Hey Reader,

For most school-based OT practitioners, the school year is now over, or close enough that your brain is already lying out by the pool.

But before you fully shut the laptop, lock up the cabinets, and stop thinking in IEP dates for a few weeks, there are a few small things you can do now that your future self may appreciate.

And if you are already on summer break?

I added a short version at the end for you, too.

Read on to make August a little less chaotic.

1. Finish the reports that will follow you

Progress reports are not glamorous.

Neither are end-of-year eval notes, service summaries, or that one lingering update you keep meaning to send.

But unfinished documentation has a way of following us into summer, even when we are technically off contract.

If you still have progress reports to finish, start there. Group them in a way that makes sense for your brain: by school, classroom, due date, or even by the easy ones first.

Pro tip: As you wrap up each progress note, think of yourself in August as the person you are writing to. That way, a quick review of your notes will remind you exactly where you were headed with each student.

Something as simple as:

That note may take 60 seconds now, but it may save you 20 minutes in August.

2. Make a smart plan for evaluations

End-of-year evaluations can get messy.

Some need to be completed now because the meeting is happening before summer. Some are due right at the beginning of next year. Others may be better completed once the student returns, especially if a new teacher, campus, or routine will affect the evaluation.

The key is not to treat every evaluation the same.

Ask:

• Is the meeting happening before the end of this year?
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• Is the meeting within the first couple of weeks of next year?
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• Will the student be moving schools or providers?
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• What has already been completed, and what still needs to be done?

Even if you do not finish every eval, document what has been started on your Eval Checklist​

Future you, or the next OT, will be grateful.

3. For the families that need extra attention…

If you have a few student-free days at the end of the year, consider if there are a few families who would benefit from a short end-of-year note in addition to their student’s progress report.

It does not need to be long.

You can share a quick progress update, name something the student did well, and thank the family for partnering with you this year.

A simple message can reduce friction, build trust, and make the start of next year feel less like a cold restart.

This is especially helpful for students whose parents may have concerns, students transitioning to a new school, or students who have made progress and deserve recognition.

4. Look at your year before it disappears

Before the details blur together, take 15 minutes to look back at your OT Program.

Take note of:

• How many evaluations did you complete?
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• When did referrals spike?
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• Which schools or classrooms needed the most support?
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• How many students exited OT?
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• Where did your workload feel manageable, and where did it clearly not?

This is the kind of data that can help you advocate later.

Not in a dramatic way, but in a practical way with data!

If you use AI, feed some of your numbers (not PHI) into your favorite tool and ask it for insights.

If February through April were overloaded with evaluations, write that down. If one school had a referral pattern that stood out, note it. If a teacher collaboration reduced referrals or improved carryover, keep that example.

Your memory should not have to be your workload system.

5. Collect the stuff

OT tools like to grow legs.

Fidgets, adapted scissors, pencil grips, slant boards, visual supports, adapted seating pieces, task boxes, and random bins of therapy materials somehow migrate across campus by May.

Before you leave, collect what you can.

Even better, take quick notes about what belongs to whom, what needs to be returned in August, and what should probably not be loaned out without a checkout system next year.

This is not just about keeping your materials organized.

It is about not spending the first month of school trying to remember where everything went.

If you are already on summer break

Do not reopen every file.

Please do not do that to yourself.

But if you are willing to do one small thing before the new school year, make it this:

Create a simple "August restart" note.

Include:

• Students/evals you need to remember
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• Equipment that needs to be returned or reassigned
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• Teachers you want to check in with early
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• One thing you want to do differently next year

That is enough.

Future you will appreciate the breadcrumb trail.

A quick Back to School Conference note

Speaking of future you, registration is open for the 2026 OT Schoolhouse Back to School Conference.

It is happening August 29-30, 2026, fully virtual, with 12 contact hours available and replay access included.

If you want to start next year with practical school-based OT strategies already in your pocket, this is the event we built for exactly that.

Use code SUMMER to save 10%

​Save your spot for the Back to School Conference​

Want the full end-of-year checklist?

I wrote a full article with more ideas for wrapping up the school year, including progress reports, evaluations, parent communication, data collection, equipment, and celebration.

​Read the article: Wrapping Up the School Year​

There is also an OT Schoolhouse podcast episode on this same topic if you prefer to listen while you clean up your room, drive home, or avoid the stack of materials in the corner for one more day.

​Listen to OTSH 73: 10 Things You Can Do Now, To Make Next Year Easier​

LAST WORD 👋​
​BREAK TIME

I’ll be taking a break for the next few weeks to spend time with family.

My (not-so-little) 4-year-old will be starting TK in the fall, so summers are more valuable than ever.

I’ll continue sending newsletters over the summer, but they will be shorter.

If you ignore them until August/September, I totally get it.

Whether you get a break this summer or continue working at a year-round school, ESY, or something else, I hope you have a chance to enjoy some family time.

Until next time,

Jayson

Jayson Davies, MA, OTR/L
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​Say hi 👋 on Instagram, LinkedIn,
and inside the School-Based OT Collaborative​