My daughter’s new school has done an outstanding job of making her feel like she belongs.
It all started with a principal led tour the week before she started. We really appreciated the principal taking time out of his day to show us around the school. It was really good for Eloise to see the school library, gym and cafeteria. It seemed to really help with her anxiety of the “new school.” The final stop on the school tour was her classroom where there was already a desk set up with her name on it. It was great to see the class was ready for their new student.
The school and teachers have done some great things to help my daughter feel like she belongs.
On her first day of school she was given a book, written by all her classmates introducing themselves to her.
She was also assigned a “helper” that stuck with her the first few days making sure she knew where to go in the school, had someone to sit with at lunch and had a person in the classroom that could answer her unending questions .
During the weekly first grade community meeting, Eloise was given a courage award for having the courage it takes to be a new student in school. She came home beaming with pride (and a little arrogance) that she was chosen for an award during her first community meeting.
She was also sent on a school scavenger hunt. The scavenger hunt was designed to help her find her way around the school. As she would reach a destination she was given a small prize. For example, when she found the nurse’s office she was given a Band-aid.
At the end of her first couple of days of school I received an email update from Eloise’s teacher. It was great to get the teacher’s perspective on our daughter’s day in addition to all the first-hand information we were getting at home.
At the end of the week I also received a phone call from her teacher talking about the first week, getting an update about how things were going academically and socially.
I was beyond pleased at how great the staff treated my daughter as an individual and made her feel so special. The school she came from was much smaller and one of my concerns was she would get lost in the shuffle of a larger school. My daughter’s principal and teacher made sure that did not happen.
To top it al off, yesterday in the mail, Eloise received a postcard from her teacher. The postcard mentioned how much she liked having Elouise in her class.
Here’s to hoping the next few years go as well as the first few days at the new school.
-Pete