'5th Grade Academy' helps ease middle school transition

Solid first session of our 5th Grade Academy last Friday. 

Now in its second year, our 5th Grade Academy program seeks to prepare incoming middle schoolers for life in the middle, and eventually, high school.

Junior and seniors enrolled in our student leadership course stepped into leadership roles to run the academy, guiding 5th graders through four engaging sessions.

Our new middle schoolers explored topics of school safety and personal hygiene, discussed the importance of appropriate behavior in the locker room, classroom and hallways, as well as strategies for staying organized as their classes become more varied and challenging. 

Another session put 5th graders’ teamwork skills to the test, while the final activity gave our younger students the opportunity to work together to create a class charter representing the values they share as a group.

It was a great opportunity for our high school students to serve as positive role models while helping our younger students build skills they can carry with them throughout the remainder of their middle and high school careers.