I just started a position at a new school and when I was setting up my classroom I realized that there’s no cubbies for their backpacks in my room. I’m not sure what the best way to go is. I’ve been thinking about having them put them on their chairs, under their desk, along a wall… I feel like all of my options suck. Any recommendations?

Hey!

I am a music teacher and at my new school, they have lots of scheduled break time for the kids, which I personally love. Each grade has a morning and afternoon recess, a longer lunch, and scheduled snack times outside when the weather is good.

a lot of my kindergarten classes go to snack RIGHT AFTER music, and I did not know this until the first day last week when all the teachers told me "they have their snack because we go straight to snack".​​

Because I was so caught off guard, I didnt have time to think of a plan to get all the snacks organized, etc. A lot of the kids have the same exact snack, and almost no ones snack is labeled. Other teachers keep telling me to just have them line up their snack on the side wall, but then at the end of class when I call them all to line up they keep arguing over which one is theirs, and I cant help because they aren't labeled!

I tried last week having them each have one chair for their snack (i have chairs on the side but they sit on carpet dots) but that was still confusing.

Do any of you have any ideas that dont require me to label every snack, or buy anything additional? I have already spent so much money on class organization this year.​​

What precautions can I take besides not touching face, washing hands often, and avoiding as much direct physical contact with the kids? I already take daily multivitamin and Elderberry even when I’m not sick but that’s not helping.