By Lisa Carolin
The questions Beach Middle School teacher Brian Boos was posing to sixth-graders Monday, Aug. 28, were somewhat out of the ordinary.
They included: “If you could travel to Hawaii, the moon, or Paris, which would you choose?” and “If an alien spaceship landed outside your house, what two things would you give the aliens (not including your family and pets) that represent what life is like in a home in Chelsea?”
It was Beach’s annual sixth-grade orientation day led by Boos as well as Amy Doma and Mike Lott who coordinate the WEB (Where Everybody Belongs) training for eighth-graders. The eighth-grade WEB leaders were each assigned small groups of sixth-graders with the goal of building relationships among the groups.
“When I went into sixth-grade, I was really nervous,” said WEB leader Makayla Kegerreis. “I want to help these sixth-graders.”
Boos said that the WEB leaders help the sixth-graders feel more comfortable all year long.
“The activities focus on learning each other’s names, playing fun team building games, learning strategies to be successful at Beach, and a fun-themed school tour,” said Boos.
Close to 180 sixth-graders and 48 WEB leaders gathered in the gymnasium and formed circles where they learned each others names and took turns answering Boos’ questions.
“This helps you get to know people and the school,” said sixth-grader Joseph Grudzinski. “I feel pretty welcomed.”
“I think it’s fun and you get to meet a lot of people,” said sixth-grader Lauren Hayes.
“WEB leaders will be role models for the sixth-graders in more ways than the coordinators and teachers at Beach will ever know,” said Boos.
This is the eighth year of the WEB program at Beach.
