3BACK TO SCHOOL NO COLOR
The Brunswick News / Wednesday, July 31, 2013 3
TRANSITIONS Students encounter milestone changes By SARAH LUNDGREN The Brunswick News
Making a transition to a new school or new grade can be difficult, particularly when it is a big change, like starting elementary, middle or high school. New expectations and a different workload can add up quickly. For parents watching their child make one of those big transitions to first grade, sixth grade or ninth grade, here is some advice from teachers who have guided countless children through those changes: Starting first grade Joy Jensen, a first-grade teacher and the first grade team leader at Oglethorpe Point Elementary School, says starting elementary school is a time for parents to tell children what new and exciting things they will learn. They will have lots of fun, but there are some changes ahead. To do it right: Foster your child’s independence: “One of the most significant changes from kindergarten to first grade is the level of independence required for student success. A parent can help set their child up to succeed by fostering their confidence and independence,” Jensen said. “This could be accomplished through beginning to give the child more responsibility at home. First-graders enjoy their new status as ‘big boys and girls’ and really thrive with high expectations.”
Sarah Lundgren/The Brunswick News
Leslie Forcina, a Risley Middle School sixth and seventh grade counselor, left, shows t-shirts given to new sixth grade students to Instructional Coach Rebecca Smith.
Continue to communicate with your child and the teacher: “Parents should check folders nightly for teacher notes, practice work or books that have been sent home for homework. If a question arises, write a note or email the teacher,” Jensen said. “Glynn County teachers also have individual websites linked from their school website with a wealth of information, resources and a link to the teacher’s email.”
First grade is the foundational year of elementary school: “Students must learn to apply all of their readiness skills and master more complicated processes, such as independent reading, independent writing and higher level math skills. In terms of homework, many teachers will assign a weekly spelling list with associated spelling activities,” Jensen said. “In addition to spelling homework, reading is a
daily requirement, as well as math practice work. Reading is the primary focus of first grade, and a parent can have a huge impact on their child’s literacy success. These activities shouldn’t take a lot of time each evening once the students have learned the process, but the beginning of the year can be a challenge for some children.” Read, read, read: “Reading with a child daily is the best way to support them in learning to read,” Jensen said. Moving into sixth grade Once the foundation for a child’s education is laid in elementary school, next comes the in-between period of middle school. Often a difficult time of students dealing with adolescent changes, Rebecca Smith, instructional coach at Risley Middle School, says there are some things to be aware before your child enters sixth grade: Workload and accountability will change: “Most teachers in middle school have over 100 students, so they do not always have the opportunity to check behind each student to make sure he or she has written homework and other assignments down for their parents to see. The level and amount of homework may take more time than a student or parent is use to spending after school,” Smith said. “Many of our middle school students have extracurricular activities after school, so don’t forget to add Continues on Page 8
MY SCHOOL Frederica Academy offers new programs In its 43rd year as southeast Georgia’s premier college preparatory school for grades pre-kindergarten through 12th, Frederica Academy has created new programs and student-centered initiatives that will make the coming school year one of the most engaging and enriching in its history. These programs will shape curriculum and launch new experiences for students in every grade and every subject. In Lower School, one such initiative will span pre-kindergarten to fifth grade with a yearlong, themed experiential approach that connects science, social studies, writing, reading, math, Spanish, art and music as students travel through time learning about “Great Changes in the Twentieth Century.” During the course of the year, students will be transported through each decade of the 20th century highlighting key themes unique to the era. Annmarie Torres, Lower School director, noted: “We know as educators that the most important way children learn is through experiences that bring meaning to their learning. The more ways one introduces children to a concept, the more likely they will make the connections in their mind and will retain that information. This type of integrated
curriculum allows our students a number of touch points that connect the subject to every aspect of the learning environment, whether it is in math, music, art or science.” Torres continued, “At Frederica Academy, we not only strive for academic excellence, we also emphasize an appreciation for the arts and music,” adding that the Lower School is expanding its fine arts program to include a new strings class for fourth- and fifth-grade students that will be offered in collaboration with the Coastal Youth Symphony. An exciting new opportunity awaits Middle School students this August with the school’s one-to-one laptop program that will equip all sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students with a personal laptop to be used throughout the school year as part of an innovative program to better position students to keep pace as 21st century learners. New environments are also a component of the curriculum in Middle School through Carpe Vitam, an experiential learning enrichment program. This fall, sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students will spend a week getting to know their classmates by braving unfamiliar challenges in new and different environments. Sixth-grade students will travel to Savannah for a coastal ecology
journey, seventh-grade students will escape to the Carolina mountains for an outdoor adventure, and eighth-grade students will explore Washington, D.C. Michael Temple, Middle School and Upper School director added, “These destinations integrate and align with each grade’s curriculum, facilitate tremendous bonding experiences for our students and are engaging laboratories for learning.” Middle School experiential learning will also feature a new “mini-mester” this year. The mini-mester is a two-week thematic, cross-curricular, project-based learning experience customized for each grade. Each program will include on-campus and offcampus, hands-on learning that leverages the abundance of our area’s natural and historical resources. Frederica’s Middle School has also developed a new advisory program that groups sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students by gender in order to better assess academic progress and facilitate discussions regarding social awareness, character development and age-appropriate peer issues. In Upper School, new programming and experiences begin on the very first day with the launch of a comprehensive assimila-
tion program for ninth-grade students. The “Freshman Experience” will help ninthgraders transition to high school and accelerate their preparedness for the college admission process and for their college career. The program’s focus will encompass the full spectrum of the school’s mission to enrich each student’s mind, body and spirit. An enhanced advisory program for students as they progress from ninth through 12th grade is also in place for all Upper School students. The Upper School has expanded its Advanced Placement (AP) portfolio, developed a new Honors Program, and is offering an added level of convenience for SAT and ACT test-takers with additional test dates being offered on the Frederica Academy campus throughout the year. And new records are also ahead this year, as Frederica Academy looks forward to graduating the largest class in the school’s history. Greg Griffeth, head of school, stated: “I am very proud of our innovative culture and these new initiatives. We are eager for our students to return for what will be a special year.” – Provided by Frederica Academy