I SCREAM, YOU SCREAM
Next year's freshman class finished up eighth grade and is prepping to join us here in August.
A few months ago, from a pool of about 240 applicants who completed the application and interview process, we drew 100 numbers in a lottery to determine their placement.
I was the lucky person who got to call many of the new students to give them the good news. That was fun! I heard lots of cheering and happy tears.
Recently, we hosted the second annual "Ice Cream Social" for those incoming freshmen. Last year I attended this event to make the "Who is Battelle?" speech to those unsuspecting kids.
This year, we decided to let the current students do the talking and welcoming. I've asked Cassie, one of my student bloggers, to tell us how it went:
"We invited our incoming freshmen to an ice cream social to teach them how a town meeting works. They were all pretty quiet during our discussion, only talking when addressed, but they still gave thoughtful responses. All of them seemed shy, but then I remembered the ice cream social I went to before this school year and I think I was the same way. My class had only adults to guide us, but these new freshmen had us, and I think that made it easier for them.
Outside of the discussions, they did not seem shy at all. They all sat and talked to us, each other, parents and teachers. It was fun to talk to the new students and let them see us in a formal and informal situation." - Cassie W.
So ... I can read between the lines here. We adults just don't know how to throw a good party. Then again, ice cream is great for bonding kids together, right? (Especially when it drips all over everything.)
And don't let these kids fool you-they can be serious, but I've already heard them testing out nicknames for the new ninth-graders.
--- Posted June 11, 2007---