Spotlight on Regional School District 17
by the Board of Education
A new school can be confusing for anyone, but for 201 5th grade students who now call the Haddam Killingworth Middle School their daytime home, the move was a smooth one. Principal Mim Wagner and her team learned a great deal from the experience of greeting the first 5th grade class in 2007 and set a goal to improve this year’s transition process.
Careful planning, beginning with the solicitation of input from last year’s fifth graders and their parents, was one of the keys to this year’s successful transition. For example, feedback about last year’s rotating schedule led to some creative solutions. Classroom switches were postponed until the third day of school so that students could spend additional time with their homeroom teachers. The eight day rotating schedule was also replaced by a much simpler alternating one.
These changes are just part of a comprehensive strategy developed to help students adjust gradually to their new environment and routines. The proof of its success has been especially evident to fifth grade teachers, including Mrs. Kathy Briotti.
"I don’t think we had any crying this year on the first day, from either the fifth grade students or the teachers," said Briotti. "That was one of our goals. Having fifth grade students who were already familiar with the building, and who were less anxious about the prospect of having to use a locker and moving from class to class on their own, made all the difference in the world. It made for a less stressful day for all and a more positive start to the school year."
Preparations for the new students kicked off in early May. Fourth graders were visited by Mrs. Wagner at their elementary schools for a brief presentation and an informal question and answer session. A few weeks later, students visited the Haddam Killingworth Middle School. There, they had the opportunity to greet their future teachers, and for some children, see the building for the first time.
In addition to anticipating the needs of students, care was also given to the adjustment for parents. In May, parents were invited to visit the school and to learn what they could expect in the upcoming school year.
While the spring activities set the wheels in motion for what was to come in the fall, perhaps the most effective new strategy was the creation of the Summer Orientation Camp. One hundred fifty-eight students, or 79% of the class, attended the late August camp. Newly hired, half-time school counselor Mrs. Elizabeth Young, a veteran from the Guilford Public School system, led groups of twenty students through two-hour introductory sessions. The sessions were designed to answer questions and to allay the fears and concerns of new students. Students also had a chance to meet some of their classmates and explore the school by working in pairs on a scavenger hunt.
Mrs. Young was especially grateful for the assistance provided by twenty 8th grade volunteers who helped make their younger peers feel at home. She noted, "The eighth grade volunteers were a huge help. They were able to share their experience and answer a variety of interesting questions." Mrs. Young was also delighted with how much the students enjoyed the camp. "Our students all left with big smiles on their faces. When they walked out the door they weren’t new students anymore, they were part of the Middle School community."