Staff Writer
Eighth-grade students entering Caribou High School this fall are expected to make the transition a bit smoother thanks for a program developed by an English teacher who has experience at both levels.
Mark Jones, principal at Caribou High School, CHS English teacher, Alana Margeson, center, and Caribou Middle School teacher Courtney Cyr discuss the events of Step Up Day. The step up program allowed eighth-grade students to experience a day at the high school.
Alana Margeson, who teaches English at CHS, also taught at the eighth-grade level before making the switch to high school. As part of her work to earn a master’s in education, she chose to incorporate the “8th Grade Step Up Experience” into her research project.
“I have the ideal vantage point to observe students making the transition from middle school to high school,” said Margeson.
As part of the program, about 120 students from Caribou Middle School and about 35 from School Union 122 visited CHS for a day of orientation.
Based on an interest survey, high school students were matched with the incoming eighth-graders. When the students came in, they were introduced to Mark Jones, CHS principal. High school students conducted several icebreaker activities to allow the students to get to know each other before beginning a day of classes.
The new students experience the process of negotiating the halls between classes, opening lockers and finding the correct classroom.
“That’s the important stuff,” Margeson said. “Those seem to be the ones that cause the most anxiety.”
During his welcome, Jones stressed the importance of the students’ comfort level as they begin their high school career.
Margeson said that research shows that if students have a smooth transition to high school, they have better chance of finishing school.
“That’s really what Step Up Day is all about,” said the teacher, “getting students to be comfortable with their environment to increase retention and graduation. We want students to be successful.”
Margeson said that the eighth graders were asking for such a day to help their move easier.
To prepare for the Step Up Day, the high school students worked with facilitator Troy Cunningham on building leadership skills.
The training for the special event was made available through a Nellie Mae Education Grant under the direction of Mike McCormack, which allowed for “wonderful, meaningful professional development opportunities for staff, early college experiences and academic support for students. It also provided for leadership training for students at middle and high school levels.
Margeson said that follow-up surveys taken after the recent Step Up Day showed that the middle school students “had a blast” and found the experience valuable. For many, it had been their first time in the high school.
“Instead of coming to the orientation night before school starts, students can now say they have been in the building and experienced a typical day at CHS,” Margeson said.
