I recently posted a bit about this here, but of the things that haven’t been mentioned yet:
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Register for the SAT/ACT for the desired dates as early as possible (dates through June are currently available). I’ve heard many stories of people (especially in California) needing to travel several hours away and either getting a hotel the night before or leaving the house in the very wee hours in order to take a test. There’s nothing saying that you can’t register for an April date in August.
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You and/or your kid can be talking to the English teacher about whether they will work on the common app essay in school. (They can start the asking and then you can follow-up as a weightier contact, if desired.) If your kid is on a block schedule, start that conversation the first week of the semester (or earlier!). Continue to ask/pester the teacher throughout the year until you get a yes answer. Desist with the questioning after getting a yes until mid-spring when you send a reminder email asking when the common app essay will start. For schools that seem to work on the common app essay at school, it seems most common to do it after the AP tests/last month of school.
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And let your kid be a kid. Let them explore what interests them, not necessarily what will look “best” on a college application. And make sure to support their social and emotional health throughout the year.