Welcoming New Students

The summer  flew by and it is time to embark on another jam packed school year.  As we opened our doors on the first day of school, I thought back to my  first day of 4th grade.   My  family moved  across town and I started school in my new neighborhood.  I missed  my old friends and my favorite 3rd grade teacher.  I  wasn't  so  sure  about the  new  kids and my new teachers.  Luckily,  I had  teachers, classmates, and a school counselor who helped me to adjust. I know  that the first day  of  school can bring up a lot of  feelings including anxiety, fear, excitement,  sadness, anger, or confusion. This is true for students, parents,   even teachers and school  counselors! One of my  priorities the  first week of school was checking in with our brand new students to  welcome them  and support them  with this transition.  Below are some of the ways that I welcome and support new   students.

Link Team

Rewind to the end of last school year.  I  worked with students who had just completed their first  year at our school to celebrate  successes, learn more about what their first year was like, and invite  them  to help future new students with the transition.   Over the summer, Link Team students came to the school and gave tours to our new families.  Throughout the first quarter there will be structured  activities quarter where new students will have  an opportunity to build relationships with and learn from our returning students.

New Student Mail Delivery

During orientations over the summer,  there were letter writing stations where parents could write their students an encouraging note for  the first day of  school.  Link Team students also wrote notes  to new students and these were placed on student desks to welcome them on the very first  day of school.

Week 1 Group Activities

During lunches, I met with small groups of new students to learn names, do activities to get to know one another,  and  collect initial data on new student transitions.  Here are some of the post popular "Would You Rather?" questions from our first getting to know you activity.

1. Would you rather be invisible  or be able to r read minds?
2. Would you  rather only be able to whisper or only be able to shout?
3. Would you rather be born with an elephant trunk or a giraffe neck?
4. Would  you rather have to say everything on your mind or never speak again?
5. Would you rather have one wish granted today or 3 wishes granted in 10 years?

There will  be additional small group   activities  focused  on making new friends,  learning about the school rules, and learning how  different adults  at school can help them.  After these group lessons and activities with the  link  team,  the students will retake the initial survey.  I will continue to work  with families and students  who need additional support with the transition.