Easing the Transition

To ease the fears commonly associated with making the transition to a new school, the Three Village Central School District hosted its annual summer walkthrough orientation programs at each of its three secondary schools at the end of August.

Upon arriving, the incoming seventh-graders at P.J. Gelinas and R.C. Murphy junior high schools were greeted by student government volunteers, presented with a map of the building and invited to embark on walking tours of the schools. With schedules in hand, they navigated through hallways, located key areas of the building and learned how to open their lockers. Many students also took the opportunity to decorate their lockers with everything from light-up chandeliers to contact paper and fill them with the schools supplies needed for their first day. School administrators and several teachers were also on hand to assist with any questions the students or their parents had.

“It felt great to have the school buzzing with activity again,” commented Murphy Principal Vinny Vizzo. “We hope that this program helped our new seventh-graders feel better acclimated to our school.”

Echoing those feelings, Gelinas Interim Principal Thomas Colletti said, “We were very excited to welcome our new seventh-graders to Gelinas.” He noted that additional programs aimed at further adjusting the students to the school will continue on the first day of classes, explaining, “We have a seventh-grade program planned for first period on the first day to introduce students to the wide range of activities and clubs offered in our building.”

Ward Melville High School also provided a summer orientation program for the building’s incoming 10th-graders. After receiving a welcome from Principal Dr. Alan Baum and members of the school faculty and administration, the new high schoolers toured the facility with peers. After successfully plotting a route to follow their class schedules, the students located and practiced opening their new lockers.