Emma Nitschke
eSomethin staff
Imagine going to a new school for the first time. It can be very overwhelming to new students, no matter what grade they are in.
At the beginning of the school year, Perrysburg High school puts on a “newcomers orientation” that gives educators an opportunity to make sure the student knows how to use PowerSchool, Schoology, etc. Staff members, such as the nurse, gym teacher, principal, etc. introduce themselves so that each student is familiar what PHS has to offer.
Nicole Binn, one of the guidance counselors, said that once a family goes to the district’s Central Office to fill out enrollment paperwork, counselors would look at school records so they can build the student a schedule. One of the accommodations the school provides for new students, specifically freshmen, is being in the same lunch period with people that they already know. Counselors try to place new students in classes with people they already know as well.
Teachers are also acclimatized to the district when they arrive.
Savannah Schuum, a science teacher new to Perrysburg this year, said the school helped to accommodate her as a teacher when she was hired.
Schumm said that there is a lot of “organized” mentorshing during the first four years of teaching. Schumm has a mentor who is a teacher here who has been teaching for a while, which she claims is really helpful.
Schumm said, “Other teachers who teach the same class that you do kind of walk you through like, ‘Hey, this is how we typically organize things’ so for me, even though I’m a new chemistry teacher, the other chemistry teachers kind of talked me through that.”
Emma McNerney (a freshman) gave some insight as to what the school does that has made it easy to adjust to. She said, “Having lots of clubs, sports teams, and fun activities to do during the summer helped calm nerves about upperclassmen…it helped a lot with the transition from two grade levels to four.”
McNerney feels confident about high school because when she is nervous, she knows that there are other people who feel the same way and that she’s not alone.
Overall, Perrysburg High School does a lot to help accommodate new students, whether it is helping students play a sport, join a club, or meeting new people through classes, newcomers are made to feel welcome.
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