News
Sixth-Grade Shadow Day helps ease transition to the high school
Over
a two-week period, sixth-grade students will shadow a current
seventh-grade student for one day starting March 8. This new “Shadow
Day” program, spearheaded by Heatly School Social Worker Kendell Hardy,
was established to help sixth graders prepare themselves for the
transition to the high school next year.
“We found the transition for the 2008-09 sixth-grade class to be difficult,” said Hardy. “There are much bigger kids in the halls upstairs and it is more stressful. We wanted to try something that would help the transition run smoother.”
Hardy stated that typically the incoming seventh graders are not prepared for the organization and social impact that comes along with moving up to the high school.
“It’s hard to remember that while it’s the same building, it truly is a different education experience. For a Heatly student this is probably the largest transition in their public school career,” adds Hardy.
What does Shadow Day look like?
Current seventh-grade students must be passing all of their classes and have no referrals to be shadowed. They also receive a certificate for volunteer hours for their participation in the program.
Throughout the day, the younger students will be right by their older peer’s side. They will follow the bell schedule, walk in the high school hallways and get a taste of what seventh-grade students are learning in the classroom. They will also see how the older students manage their time, since they do not have a study hall like they did when they were in sixth grade.
Sixth-grade students filled out a pre-test and post-test to see what they learned during the Shadow Day experience. They will also have a chance to attend a follow-up session at night with their parents, tentatively scheduled for May after state testing is complete. This will allow students to share and discuss their experiences and thoughts regarding Shadow Day. At this session, a panel of seventh- and eighth-grade students will allow sixth graders and their parents to ask specific questions about life in the high school. Older students will be able to give suggestions to improve the experience for the younger students. In addition, the traditional orientation for incoming seventh-grade students will still take place over the summer when the building is empty.
Parents of sixth-grade students who are
concerned about their child’s success in the high school are encouraged
to contact
Kendell Hardy or Guidance Counselor
Dana Zeppieri at 273-1422.
