Wrapping Up the School Year Without Losing Your Mind: 7 Sanity-Saving Tips

Let’s be real—May is mayhem and the kids are DONE. Let's face it, so are you. You’re juggling end-of-year testing, field trips, awards ceremonies, and paperwork mountains, all while managing student energy levels that are off the charts! If you're feeling like you're hanging on by a paperclip, you’re not alone. Summer can't get here fast enough!

Here are 7 tips to help you wrap up the school year with your sanity (mostly) intact:

1. Make Peace With the Chaos

The last few weeks will never be as structured as September. Accept the looseness. Embrace the glitter. Release the guilt over unfinished units or missed goals. You did your best and so did they. As long as no one is climbing the wall, it's all good.

2. Chunk (not chuck...) the Paperwork

Don’t try to do everything at once. Set aside 30-minute chunks a few times a week to chip away at end-of-year tasks like grades, inventory, and check-out forms, orders, etc. Put on your favorite playlist and treat it like self-care. I like to make myself a to-do list and it feels so good to cross things out.

3. Let Students Help (Yes, Really)

Kids want to feel helpful. I did this all the time during the last few days of school and they loved it! Assign mini jobs: taking down bulletin boards, organizing classroom library bins, wiping desks. Give them checklists and make it a team effort. You’ll be shocked how much they get done.

4. Review the Year Creatively

Instead of stressing over big projects, try low-lift review activities: memory books, “Top 10 Moments” lists, classroom award shows, or time capsule letters to future students. They’re fun, meaningful, and easy to prep.

5. Prep Yourself a Little Gift for September

Before you lock the classroom door, leave yourself a “Welcome Back” folder with a class list, master schedule, and a few notes. Future You will be so grateful in August. Also, I always put up my September calendar bulletin board before I left so it was one less thing I had to do when I returned.

6. Celebrate the Small Stuff

Finish your checklist? Survive the field trip? Didn’t cry in the supply room today? That counts. Celebrate it. Treat yourself to an iced coffee or a nap, you’ve earned it.

7. Say Goodbye (Even if It’s Hard)

Wrap up with heart. Write simple thank-you notes, take silly photos, and give yourself permission to feel the transition. Closure matters for you and for your students.

You made it. You showed up day after day, even when it was hard. And that’s enough.So go easy on yourself, take deep breaths, and know that your impact lasts far beyond the final bell.

You've got this, teacher friend. It's almost time for that lounge chair and margarita. :)