With another entering class of freshmen, Aragon has been taking steps this year to ease their transition into high school. Amongst these initiatives are the controversial freshmen treats, additional support classes, and a newly implemented “band buddies” program.
Headed by the PTSO freshman committee, the freshman treats are amongst other ideas intended to ease the transition into high school. The committee, headed entirely by parents, is active in promoting Aragon’s academic excellence.
Parents made all the treats themselves and had administrative support in executing the event. Counselor Stacy Becker had conceptualized revamping freshman orientation, in which freshmen would be closer knit into the student body.
Dounia Kardosh says, “[Freshmen] are more welcome [and] not as intimidated. [Its] a nice way to show they’re being recognized.”
Freshmen themselves bear mixed response to the new freshmen treats.
Some express that the treats have little effect other than being “free food.” Freshman Daniel Halbeib says, “It is candy, it is not going to make me think any different. Candy is not going to make my day any better. I understand that it can help some people, [but] not me.”
Halbeib expresses that the transition to high school is solely controlled by one’s own perception of it. He says, “I didn’t really think I got a lot of people welcoming me; I didn’t expect everyone to hold my hand. This is a public school; you’ll have to deal with it on your own.”
Freshman Rachel Leung says, “I just thought of it as free food.” Of high school, she also says, “I was only scared of getting lost; it was not intimidating.”
However, others recognize the importance of these treats, as they are intended to help new students transition to an unfamiliar environment. Senior Andrew Perotti says, “High school [is] daunting. [These] initiatives are a positive thing to ease the transition. It’s a good incentive to have freshmen feel welcome and open.”
At the same time, Perotti expresses discontent that freshmen are receiving treats before the seniors have received theirs. He says “If there are free snacks on campus, they should be for seniors [first]. Lower classmen need to realize they need to pay their dues and wait for [their] snacks.”
Regardless, Perotti says, I do support the initiative taken to make [freshmen] feel welcome and not isolated or scared. In the long term it is a good way to make freshmen more comfortable.”
Similarly, Aragon’s band program has taken action to more fully integrate freshmen through the band buddies program. Upperclassmen students were paired with freshmen playing the same instruments, intending to serve as mentors for their younger counterparts.
The buddies program intends to create a bond between band students in different grades. Vice president of the band council junior Marie Mihara says, “We wanted bands to be more cohesive [and] more of a bridge between bands. Not just musically, but [also] socially.”
Mihara draws on personal experience as a justification for the band buddies program. She says “As a freshman who moved into [Wind Ensemble], I probably could’ve transitioned faster if I had some support in the form of a mentor.”
Though “band buddies” has only existed for little over a month, band director Troy Davis believes he has already noticed its benefits. “[Freshmen] are definitely more inspired, because band council is taking initiative for things to happen. There’s more of a willingness to step up and less waiting for someone to do something.”
Furthermore, the school has been taking steps to help freshmen through additional support classes. Winston says, “[We’re] really [getting] freshmen on track, [keeping] them for falling behind.” The classes are intended to provide help for freshman at an early stage so as to prevent them from dropping out of Aragon.
Placement in support classes is determined on middle school performance. Primary factors are the California Standards Tests taken during seventh grade, middle school grades, and teacher suggestions for placement. In order to bolster some students’ performance, some are placed into appropriate classes, such as Algebra Support.
All in all, the recent changes have been made with the intent to hopefully improve communication throughout campus. Freshman committee chair Cheryl Westmont accurately says, “[It’s to] make them feel welcome and transition better.”
