Incoming sixth-graders and their parents congregated in the Hicksville Middle School gymnasium for the annual orientation program on Sept. 4. The students were greeted by Principal Mara Jorisch, who assured them that their time at the middle school would be a positive journey.
“The middle school is a wonderful place,” Jorisch stated. “We are excited to help each student reach his or her potential.”
The orientation was the last in a three-part series of assemblies to help students bridge the gap between elementary and middle school. In January, the students were addressed about the academic structure of middle school, followed by a tour of the facility in May. The goal of the final orientation was to discuss logistics, goals, academic and extra-curricular offerings and answer questions.
After being separated into color-coded teams, the students received pertinent information about lockers, the lunch program, after-school activities and rules. Students also learned that their teams would be directed by the same group of teachers throughout their years at the middle school. After receiving their schedules and agenda books, the students compared their class schedules with friends and were then free to explore the school, locate their classrooms and ask questions.
