In the Middle: Transitioning to Middle School Traci Wright John Paydo Mayfield Middle School Mayfield Heights, Ohio

Goals of Session Examine how the relationship between student and teacher can impact the middle school experience. Take away some new ideas to implement in your middle school. Analyze how students transition into your middle school.

Mayfield Middle School Suburban district located 20 miles from Cleveland Only middle school in district Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Grade in building One school counselor per grade level 300 students in each grade level Three academic teams in each grade level Four homerooms on each academic team Four elementary schools feed into the middle school

Share Ideas – What are ways that you help students transition? Throughout today’s presentation, please consider sharing your ideas. Use the pink sheet at the back of your packet to write down your ideas. All of the ideas will be collected and put into a document to be emailed out in the next few weeks.

Why Transitions? Moving from an elementary school to a middle school is experienced by more than 88% of public school students as they begin the middle grades. Transitioning to middle school evokes a wide variety of emotions, behaviors, and concerns for both young adolescents and their parents. For many students it's considered a major stepping-stone on the road to becoming an adult.  For teachers and principals, it is an opportunity to have a fresh start with students and to introduce them to the culture and expectations of their new school in a way that promotes positive behavior and involvement.

What will I do to establish and maintain effective relationships with students? “Arguably the quality of the relationships teachers have with students is the keystone of effective management and perhaps even the entirety of teaching.” “If the relationship between the teacher and the student is good, then everything else that occurs in the classroom seems to be enhanced.” Robert Marzano – The Art and Science of Teaching

Today’s Presentation Transitions Student Teachers/Staff Parents

Change in Ideology Random Acts of Transition Standardized Transition Program

Attributes of Successful Transition Programs A sensitivity to the anxieties accompanying a move to a new school setting The importance of parents and teachers as partners in this effort The recognition that becoming comfortable in a new school setting is an ongoing process, not a single event.

Mayfield Middle School Fifth to Sixth Grade Transition Why change was needed? How did we begin the change? How was this communicated to students and families entering our middle school?

Elementary School Visits Staff: One teacher per team, administration, school counselor, special education staff member Program Student Surveys

Preparation Notification to students and families Monitoring RSVPs Emails to families Official invitation to students

Program 9:00 AM: Optional Setup/Breakfast 11:30 AM: Lunch 12:00 – 12:20: Staff Meeting in Media Center 12:30 – 1:00: Student Registration    1:15 – 2:00: Grade Level Meeting in Auditorium   2:00 – 4:00: Team Activities 3:00 – 4:00: Parent Meeting in Auditorium 4:00 –  4:30: Team Parent Meetings w/students

Grade Level Meeting with Students Introductions and Welcome Principal Welcome Superintendent Welcome Review of the Day Dismiss by Homerooms

Team Activities 2:00 – 2:15 Homeroom Time (Snacks) 2:20 – 2:40   Session #1 2:45 – 3:05   Session #2 3:10 – 3:30 Session #3 3:35 – 3:55  Session #4 Sessions: Building Scavenger Hunt, Learning to Open Lock, Learning About My Schedule, Locker Organization

Parent Meeting Introductions Principal/Superintendent Welcome MMS Video Overview of Teams Parent Orientation PowerPoint (Schedule, Teaming, Activities, Clubs) Tech Connection (PIV, Team Web Sites, MMS Web Page, MMS Facebook Site)

Team Parent Meetings with Students Trailblazer Team – Auditorium Dream Team – Café II All Star Team – Café I Purpose: Teachers on the team share team specific items

Feedback from Parents I thought everything was nice yesterday.  The best was the slide show I do not recall this when my oldest started 2 years ago.  It was informative and I feel help calmed parents that were not sure how things go.  Maybe you should include how to drop off your child if you drive them.  Great work. Thanks to you and the other staff members at MMS. What a great day the kids (and parents) had today. Our own daughter and several other kids that we know were much happier and less nervous when they left today versus when the day began. I also thought that the information shared with the parents was very thorough. I even picked up a few things that we didn't hear about last year. Hope the school is able to continue this orientation in the future.

Feedback from Parents Thank you for your time and all your hard work that went into today’s first Mayfield Middle School Orientation!  It was WONDERFUL!   We LOVED it!   We appreciate you, the guidance staff and all of the MMS staff!  The orientation was so helpful, informative and fun! You helped to ease our fears and anxieties about middle school.  What a wonderful welcome to MMS!  Today was fabulous!  I think it put a lot of parents at ease and more importantly made the kids feel at ease about coming to a new school.  We had a great time!  Thanks to all who volunteered their time to make this happen!

Feedback from Teachers Very organized. Students are aware of school expectations before school begins. Very welcoming to parents. Parents, students and staff all received multiple notices about the event well in advance. Very well organized and seemed to run smoothly-it was obvious that much thought and planning went into the day. Great to meet the students and parents prior to the first day of school. Feel as though we have already started building rapport and cohesiveness as a team.

Feedback from Teachers Overall excellent day. Team rotation time went well. Great opportunity for them to get locks, lockers and schedules. Thank you for all of the support teachers were provided. Nice to have so much district support as well!!! Student council helpers were outstanding! Many things went well: communication to parents before the orientation, parent attendance, well prepared and organized, students able to receive agendas schedule locks. The amount of time scheduled for team activities. Student council volunteers were helpful.

Outcomes 95% of the Sixth Grade Staff Attended 100% of the Sixth Grade Staff Attended; including all administrators and school counseling staff “A well-designed transition plan can restore the strong sense of belonging the entering middle school student once felt in elementary school - a key element associated with the positive motivation to enjoy and succeed in academic tasks. The young adolescent must feel successful in school, have opportunities for self-expression and decision-making, and feel cared for and respected as a person.” AMLE

Contacts Traci Wright – twright@mayfieldschools.org John Paydo – jpaydo@mayfieldschools.org