker “all about me” worksheet is great for the first day of school for secondary students. It can be done in one class period and incorporates a get-to-know-you activity that allows students to share about themselves, without being too elementary.
3. Keep things short and sweet
It’s important to keep in mind that your classroom isn’t the only one caregivers will be visiting during your high school’s open house. Secondary students often have anywhere from four to nine teachers. For caregivers with multiple high schoolers, this makes for a busy night full of information! Decide what your main priorities are, from curriculum transparency to building connections, and use your time to hone in on those areas in direct, succinct ways.
4. Have clear expectations for students and caregivers
Caregivers are your partners in helping students learn and grow. To function well as a team, everyone needs to know their role. Be transparent with your students and their caregivers about what the expectations, rules, and guidelines are for your class.
As students progress through high school and learn to be more independent, the support and involvement of their caregivers may change. Keep this in mind as both students and caregivers may need guidance to transition smoothly. Hand out syllabi, pass along materials lists, and recommend study habits and strategies to ensure everyone has the tools to succeed in your class, no matter the grade level.
One Page Syllabus
By The Woke STEM Teacher
Grades: 6th-12th
This one-page syllabus is perfect for middle and high school teachers! The editable document covers English, math, history, and science classes.
High School Science Bundle – Banners, Buttons, Syllabus, & Meet the Teacher
By Made for Middle School
Grades: 9th-12th
This open house bundle includes 18 editable banners, four buttons, a class syllabus page, and a Meet the Teacher page. Use it to help make your science lab the most memorable stop!
5. Connect through engaging high school open house activities
Repurpose some of the same back-to-school activities your students completed in class with their caregivers to have an engaging open house night. This strategy gives caregivers insight into what materials and methods you use as a high school teacher and an understanding of what it’s like to be in their high schoolers’ shoes. This also saves you time and energy since you’ve already done this activity before!
Goal Setting Cards
By Esther Brunat
Grades: 9th-12th
Students will make goals for the upcoming school year personally, academically, and specifically for the current class. This resource gives an acronym for effective GOALS, examples of well-written goals, and examples of poorly written goals.
Biology Chat First Day of School Ice Breaker Lab Station Activity
By Amy Brown Science
Grades: 8th-12th
This first-day-of-school biology lab station icebreaker activity will help your students learn about their classmates while serving as a diagnostic tool for the instructor.
Geometry Scavenger Hunt: First Day of School Activity | 8th-11th Grade
By Lindsay Bowden – Secondary Math
Grades: 9th-11th
This Geometry Scavenger Hunt is the perfect way to get students engaged while reviewing geometric shapes from middle school! It comes with an easier version and a harder version.
6. Set the stage for two-way communication
As the teacher, you set the tone for communication with your students’ caregivers during the high school open house. Establishing open and honest communication goes a long way toward creating trust with caregivers. But it’s also important to make sure you have communication methods and boundaries that align with your school’s policies and work for you.
Consider speaking with your admin ahead of the high school open house to get guidance and advice. Then, when it comes time for your open house presentation, you can share your contact information and communication preferences with confidence. This information might include office hours, set times you’ll be replying to emails, how you give feedback to students and when it is shared with caregivers, what situations warrant an email versus a phone call, and more.
BACK TO SCHOOL MEET THE TEACHER PRESENTATION for Middle & High School Teachers
By DARIN NAKAKIHARA
Grades: 6th-12th
This editable Google Slides deck includes templates for everything from an “about me” page to a course description and grading policies. You can customize each page to meet your open house needs.
Back to School Parent Night or Curriculum Night Evening Presentation Template
By Science With Mr Enns
Grades: 6th-12th
You get a clear and concise 22-slide PowerPoint designed to be used during open house to introduce yourself, list course topics, describe overarching themes, outline unit topics, and communicate all other basic class policies.
7. Show off exactly who you are as a teacher
Ultimately, caregivers are at your high school open house to meet you. Embrace and show off your personality as you present to and engage with everyone in the room. Whether it’s through your classroom decor, community building strategies, or teaching style, don’t be afraid to let yourself and your expertise shine through because, ultimately, you are the powerhouse behind your school, your students, and their learning.
Teacher Goals for High School Open House
A high school open house has the same goals as an open house for any other grade level: to orient students and their caregivers with the school and their teachers.
As a teacher, the goals for this informational and social event are to:
- Introduce your personality, teaching style, and curriculum
- Get students comfortable in your classroom
- Foster open communication with students and caregivers
- Start the school year off on a friendly, positive note
- Get everyone excited for a new school year
Plan your high school open house with TPT
A successful open house at any grade level is a collaborative event. And the positive interactions between school staff, students, and caregivers are at its core. Let TPT be your partner with ready-made open house resources for high school teachers, support staff, and admins.
