- Elementary School
- 4th Grade to 5th Grade Transition
4th Grade to 5th Grade Transition
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Transition from elementary to middle school may be stressful for not only students, but parents as well. In fourth grade, we will work closely with our students (and parents) to help them with this transition. Many things will be different, but change is a time for new opportunities! The middle school campus is larger and the enrollment is greater than at the elementary school level. Our students will change classes on their own and have lockers in the fifth grade. There will be greater demands for independence in terms of work habits. The homework assignments will be more complex and involve more time to complete. There will be different and more complex social demands within the cultural setting of the school and during extracurricular activities. But there will also be new opportunities that were not available at the elementary school level from student activities to elective offerings. Careful planning and preparation in fourth grade will increase the probability that the transition to the middle school environment is a successful endeavor for all of our students.
Preparing the Students:
The elementary school team and our students will visit the middle school so that they can:
- Meet teachers and administrators in the middle school.
- Tour the school and visit key locations for fifth grade (fifth grade classrooms, elective classrooms, gym, cafeteria, etc.).
- Learn about important differences between elementary and middle school and about new expectations.
- Develop a list of important skills to teach the students that he or she might need in the new environment.
- Review and then discuss the middle school portion of the Student Handbook.
Preparing the Parents:
The elementary school team will:
- Discuss with parents how they might assist their child over the summer to become ready for the transition.
- Share materials that might assist them and their child to become familiar with the middle school campus.
- Provide information about school activities/clubs and the faculty expectations revolving around homework as well as academic and behavioral expectations.
- Introduce middle school PTO, athletic and band booster groups so parents can become involved, if they wish, in sponsored activities of the middle school.
- Review with parents the middle school carpool procedures prior to the fifth grade year.