NewsStudent LifePre-K to 8Service
Middle School hosts pizza-party orientation
Aug 17, 2001 8:00 AM
By Stefan Eady - Faculty
Darlington’s Middle School hosted the annual Pizza Party and Orientation for new students on Thursday, Aug. 16. A large crowd of incoming students and their parents gathered on the Middle School lawn to get to know each other and meet the faculty.
After dinner, parents attended a meeting led by Jim Van Es, principal. “I can assure you of three things,” Van Es told the standing room only crowd. “Your children are going to be safe here, they are going to be happy, and they are going to be educated.” Sally MacLeod, assistant principal, and Diane Ogletree, secretary, were also on hand to answer questions.
Van Es encouraged parents to read the Middle School student handbook located on the Darlington Web site at www.darlingtonschool.org/handbooks. He pointed out the usefulness of the student Web page, which will list homework a child is assigned each day. “This is a great resource for parents,” Van Es said. “Please look at your child’s student page on a regular basis. Teachers will post comments there, and you can really keep up with what your son or daughter is doing in the classroom.”
Van Es invited parents to attend classes with their child if they wanted that experience, and stressed the importance of communication with teachers and staff. Ogletree added, “If you have any concerns or questions, we want to hear from you. We can’t fix something if we don’t know about it.”
During a question and answer session, parents learned more about everything from the dress code to distinctive habits of the Middle School age group. Quite often the answers were humorous. Drawing on his 33 years of experience, Van Es gave parents insight into the likes and dislikes of the average 6th to 8th grader.
When asked, “Can the children take showers after physical education?” Van Es answered, “They can. But they don’t.”
Another mother asked, “Can I come to school and have lunch with my child? Or is that a really nerdy thing to do?” Van Es replied, “Yes, that is a nerdy thing to do. But do it anyway – your child will be proud of you.”
While the parents met inside the school, their children played outside, supervised by Middle School faculty. Ogletree noted that this “play” time is important for the students. “This outdoor time gives the children a chance to interact with their new teachers in a laid back, fun way,” she said. “This interaction is the beginning of building communication between the students and faculty. Our teachers are interested in more than just the academic pursuits of a child. They want to get to know and develop the whole person.”
Another benefit to students is the opportunity to meet other new kids on the block. “On the first day of school they will see some familiar faces, and that is so important to them at this age. This party is about a whole lot more than pizza,” Ogletree said.
After dinner, parents attended a meeting led by Jim Van Es, principal. “I can assure you of three things,” Van Es told the standing room only crowd. “Your children are going to be safe here, they are going to be happy, and they are going to be educated.” Sally MacLeod, assistant principal, and Diane Ogletree, secretary, were also on hand to answer questions.
Van Es encouraged parents to read the Middle School student handbook located on the Darlington Web site at www.darlingtonschool.org/handbooks. He pointed out the usefulness of the student Web page, which will list homework a child is assigned each day. “This is a great resource for parents,” Van Es said. “Please look at your child’s student page on a regular basis. Teachers will post comments there, and you can really keep up with what your son or daughter is doing in the classroom.”
Van Es invited parents to attend classes with their child if they wanted that experience, and stressed the importance of communication with teachers and staff. Ogletree added, “If you have any concerns or questions, we want to hear from you. We can’t fix something if we don’t know about it.”
During a question and answer session, parents learned more about everything from the dress code to distinctive habits of the Middle School age group. Quite often the answers were humorous. Drawing on his 33 years of experience, Van Es gave parents insight into the likes and dislikes of the average 6th to 8th grader.
When asked, “Can the children take showers after physical education?” Van Es answered, “They can. But they don’t.”
Another mother asked, “Can I come to school and have lunch with my child? Or is that a really nerdy thing to do?” Van Es replied, “Yes, that is a nerdy thing to do. But do it anyway – your child will be proud of you.”
While the parents met inside the school, their children played outside, supervised by Middle School faculty. Ogletree noted that this “play” time is important for the students. “This outdoor time gives the children a chance to interact with their new teachers in a laid back, fun way,” she said. “This interaction is the beginning of building communication between the students and faculty. Our teachers are interested in more than just the academic pursuits of a child. They want to get to know and develop the whole person.”
Another benefit to students is the opportunity to meet other new kids on the block. “On the first day of school they will see some familiar faces, and that is so important to them at this age. This party is about a whole lot more than pizza,” Ogletree said.
