Transition Programs Build a Sense of Community and Belonging
Introduction
Think back to the night before your first day of high school. Although moving from middle school to high school can be a very exciting time for students, the transition is filled with great anxiety and stress for many adolescents (Herlihy) A new building, new teachers and different expectations. Adding to that stress is making new friends and a more challenging course load. What if it had not been such a stressful experience? What if you began this process as part of an established community of friends? What if that community helped you to learn about the school? What if you had a support system of students and teachers already in place and waiting for you to enter high …show more content…
The transition from the middle into high school can be perilous for some students. High school freshmen fail at an alarming rate. In a general sense, the environment, expectations, structure, and culture of high schools are different from middle school. Educators have developed programs and systems to assist students in their transition from the middle into high school. (Ellerbrock)
The effective transition is not an event, but a process. (Herlihy) Each activity is deliberately created to provide support during the transition process. Effective transitions incorporate the supporting school’s mission and vision for the success of each student. (Herlih) Key strategies that are shared by effective transition programs involve creating a connection to the school, the establishment of small communities, peer support guide by upperclassmen and academic support.
Connection to the School
Students who attend schools with an explicit transition program are more likely to experience a smooth transition to high school than students who attend schools without this type of support. (Smith, 1997) These connections are built with strong lines of communication with both students and parents. Providing the appropriate mix of information and communication outlets are used to put the anxieties at …show more content…
Being able to use data and research to support a transition program leads to strong support and having a high value placed on the program. As with any school supported program the more information that is provided to support the program the more support it will receive.
Relevance to Link Crew
Link Crew seamlessly incorporated each of the key strategies shared by effective transition programs by creating a connection to the school, establishing small communities, peer support guided by upperclassmen and strong academic support.
The Sullivan School District and Sullivan High School recognizes the importance of meeting the needs of the transitioning population of students and is committed to the Link Crew Program. The implementation and utilization of the Link Crew program mean our school does not have to start from
Introduction
Think back to the night before your first day of high school. Although moving from middle school to high school can be a very exciting time for students, the transition is filled with great anxiety and stress for many adolescents (Herlihy) A new building, new teachers and different expectations. Adding to that stress is making new friends and a more challenging course load. What if it had not been such a stressful experience? What if you began this process as part of an established community of friends? What if that community helped you to learn about the school? What if you had a support system of students and teachers already in place and waiting for you to enter high …show more content…
The transition from the middle into high school can be perilous for some students. High school freshmen fail at an alarming rate. In a general sense, the environment, expectations, structure, and culture of high schools are different from middle school. Educators have developed programs and systems to assist students in their transition from the middle into high school. (Ellerbrock)
The effective transition is not an event, but a process. (Herlihy) Each activity is deliberately created to provide support during the transition process. Effective transitions incorporate the supporting school’s mission and vision for the success of each student. (Herlih) Key strategies that are shared by effective transition programs involve creating a connection to the school, the establishment of small communities, peer support guide by upperclassmen and academic support.
Connection to the School
Students who attend schools with an explicit transition program are more likely to experience a smooth transition to high school than students who attend schools without this type of support. (Smith, 1997) These connections are built with strong lines of communication with both students and parents. Providing the appropriate mix of information and communication outlets are used to put the anxieties at …show more content…
Being able to use data and research to support a transition program leads to strong support and having a high value placed on the program. As with any school supported program the more information that is provided to support the program the more support it will receive.
Relevance to Link Crew
Link Crew seamlessly incorporated each of the key strategies shared by effective transition programs by creating a connection to the school, establishing small communities, peer support guided by upperclassmen and strong academic support.
The Sullivan School District and Sullivan High School recognizes the importance of meeting the needs of the transitioning population of students and is committed to the Link Crew Program. The implementation and utilization of the Link Crew program mean our school does not have to start from