Incoming Freshmen Are Welcomed To Newtown High School On Orientation Day
Incoming Freshmen Are Welcomed To Newtown High School On Orientation Day
By Larissa Lytwyn
Fall seemed to be in the air on the crisp morning of August 24.
In addition to sharp breezes and the first speckles of red and yellow dotting the maples and oaks, hundreds of members of the class of 2008 convened in the auditorium of Newtown High School.
While the first day of school does not begin until August 31, freshman orientation day had arrived.
The morning opened with Newtown High School Principal Bill Manfredonia welcoming the new students into the hallways of their defining high school years.
New assistant principal Catherine Ostar reflected on how she felt similarly to her freshman audience.
âBeing new, there is definitely that sense of excitement and nervousness,â she said, smiling.
She encouraged the students to respect each other, especially each otherâs property, âand weâll get along fine.â
Mr Manfredonia lauded the dedication of the more than 100 upperclassmen that had volunteered their time to help orient the new students.
âYou are all remarkable,â he said.
The schoolâs guidance counselors trained the student guides in being helpful, attentive and welcoming hosts.
Students were broken into color-coded groups of 18 to 20 members helmed by two to four upperclassmen.
The groups were guided into the schoolâs classrooms, libraries, administrative offices, gymnasium and other key areas.
Guides including senior Stacy Shpunt told students the âreal dealâ on a variety of areas both academic and social. She discussed the importance of having a classroom pass when walking through the hallway during class time.
âIf you donât have a pass and are caught by a security guard, youâll definitely be questioned,â she said. âMake sure you have a pass.â
Freshmen were brought into the Career Center to speak with upperclassmen including sophomore Emily Oliver on everything from lunch schedules to after-school activities.
Emily, co-president of human rights club, A Global Voice, encouraged students to get involved.
âItâs important to stay active,â she said. âItâs how to meet people.â
Renata Villarreal, a freshman, echoed Emilyâs sentiments. âI was really looking forward to orientation to get to know as many people as possible before school starts,â she said.
Other activities upperclassmen described as âbigâ at NHS included drama, band and, of course, sports.
Lunches range from 25 to 35 minutes in length and vary for each student according to his or her schedule.
Study Halls could be used to grab a quick bite before heading into the classroom.
While the freshmen received the inside dish of life at NHS, many of their parents gathered in the auditorium to learn more about how they could ease the high school transition for their children.
PTSA President Janis Solheim led a panel of parents comprised of Leslie Quinn, a St Rose parent, Tom Bowen, Bill Clark, and Sue Rothenbucher, whose family moved to Newtown from Texas last summer.
One parent asked how to help her child ease the transition from the small-school setting of St Rose to the high school.
âMy children were eager to meet kids from all over Newtown,â said Ms Quinn, âand have a broader base.â
She encouraged the child to become active in after school activities or sports.
The emphasis on freshmen getting involved with an activity early into the school year seemed to echo throughout the question and answer period.
âMy daughters have been active in sports and youth services,â Mr Clark said. âItâs important for your children to become involved in a variety of activities.â
His daughtersâ âdiversified background,â he noted, translated into collegiate scholarships and other benefits.
Ms Rothenbucher admitted that she was concerned when her family first moved to Newtown because her son had never been heavily involved in sports.
âI was concerned about where he could fit in,â she said.
Fortunately, through some encouragement from his family, Ms Rothenbucherâs son discovered the swim team and instantly âfell in love with it.â
Another central theme of the discussion was time management.
Mr Bowen talked about how his son began his freshman year juggling multiple sports and honors-level courses.
âTime management is key,â he said. He advised parents to encourage their students to focus on one or two after-school activities at a time to avoid overworking themselves. Academic priority was always essential.
âTell your freshman to make sure they use their study hall periods to study, not just socialize,â he said.
Outside the auditorium, Dorrie Carolan, co-president of the nonprofit organization Parent Connection, aimed at increasing substance abuse awareness and prevention, provided parents with information on helping students steer clear of illegal substances, especially alcohol and marijuana.
Ms Solheim encouraged parents to become active at the high school, volunteering their time to help other parents understand school policies and procedures.
âYou are welcome in these hallways,â she said. âYour child might not be happy to see you,â she added, garnering laughter from the audience, âbut your support is more important to your childâs success [in high school] than you may realize.â