Yet Another Record NHS Freshman Class Heads To School

By Tanjua Damon

It seems a trend has started for incoming freshman classes at Newtown High School. For the past two years, freshman classes have been the biggest classes at the school – ever!

This year when school begins on Tuesday, August 28, nearly 400 freshmen will enter high school, almost 40 more students than entering freshman class last year.

The high school conducted a freshman/new student orientation August 21 and it was quite clear by the crowd of people in the auditorium that the class is a big one – 396 students, to be exact. During the orientation, the incoming students enjoyed a new process designed by the guidance department.

“Well it’s a kick off. It’s a first impression. It’s the excitement of starting a new four-year experience,” director of guidance Don Elliott said. “We want to make them confident, positive, and to be comfortable so they can enjoy this from the start.”

Students enjoyed a volleyball game with faculty members, and listened to current students offer helpful advice from what to wear to how to act to being responsible. Food always seems to be a good way to draw a crowd so the culinary department started the grills and provided food for the new students.

Another new feature of the freshman orientation was an exercise in which the students wrote letters to themselves as if they had already completed four years of high school. They were asked to forecast what type of person they were, who they went to the prom with, where they are heading off to college, and what kinds of things they did while in high school. The letters were put into envelopes and sealed. They will be returned to the students in four years at graduation.

Newtown High School Principal William Manfredonia explained to the students that high school goes by quickly and decisions made during those four years affect decisions they will have in the future.

“I will tell you that this will be a very quick year, a very fast year for you,” he said. “Four years from today, you will probably be preparing to move out of your house and move onto another part of your life. This is your opportunity now to build what will happen four years from now.”

Assistant Principal Jules Triber will work closely with the class of 2005 while they are at Newtown High School.

“We look forward to sharing your spirit and ideas. The freshman class always brings a fresh breath each year,” Mr Triber said. “You bring us vibrancy and you keep us young. We appreciate that.”

The students did not seem to mind spending three hours learning about the place they will most likely call their second home for the next four years.

“I think it’s been really great. They’ve treated us cool,” Steven Schmidt said. “I think I should have no problem because I went to marching band camp. I met a lot of upper classmen.”

Tom Rodbell found the orientation to be helpful and now feels that he can find his way around. Meeting up with friends was also fun.

“It’s helping me. I’ll actually know where I’m going and have some clue where my classes are,” he said. “A lot of them [friends] have changed. They covered everything you need to know so the first day you are pretty set.”

Christie Caruso felt the session by current students that gave the incoming freshman advice was important and informational.

“I thought it was really cool. I learned a lot,” she said. “It taught me you have to be serious about high school and that you can’t slack off.”

While the students were learning more about the high school, their parents were receiving similar lessons about what is available and how things work.

“I thought it was very good. This is my one and only child,” Anne Golino said. “It was a good mix. I added a parent orientation in the spring so I was pretty versed.”

Bob Eckenrode was glad to be provided with information about the high school and felt the orientation was beneficial.

“I think it was outstanding. It really covered the facets the high school has to offer. It was very helpful and supportive – the courses and network of support people they have in place,” Mr Eckenrode said. “It was very well laid out. I had heard they were doing well academically. It just confirmed my belief. It’s great to know my kids are going to be continuing their education in Newtown.”

School starts Tuesday, August 28.