Tell us about your first day at something — school, work, as a parent, etc.

Read books about the excitement that comes with being in a classroom, such as “Oh the Places You’ll Go!” or “Miss Nelson is Missing.” Doing so can help students imagine what to expect. Parents can also recall their own experiences.

The first day of school is traditionally about creating routines and reestablishing the classroom community, but there is little that is routine or established about this year’s start.

Many students and teachers nationwide spent the last year communicating via screen, rather than in a school setting. For children in early grades, it has been a long time since they have experienced the structure and interaction of in-person school. For younger children, this year may be the first time they have been asked to spend hours in a classroom.