Bishop O’Gorman finds effective approach calming first-day jitters

This paid piece is sponsored by Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools.

Moving to a new school can be a time of anxiety and uncertainty, but Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools has found ways to help all new students fight the first-day jitters.

For seventh grade students moving to O’Gorman Junior High School, the administration and teachers host “Welcome to Junior High” the week before school starts to help students get used to their new hallways, lockers and transitions between classes.

The students are broken into small groups and are able to practice their locker combinations before the first day, make friends who came from different elementary schools and get to know their new teachers.

Students also get to walk through their class schedule before the first day of school to get used to the routes they need to take to get to their classrooms, which can be difficult in an unfamiliar building. Principal Wade Charron said it’s a great opportunity.

“It is very important that students are comfortable at our school. Change and transition can be difficult, so we want to do our best to put them at ease socially and academically. It becomes apparent right away that new students who attend Welcome to Junior High tend to be more confident and comfortable when the school year actually begins,” Charron said.

O’Gorman Junior High also splits their first two days of school by grade. On the first day, only seventh graders will come to school, and on the second day, only eighth graders will attend. It’s something Charron said allows students to get even more comfortable with their new surroundings.

“We choose to do it this way because our planning and messaging is very different for those new to the building to those who have already been with us for a school year. We find that by dividing them up the first two days of school provides us with another avenue to set the stage for a successful school year,” he explained.

O’Gorman High School also has special events to welcome new students to campus. The school hosts “Freshman Unity Day”  before the school year starts, which introduces freshmen to life in high school. During that day, freshmen have a chance to ask questions, walk through their class schedules and even watch a “runway” show to see how they can style their new uniforms.

The high school also hosts a “New Student Picnic & Luncheon” for anyone transferring to O’G. New students are able to get a personal walk-through of their schedule so they can easily find their classrooms and are introduced to the school clubs and organizations. Administrators say they know the jump to high school can be overwhelming if you don’t know what to expect, but they hope events like this help ease students’ stress.

“Our welcome events provide an opportunity to become familiar with the spaces and schedules when school starts. It allows students to get any questions answered and specifically covers all of the little details of the school day,” said Morgan Robey, O’Gorman High School counselor.

O’Gorman works hard to establish a connection between an upperclassman and a new student before the first day of school so they have someone to turn to for questions and guidance, Robey added.

“There’s a comfort to walking through the halls and knowing there are people around that know you until friendships are able to develop. We structure our orientation so that the nerves can be minimized. That way, students can have excitement be their primary emotion when they walk in the doors on the first day!”

These unique efforts help students feel more comfortable before they enter the hallways on the first day. And that can make all the difference to students looking to find a second home in their new school.

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