A Summer Refresh

If you are a school-based clinician your summer has either begun or is about to begin.

I don’t know about you, but summer is always bittersweet. I miss my students and families but also look forward to the break.

The end of the school year is always busy and even 21 years into my career can be overwhelming.

This post is all about using summer as a time to refresh.

I’ll offer a few suggestions to wrap up the end of the school year, how to get prepared for Fall, and how to find some time for yourself to reset and refresh.

Wrapping Up the School Year

Saying the end of the school year is busy is an understatement!

There are meetings galore, and never-ending progress notes all of which have to be squeezed in between our regular treatment sessions.

And let’s not forget, there can be an evaluation (or 2 or 3) thrown in.

We can get pulled in many different directions and overloaded with work, but remember, we are great at breaking down tasks and activities and this is exactly what we need to do for ourselves.

Here are 5 things to remember.

1. Strong communication will be helpful.
   
   Can’t attend a meeting or having difficulty with all the last-minute evaluations?
   
   Make sure to communicate with your team and administrators.
   
   Don’t wait until the last minute.
   
   Be upfront with your workload so your team knows what’s going on.
2. Prioritize your work.
   
   Have a meeting tomorrow?
   
   Best to get those goals and progress reports done first.
   
   Leave your other work for another time.
3. Start early.
   
   We all know the end of the year is notoriously busy.
   
   Plan and start early.
   
   Review your caseload so you are aware of upcoming IEP reviews, referrals, and other due dates such as progress reports.
   
   Set reminders and add meetings to your calendar.
   
   I start preparing for the end of the year in March.
   
   A little pre-planning for the end of the year can go a long way.
4. Use your system.
   
   What I mean by this is to make sure you are using a system to make things easier such as a template for evaluations or daily notes.
   
   Make sure your contact information for teachers and parents is up-to-date and organized.
5. Go easy on yourself.
   
   I know this one is easier said than done, but part of preventing burnout is to make sure you remember to take care of yourself.
   
   Take your lunch break (I know you are going to say you are too busy, but I encourage you to take your lunch break anyway).
   
   Do some deep breathing between students or between meetings.

Preparing for Next School Year

Now this might seem bonkers or next to impossible, but trust me you’ll enjoy your summer much more if you are prepared for the Fall.

You won’t be left with any surprises if you know what’s coming up in a few short months.

I suggest while you are preparing for the end of the school year, you are also looking forward to the beginning of the next school year.

We all know that the end of the school year is just as chaotic as the beginning of the school year.

Keeping organized with dates and service hours can not only make for a smoother beginning of the school year but can keep you from thinking about things over the summer.

Resetting and Refreshing

Once summer arrives, it’s time to let the school year go.

1. Set your work email to vacation mode.
   
   This can be a hard one for many of us (myself included) but I encourage you to set your work email to vacation mode.
   
   This is especially important if you are not contracted to work through the summer.
   
   I know this thought can give many people anxiety so remember just because your email is set to vacation mode doesn’t mean you can’t check it.
   
   While I suggest only checking your email every 2 weeks, vacation mode will let others know you may not respond immediately.
   
   I also suggest if you get all your email (both personal and work) into one inbox, you separate your emails for the summer.
2. Celebrate! You’ve made it to the end of another school year! Make sure to celebrate.
   
   What we do isn’t easy. We did it! Time to celebrate.
   
   Whether that’s sleeping in all week or going out with co-workers, make sure to pat yourself on the back for a job well done!
3. Catch up on CEU’s.
   
   Summer is a great time to catch up on your CEU’s.
   
   Find a course and take it.
   
   There are many options out there and with a lighter schedule, you should have more time to focus on getting those credits.
   
   (Continued.com is one of my favorite places to find CEU’s for all clinicians).
4. If you are doing extended school year (ESY) make sure to add in a little fun.
   
   Adding in a little fun will assure that both you and the students you see get to have a little summer fun just like everyone else.
   
   This can be a great time to plan outdoor activities including water and messy activities.
5. Find time to relax.
   
   Summer doesn’t have to be used as catch-up from all the things you didn’t do during a hectic school year.
   
   You don’t have to do all the things.
   
   Although it sounds cliche, make sure to take time for yourself.

Using the summer to recharge and refresh is important.

We all know how busy the school year gets.

Summer is the time to slow down, even if it’s just for a little while.

Until next time.