Transition Week Acclimates Incoming Students

Fayette County Public Schools wants to make sure incoming students are comfortable on campus in the new school year – especially those transitioning into kindergarten, middle school, and high school. For Session 2 of the Summer Ignite enrichment program, each school hosted its upcoming kindergarteners, sixth graders, and ninth graders for one to four days of engaging activities. It was a great opportunity to prepare for a new phase of school. We dropped by three locations to check it out:

At Henry Clay High School, the freshmen gathered in the cafeteria after meeting staffers at the registration tables. They later picked up their class schedules. “When they come in on the first day (of school), they’ll have a familiar face and they’ll know where they’re going,” said Principal Tony Blackman. The students also practiced walking through the metal detectors, learned of the dress code, and heard about the tardy policy, among other useful tidbits. In addition, they had a chance to sign up for clubs and sports tryouts.

At Morton Middle School, long-time teacher Carla Trisko has coordinated these activities for years. Among this week’s highlights were rotations through STEM and math problem-solving classes, Morton 101, and P.E. and Social/Emotional Learning (SEL) sessions. “The goal is for each student to feel comfortable and positive as they advance to middle school, as well as develop relationships with other students and the teachers,” Trisko said. “If we have accomplished this goal, we know that the school year will be off to a winning start!”

At Yates Elementary, the 5-year-olds practiced school routines such as lining up for restroom breaks and sitting on a particular carpet square in their classroom. Yates also hosted a signing event, much like high schools do when a student-athlete signs a letter of intent for college, and families got a head start on completing required paperwork. “We are thrilled to welcome our newest Wildcats, and this week helped lay the foundation for a successful new school year,” said interventionist Katie Mills.