Everyone has heard that it takes a village to raise a child, but I can’t think of anywhere else where this old saying plays itself out quite as well as in the classroom. Teachers can mean so much to the students they spend time with. They instruct, they inspire—they give their kids a growing understanding of the world around them in a supportive environment.

It’s no surprise that people will often cite a former teacher as the most influential or inspirational person they knew growing up.

As you and your little ones gear up for the first day of school, there are several ways to set the expectation for a fun and productive year. Here’s a list of ideas for your back-to-school prep straight from the people who know best—teachers!

• Stock up on supplies. Many teachers send home lists of supplies on the first day of school, but you can beat the shopping rush by stocking up on essentials like notebooks, paper, pencils, a grade-appropriate calculator and other supplies. Help ease your little ones’ stress by having these things on hand, and you’ll give them a leg up on their first homework assignment.
• Set their sleeping schedule. Waking up early isn’t fun for anyone, but you can help ease your kids back into it by setting a new sleeping schedule now. Wake your kids up at the time they will be expected to wake up for school, and then take them somewhere fun—to the park, the beach, the mall or even on a walk around the neighborhood. Just make sure your kids are awake and ready by the time they will need to leave for school.
• Have a heart-to-heart. Ask your kids how they feel about the start of the new year. Find out if they are feeling anxious about anything, and then brainstorm ideas together for how they can ease that tension, from finding a buddy to eat lunch with to explaining to the teacher that they need extra help with math problems. Then be sure to follow through with a discussion of how things went after the first day of school.
• Introduce yourself to teachers. Teacher cards and stationery make great back-to-school gifts, but you can also volunteer in the classroom, stop by with muffins for everyone or introduce yourself at a back to school event. It’s important to stay active in your child’s education to help do your part in encouraging them to succeed.

As sad as I am that summer is coming to an end, there’s something magical about the beginning of the school year. I still consider this time of year as a perfectly acceptable reason to revamp my wardrobe for fall. Now it’s your chance to add some fun to your back-to-school planning with these fun new looks for kids for Fall 2009.

Start with the Essentials: A cool, eco-friendly stainless steel LunchBots lunch box and bright DwellStudio backpack put the fun back in fundamentals.

For Girls: Cute dresses continue to reign supreme, as do preppy stripes like this cute design from Flowers by Zoe. Also look for the return of a fall favorite—chunky knit sweaters in bold colors! I love this one from GapKids.

For Boys: Tea Collection has chosen the styles of Japan as its inspiration for this fall, with fun new designs featuring origami, cool colors and fun prints. If your big guy prefers an earthy style, opt for subtle stripes like this mellow pull over from Target.

The weather has turned sour here in the San Francisco Bay Area, making it all the more apparent that fall is on its way with the incumbent return to school, books and studying. If your little ones are less than thrilled about the idea of returning to class, ease them into the process with some of these fun craft ideas that will have them looking forward to the sound of that first bell!

Cereal Box Bookmarks

Teach them about recycling while you show them how much fun reading can be with these cute cereal box bookmarks from PlumPudding.

Book Log Bookmarks

Keep track of all the books they’ve plowed through this summer while you get ready for even more fun fall reading with these cute bookmarks from Woman’s Day!

Custom Binders and Book Covers

Let them dress up their books and binders so that they can’t wait to show them off to their friends! Thick wrapping paper or unpeeled contact paper make great book covers, and Better Homes offers some great suggestions for creating one-of-a-kind binders.

Create a Summer 2009 Time Capsule

Give the kids a moment to reflect on all that summer fun when they sit down to make a list of their favorite things to do, places to visit and people to see from this summer. Family Fun has a fantastic list of ideas to help you get started immortalizing this summer as a lasting memory you will all cherish!