It’s All About the “Welcome” as School Begins Anew
A new school year begins with opportunities for unique experiences, newfound friendships, and exciting subjects, but navigating it all can be tough! A good or bad day for students can hinge on the first experiences they have as they enter the building or walk their class schedules for the first time. Whether you are an elementary student meeting your classroom teacher and peers, finding your table spot, or cubby for the first time – or you are a new face to the middle and high school scene and having to find your way among strangers, it is important to feel welcomed! Knowing there were many new students joining the Wildcat community, Belleville did its best this fall to alleviate some of the nerves as students got acclimated.
As Belleville’s elementary students entered the building for the first time last Thursday, kids found the boys Raiders Soccer team and their coach waiting and ready. High fives, fist bumps and smiles cheered each student on as they began their first day of school. Belleville is a small rural school and having high school students take time out of their morning schedules to arrive early and make a younger peer smile is something unique Belleville has to offer. They do it with joy, remembering what it was like to be an elementary student starting their school journey!
Belleville’s small, hometown caring attitude is felt throughout the community and that extends to its schools. Elementary Principal Kelsey Schmit says, “We are ready to rock the 23-24 school year thanks to the Raider Soccer team for the first day welcome!” She knows how important it is for her new and returning students to feel supported as they come to school and that sentiment is felt this year through the greetings, signs and smiles experienced by children as they arrive at school.
For high school and middle grade students, it can be more of a challenge, so Chad Hodgson, 9-12 Social Studies Teacher and Young Samaritan’s Club Advisor, had an idea to build meaningful relationships and trust with 20 new students joining the Wildcat learning community this fall.
Hodgson says, “During my short time at Madison West, they had a program that was similar to ours that was designed to help new students feel welcome and help them navigate their new school. This year Belleville High School had a large influx of students new to our building and district – certainly above the norm from previous years, which provided a catalyst to get the program going and help these new students integrate seamlessly into our Wildcat family.”
As part of the Young Samaritan’s Club, Cameron Frey was one of the student ambassadors happy to help mentor new student Carlos Garcia-Tellez on day one. Frey says, “It was nice to be able to help offer a tour of the school and answer questions.”
For Carlos, coming from a large high school like Verona has proven to be a big adjustment for him in his first days. His family moved to Belleville, and he has found that things are very different in a small school like Belleville. He says, “It is nice to have help because it makes it easier to have someone to ask questions about school.” During his first week of high school, Cameron Frey has been there to help Carlos find his classes and integrate into a new school environment.
While starting a new school year or being a new student isn’t always easy, having support to build trust for a new environment through acts of caring individuals goes a long way in feeling you are a part of something special. Change is always hard, but Belleville is happy to welcome new students who bring with them new experiences, knowledge and excitement. For students who have called Belleville home for much of their lives, seeing their school through fresh eyes is a great way to build empathy for others because, some day, change will come to us all, and we can learn from one another how to navigate a new path.
