This piece was featured in the 2019 Community Impact Report.
“Stewart hosts four different programs or events to help transition our incoming fifth grade students and families to middle school:
- Middle School Visits – Fifth grade students from our four largest feeder elementary schools come in for a “day in the life” experience. They are paired with a sixth or seventh grade student and shadow them in two of their classes.
- Future Panther Night – This is our spring open house. Parents and guardians are able to meet with teachers and take tours of the school.
- Panther JumpStart – This is a half-day transition camp. Students visit Stewart for two days in August and participate in different activities that will help them feel more comfortable starting middle school. They do ice breaker games, practice working with their lockers, take tours, learn how to take notes, and meet our staff.
- Back to School Night – This is an open house for our parents or guardians and students to meet with their Advisory teachers for a “get to know you” circle. They learn about expectations and events for the year and get a draft of their schedule before transitioning to logistical things, such as purchasing uniforms and information on school clubs.
Unlike the transition from middle school to high school, our incoming sixth grade students are coming from a school they may have attended for six or seven years. The structure of their day changes from minimal transitions to one that changes every hour. Students have to build relationships with six different teachers with new expectations. Our transition events give students time to process the big leap from elementary to middle school.”
Not pictured is Stewart Principal Kim Messersmith.