What do students want out of the 17-18 school year orientations?!?

Students are expecting a lot out of a new year as always. Orientation is the first time many students will get to see if they are going to get what they wanted or not. This is what most students want [to see]….

1. an inviting atmosphere
2. supporting teachers and staff
3. ability to make new friends easily

Even though this is only a list of three, some of these are hard to accomplish within a school system. Let’s break them down.

We will begin with point one, an inviting atmosphere. After summer break, most people that are working orientations aren’t awake or lively. If you aren’t awake or lively, how can someone experience an inviting atmosphere? New students or returning students are frightened by those who are awake and lively. They feel as if they aren’t welcomed. This is not how the year should start. The school system needs to push for positive, energetic, inviting, and lively people to be working their orientations. The students should be welcoming to anyone who walked in the doors !! “Two faced” students should not be working orientations. These are students who are respectful to the teachers but rude to the students. This could be students they’ve never met or known for a long time. To make an inviting atmosphere you cannot be two faced students!!! Teachers watch for this!! If a student is touring another student and blabbing about how terrible they think the school is…the student will not feel welcomed.

Not only do students have to be welcoming and inviting, but teachers as well (point two) !! Teachers I know this is a hectic time of year for you but take time to know your students even if they aren’t in your class. If you are working something such as freshman orientation, get to know the freshman class. This is the first time they’ve been in a building this size!! They are scared! Be the students support system at all times. They need to know that they can lean on you when needed. Other staff/faculty members should also be doing this. If you aren’t going to be kind to the students that walk in for maybe the first time during orientations, don’t sign up to work them. This is a make it or break it for many.

New/Returning students also want to be able to make friends easily (especially freshman and new students) (point three). Students working orientation with organizations such as student senate should have mandatory training on building friendships with those they meet while working. Students working should have an intense passion for the school that rubs off of the students they are touring/helping. If not, they shouldn’t be working orientations. The

If these points are followed, students will be confident in their upcoming year of highschool!!