Empower your student to take charge of their brain and make it work for them this school year.
Designed for Neurodiverse Brains
Your student's brain is unique. We took care to design the entire planner with this in mind. From the clear cover and tear out pages — so nothing is out of sight, out of mind — to the easily scannable page layouts with icons and visuals. We set up this planner to be something that will work with them and not against them.
Build Executive Functioning Skills
Strategically placed short exercises build their understanding of executive functioning skills, and challenge them to put things in practice one bite sized piece at a time. Written in a simple and conversational way, it's like having an executive functioning coach in their backpack.
Flexible Layouts
Designed for flexibility with a light dot grid, each layout allows the student to use it how it works best for them.
Each page includes a 1 inch margin because we know that leaving room to doodle or jot down a random thought is really important.
Black & white design allows your student to use color to draw attention to what they need attention given to.
Choose from the standard layout with larger areas for writing and a front/back split to the week. There are no small boxes here! Or select the condensed layout with the week all on one side of the page.
FAQs
Who is the planner created by?
This planner was created by Sara Nelson-Johns and Krissie VandeNoord. Sara and Krissie formed a partnership in 2022 with the focus of putting out resources to help people process and organize their unique life in a wholistic, full-self way.
Sara Nelson-Johns is a therapist (MSW, LCSW, LSCSW) in the Kansas City area. She has been practicing for nearly 20 years, at least 8 were spent in a large pediatric practice. There she developed an ADHD clinic with a physician who had a special interest in mental health. Together they evaluated, assessed, diagnosed, treated and coordinated care with their families and schools. This specialized treatment led to the core foundations and principles in this planner.
Krissie VandeNoord is a user experience designer and artist who just so happens to be ADHD herself. She has spent 20+ years designing interactions with the core of human needs at the center. She has spent the past 11+ years parenting her own unique neurodiverse children. She brings all of this deep understanding to the ethos of the planner ensuring that it will meet your student right where they are at.
Do the pages have to tear out?
We encourage everyone to use the planner in a way that works best for them, knowing that everyone is different. You do not have to tear out the pages, HOWEVER we do feel that tearing out pages serves some very valuable purposes.
- Tearing out pages lets you take advantage of the clear cover and ensure that your current week (and needs) are always on top.
- Tearing out pages helps you move on from a week that may have been less then ideal. We know you won't be perfect, and we want to foster a tool that doesn't constantly remind you of the past, but helps you move towards trying again.
- Tearing out pages forces the movement of any unfinished tasks. You have to decide it's no longer important, or you move it to the next week. We prompt in our wrap-up checklist to move unfinished items to the next week, before you tear out the page.
Will the pages tear out too easily?
The pages are not perforated, but the binding of the pages and the margin allowance of the binding helps the pages to tear out cleanly, but only when you are ready to do so!
What skills are covered?
In regards to executive functioning areas, the planner covers the following:
- Self-awareness
- Inhibition and impulse control
- Self-management
- Attention
- Organization
- Problem solving
- Time management
- Planning
- Working memory
- Emotional self-regulation
- Flexible thinking
From a practical implementation standpoint these include activities like (not a complete list):
- Doing a body scan to take stock in how you are doing right now
- How to stop an old routine and build a new habit
- Finding and using an accountability buddy to hold yourself responsible
- Tips to increase focus both in the moment and build focus endurance over time
- How to make and use a list in a way that works for you
- Long term project planning framework
- How to take notes, use a highlighter and color to boost memory recall
- Shifting your mindset from feeling stuck to moving forward
- Understanding the brain - body connection and how to fuel your body
What ages is this for?
This planner was designed with middle and high school students in mind both in the structure and the way topics are presented.
College students may also find this helpful, as the tasks are not specific to younger students.
We've already had several requests for an adult version of this, and anticipate we'll be starting that project very soon!
Is there a digital download version?
No, there is not a digital download. We believe the physical compilation of the planner is an important part of it's effectiveness, and that using a hands-on tactile tool has significant benefits to how our brains engage and learn new ways of thinking.
Does the planner go beyond the school day or cover evenings/weekends?
Yes! Each week contains a block for Saturday/Sunday and the quarterly schedule starts at 6am and goes through 5pm allowing you to put extra curricular activities or work responsibilities in the planner as well. One of the first activities presented is loading up the planner with known information across school, home, work and extra curricular activities.
When will this ship?
All planners ordered before August 7th will ship on or before August 7th. After August 7th planners will ship within 2 business days of the order being placed. All of the planners will ship free via USPS Priority. Note: If you need the planner before this date, please add a note during checkout, and we will ship sooner.
What about the environment?
The environment matters to us too! We strongly believe that having a physical planner is important, but we've gone the extra mile to ensure we are being responsible to the planet. These planners are printed on ethically sourced paper supply with eco-conscious ink and shipped free with a carbon offset.