Transition to High School: High School Enrollment
One of the most rewarding aspects of working at the middle level is the ability to guide students through very significant transitions in their lives. One of these events is the move from middle to high school. We know that this is a time of both excitement and apprehension for students and their parents, and we work to make this period informative, happy, and stress-free, we hope. Our high school enrollment process, considered a "Best Practice" in Rockwood, takes approximately four weeks and involves multiple steps. Through the activities, we encourage students to prudently assess their interests, strengths, challenges, and commitments, considering academics and extracurriculars. It is a "whole persona" approach, in that we ask them to carefully consider their future beyond high school, including post-secondary options, special interests, and career possibilities. Many adults come together to guide the students through this process: every core 8th grade teacher, our 8th grade counselor and administrator, the high school counselors, special educators, gifted resource teachers, and of course parents. At the end of the enrollment period, our students are knowledgeable, prepared, and -- most importantly -- excited for high school.