The start of high school can be a very stressful time and many freshmen approach the frightening world of high school feeling unprepared. Little things such as not knowing where to find a classroom, or feeling unsure if they have exactly the right supplies can greatly impact a student’s overall experience. While it is hard to provide adequate information to over 500 students, CHS needs to improve its methods of preparing students for the start of high school. Before school starts, freshmen should feel excited and prepared for the challenge of a new type of school; they should not have to worry about lacking necessary information. These students are already under enough pressure trying to fit in and pass their classes.
All high school students can acknowledge the fact that there are some essential pieces of advice that freshmen are never informed of. This includes how to put money in a school account and how to buy lunch. It is also never clarified to freshmen how to log onto school computers, which is something that students are expected to do regularly. Furthermore, freshmen are not told what school supplies to buy until school begins, and by then the majority of products are sold out. Many freshmen were also unaware of where to access summer assignment, leaving several students to figure it out themselves.
While no one ever feels 100 percent prepared for high school, there are a few things that could be improved on during CHS freshman orientation and registration that can help students feel more comfortable. Firstly, several students feel that the tours are too short and are missing some important buildings. This absent information includes a couple of the quads, the band and orchestra room, and classrooms near the theater. After these tours, many students have difficulty finding their classrooms. Maps are not easy for students to access as well, making it easy for students to get lost on campus.
An additional reason why freshmen feel unprepared for the first week of high school is the uncertainty associated with their schedules. For example, if a freshman needs a schedule change and receives a printout of an updated schedule, the new schedule does not include the bell schedules. While the bell schedules are available in students’ agendas, most are unaware of it. It is also never clarified by the school that there are three bells during passing period, including the two-minute warning bell. Not knowing this, several students think that they are late to class after hearing the second bell. This causes an abundance of unnecessary stress and worry for many students.
At the beginning of the school year, freshmen at CHS should be focusing on the next four years of their lives, but instead feel like they are missing critical information. While most students do have everything they need for a successful freshman year, they do not always realize it. Even though this is case, our school’s preparation of incoming students can still be improved upon.