By Lisa Carolin
Just over a week before the start of school, sixth-graders at Beach Middle School spent the morning at their new school as part of their orientation Aug. 27.
They started the day in the gymnasium with their eighth-grade WEB (Where Everybody Belongs) leaders interacting with the groups of students they were assigned to. Everyone first sat on the bleachers and then moved to the gym floor. For the second half of the morning, sixth-graders and their WEB leaders reported to classrooms for more opportunities to get to know each other.
Beach teacher Brian Boos supervised the activities with the help of teachers Amy Doma, Mike Lott, and David Slusser.
“It’s great to see kids come together and get started on the right foot,” said Slusser, who is a new WEB coordinator. “Because of this orientation, we can see a positive influence on the first day of school.”
The goal of the small groups is to build relationships. Sixth-graders played team building games and learned strategies to be successful at their new school.
The students are assigned the same WEB leaders for the whole school year.
“The WEB leaders will offer the sixth-graders academic and social check-ins all year long,” said Boos. “The leaders will help the sixth-graders with everything from lockers to directions getting around the school.”
He says the WEB leaders are role models for the sixth-graders. The WEB program is in its ninth year at Beach. Boos calls the program the middle school equivalent to the Link Crew program at Chelsea High School.
