Help Students Adjust To A New School

Students typically attend multiple schools over the course of their academic careers. Preschool, elementary school, middle school and high school are all normal pitstops on students’ academic journeys. This year, in Wolf Point, the reallignment of the third- and sixth-grade classrooms means even more students will be in a new school.

Moving to a new school can pose a challenge for students. Whether they are beginning a new school at the start of a school year, or switching schools mid-year, the transition may be marked by a variety of emotions. The following tips can help students adjust to a new school.

• Discuss stress and uncertainty with children. Parents can be honest with children and note that not every scenario is simple. Uncertainty is a part of life, and feelings that arise because of it can be acknowledged. Parents can demonstrate that it’s alright to feel stressed about the uncertainty of a new school and unsettled about changes that are coming. But ultimately everyone will work together as a family to help ease the transition.

• Familiarize oneself with the new school. Learning about and touring a new school can assuage a lot of the fears a student may have. School campus tours and opportunities to shadow students can help them feel more comfortable on the first day.

• Connect with other students. If possible, students should try to meet up with some of their potential peers. Some schools host meet-and-greet events where incoming students can hang out with others in a friendly environment. Seeing one or two familiar faces the first day of school can help students who are apprehensive.

• Focus on what can be controlled. One of the best ways that adults can help students feel more positive about a new school is by focusing their attention on what they can control, says Pearson. Gathering familiar supplies, setting up a schedule or enrolling in a favorite subject or extracurricular activity are some ways students can exert control to boost their confidence.

• Work with the teacher. Parents can meet with a student’s teacher or teachers about what they can do to foster a smooth transition, particularly if their child is coming into the school in the middle of the school year.

• Show an interest in the school. Parents should be active participants in their children’s educations. That means attending school functions that celebrate students and joining parent-teacher organizations. Asking about new courses or extracurricular activities also can help students who may begin to mirror the enthusiasm their parents are showing.

Adjusting to a new school takes some time, but it is not an insurmountable task.