K, 6th-, 9th-Grade Students Get Head Start

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Record Number: 19461
Displayed from: Jul 31, 2022 , until: Oct 01, 2022
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Students entering kindergarten and sixth and ninth grades in Fort Wayne Community Schools will get a sneak peak of their new school year when they visit their schools Tuesday, Aug. 2.
Sixth-graders entering middle school and ninth-graders entering high school will participate in Transition Day, while kindergarteners will meet their teachers at Kindergarten Conferences.
The new middle school students will attend from 8 a.m. to noon at their school. Freshmen will get a taste of high school life during the event at their schools from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Kindergarten students will meet with their teachers at individually assigned times throughout the day at their school.
The day gives students at these transitional grade levels the chance to learn the rules of the new school, find their lockers, walk through their schedule and practice other school routines, such as navigating the lunch line. Addressing some of the technical parts of entering a new school eases some of the anxieties students may feel on their first day. With those issues out of the way, students can focus more directly on academics from the first day of the school year, which is Wednesday, Aug. 10.
The experience also gives students a chance to meet teachers and administrators in a setting different than a regular class day, which provides an opportunity to start building relationships. Students will meet the people who will lead and support them over the next few years. Having a strong support system is an important part of having a successful academic career.
The transition events also include parents. Parents are an active participant in the Kindergarten Conferences. At middle and high school, parents learn school procedures and expectations. Just like students, parents are often nervous about moving to the next grade level. Spending time in the building and getting to know teachers, administrators and support staff eases parent concerns, as well. The time and length of the parent portion for middle and high school varies by school.

With nearly 30,000 students, Fort Wayne Community Schools is one of the largest school districts in Indiana. FWCS proudly allows families to choose any of its 50 schools through its successful school-choice program creating diversity in each school, including some with more than 75 languages spoken. FWCS offers seven magnet schools focusing on areas such as science and math, communication, fine arts or Montessori at the elementary and middle school level. In high school, students can choose from the prestigious International Baccalaureate program, Project Lead the Way or New Tech Academy as well as other rigorous academic and specialty training programs.