Transitioning to High School
Tips to Help Prepare Students For High School

What Challenges Will Students Face?

• Physical and emotional challenges: The move to Middleton High School means a move to a new building, with a greater number of students, new teachers, new administration, and new more rigorous academic expectations. In addition, your student also has to cope with the developmental task of establishing independence from the family while at the same time maintaining family connections. At this stage of life, parents have less direct input into school activities and academic decisions.
• Social challenges: Establishing new social connections, balancing work and social life, are some of the new demands faced by students entering high school. Pressure to experiment with or engage in alcohol, drugs, and sexual activities is also often increased.
• Academic challenges: Students are expected to have developed an assertive and efficient learning style, and good study and organizational skills. The transition into high school means entering into an academic environment which assumes that the student can take responsibility for decisions regarding academic courses. The pressure of what to do after graduation and for many, college decisions are also present.

How Does MHS Help Students Adjust to High School?

Middleton High School Staff understands the difficult challenges facing students as they enter the High School. Therefore, we have developed many programs that combine Teacher, Staff, Parent, and Student collaboration in order to make the change less stressful for all involved. These include:

• MHS will host a Freshmen / Activities Orientation on Wednesday August 26, 2009 at 6:30 PM in the Performing Arts Center (PAC). Members of the Middleton High School Student Council will be available to help guide students and parents through their new schedules.
• Middleton High School has also implemented an Orientation Program for entering freshman students. On the first day of school, Tuesday, September 1, 2009, freshmen start one-half day before the rest of the students return from summer break. New students are able to follow their new schedules, meet their teachers, and learn about all the opportunities available to them without the distraction of upperclass students. 
• In addition, there will be Back to School Night Thursday, September 24, 2009 from 7-9 PM.  During this evening event, parents will have the opportunity to follow their student’s Wednesday schedule during an abbreviated bell schedule. This evening will be an opportunity to learn about the different Academic Departments and Support Services available at Middleton High School.
• Teachers and other staff at MHS are aware of the challenges typical at different points in a student's academic career. Anticipating the causes of stress and normalizing the experiences for parents and students can be a first step in minimizing any negative impact. At Middleton High School, teachers and other staff are expected to keep in contact with parents. If parents have a question, every staff member has an email address on this web site under the Staff/Departments section, or parents can call to leave voicemail messages (829-9660).
• An additional resource is the Contact / Help List. This list is helpful for parents wondering: "Who Do I Ask?"
• A shift in the structure of the school day will be involved in the transition to Middleton High School. Upperclass students are scheduled for a longer lunch period (47 minutes) and freshman follow an lunch/ Advisory period schedule. We prepare students for this change during the previously mentioned programs. In addition, we provide a student handbook. This tool helps students to organize their time and hand in assignments when they are due.

What Can Parents and Caregivers do to Ease Student Anxiety?

Be interested and enthusiastic about their move to high school. Your encouragement will help your child to make a successful transition to High School. Listen to their experiences and expectations.

Discuss the changes every student will experience. Emphasize that many people feel apprehensive about changing from a smaller middle school to a larger high school, and that there will be people to help them adjust. Encourage them to seek out support staff, such as their Advisor, a Teacher, Dean, Case Manager (as applicable) or a Counselor in the Student Services Office.

Learn about school routines and timetables . Talking to student already enrolled at the school can be useful in finding out information about things such as activities and sporting events. The Middleton High School Student Handbook has a yearly calendar listing all school activities, or click here for the calendar of events for next year.

Help your child to develop good study habits. Try to provide them with somewhere private and quiet to study. Help your child to set aside a particular time to study. Work out a daily timetable that incorporates all your child's needs and interests. Regularly viewed TV programs, club activities and sport should all be part of the timetable. Ultimately they will need to manage their own study and they can guide you in what is helpful for them.

Practice organizational skills . In the first few weeks of high school you might want to check with your child that they have the right books for the following day. You will quickly encourage a good habit.

Help your child set priorities . The expectations and responsibilities of high school will be quite different than what your child experienced in middle school. As more and more responsibility falls upon their shoulders, help your child set priorities.

The Middleton High School Administrative Team and Staff welcome all students and parents to the 2009-10 school year!