LAPS sixth graders got the chance recently to become familiar with the ins and outs of their future school. Courtesy/LAPS
LAPS News:
The transition from elementary to middle school can be intimidating, but thanks to the Los Alamos Middle School team, sixth graders got the chance to become familiar with the ins and outs of their future school.
The goal is to prepare the current sixth grade students for middle school.
In order to ease this transition, LAMS organized a few events for students to get a taste of middle school. Principal Mike Johnson, Assistant Principal Pamela Miller and Counselor Jennifer Neil visited each elementary school in the district to sit down and chat with the sixth graders about rules, electives, courses, athletics and more.
The LAMS team also had meetings with all sixth grade teachers to go over expectations and any questions they might have in preparation for upcoming parent conferences.
On Feb. 5, sixth grade classes from each elementary school got the chance to visit the middle school. Classes rotated between presentations and tours, really getting the opportunity to explore LAMS and hear about classes, rules, clubs and activities.
Next was the Hawk Sampler that evening, which allowed students to tour the school again, but this time with their parents in tow. Together, students and parents were able to check out the classrooms and learn more about the various electives offered at LAMS. Since those students had already visited the building earlier that morning, many used their newfound knowledge to confidently guide their parents around the school. “The kids were so excited,” said Miller.
In addition to information about electives, there were also a few math tables set up to help answer questions about math placement. Making sure students are placed in the right level of math is a priority.
The staff enjoyed getting to interact with the future middle school students and their parents. Johnson said, “We forget the mystery of middle school.” Questions like, “What’s a GPA?” or “How will I get into my locker?” are important inquiries for sixth graders and the LAMS team is happy to answer them. All these events are meant to help the students feel comfortable with their upcoming transition and Miller said, “It does help. It helps a lot.” Sixth grade student Melanie Tapia appreciated the chance to get familiar with the school on Feb. 5 and after the fun activities of the morning said, “I’m really excited for middle school!”
The LAMS team looks forward to seeing the students next school year and is excited to offer new electives like Pre-Engineering/Robotics, Child Psychology, Introduction to Ceramics and Sculpture, and Introduction to Forensics.
More information and frequently asked questions about the middle school can be found at laschools.net/lams.
