As students prepare for the changes of the upcoming school year, several suggestions could make that process more comfortable and keep students informed.

An open assembly where students can express their opinions and ask questions they feel need to be answered would be a good first option. Students would be able to express opinions in a way where teachers and principals could take into consideration how this will affect the average student. The questions could lead to teachers and administrators seeing certain problems that may need to be fixed before the new school organization is finalized. This could help students by giving them an easier, flowing schedule that any person could work with. The scheduling information assembly was great, but the high school is switching to an eight period day, along with adding new electives. There should be another assembly to answer some of these questions and help students feel more comfortable when they sit down with their counselors to schedule class for next year.   Having current students enrolled in electives give a short presentation about each class would also be helpful.

With both eighth and ninth graders moving up to the high school this coming school year, scheduling is starting both this month and throughout February. The provided scheduling assemblies that ninth grade has already attended have been at least a start to the process. The two assemblies gave some information on new classes and an outline of how scheduling will work. The online course booklet doesn’t really give a true idea of what the classes are like. The book doesn’t have detailed descriptions of the classes and all the class courses are lumped together by subject and not by grade. It makes it harder for students to sort out what class they can take and what classes they have to wait at least a year to take. Making the course booklet in a way that it is organized by grade and has a short description of each class would make it easier for students to choose and schedule their classes for next year instead of adding more stress on them with all of the changes coming up next school year.

Communication is key.  So many ways exist to get out information: Remind, social media, more meetings, assemblies.  As eighth and ninth graders mentally prepare themselves to move to the new school they need to know the whole picture. The high school will be filled with students and teachers who aren’t used to where they are. They will be left to find their own directions to their classes.  So many questions need answered. Explain the process on how the new school cafeteria will be situated. Explain how long classes will be and how long there will be to get there. The more information provided the more comfortable students will be.