Freshman year is known as one of the hardest years of your life. What is Chapman doing to help?
Transitioning from middle school to high school can be overwhelming. There will be new classes, new teachers, new students and an entirely new campus to navigate. In efforts to help with this, Chapman hosts an eighth-grade visit day. This helps students get a glance at faculty and a feel for the building.
While many incoming students are unfamiliar with Chapman’s campus, there are students in the seventh and eighth grade that already do sports here. In addition, over seventeen eighth graders are attending Chapman because they can take English 1 Honors and Algebra 2 Honors.
Another way Chapman helps incoming students feel more comfortable is the opportunities for parents to get involved as well. Mission Transition is one of these events where you can tour the building, walk by your classes and visit your locker.
This event highlights the various opportunities for incoming freshmen. From new clubs and organizations to sports teams and other activities, there’s no shortage of extracurriculars for students to explore.
The dynamics of high school are much different than in elementary and middle school. Assistant Principal Amy Walker emphasizes that with the increased freedom offered in high school, there is also a lot to be learned about the importance of time management. extracurriculars and a social life can be difficult at first, but she has faith that freshmen will soon get the hang of it.
Creating a homework schedule or keeping a detailed calendar is a good way to keep track of commitments.. Staying organized is key to successfully managing your time.
In the midst of the stress and nervousness, do not forget to enjoy high school. You will make new friends and have opportunities so take advantage of it. The start of the high school experience is an exciting time. There’s no doubt that some challenges will lie ahead as you adjust to new academic and social dynamics, but it will be a fun journey.
Another thing Walker emphasized is involvement. Look at which interests you wish to pursue, and how you want to contribute to your high school community. This is a time of great change, so embrace it. Take advantage of the new flex schedule and remember everyone is here to help you
For freshman Camden Souther, the expanded freedoms have made his first year at Chapman more enjoyable. Being in classes with people from different grade levels has been a new opportunity for him to make new friends. He advises incoming freshmen space out your classes so that one semester is not more content-heavy than the other. Souther also encourages students to get involved and enjoy the experience.