Parents: If your children are moving from middle school to high school next fall, this will be a major turning point for them.
They may be switching to a larger school with a lot of new students, facing increased academic expectations, handling peer pressure, having to choose the right extracurricular activities, as well as managing increased responsibilities. And if this is not enough, they will have to navigate dating, appropriate clothing, and handling online presence.
All of these new stresses can be reduced. One of the simplest ways is by having your children talk to high schoolers who have recently made the move from middle school. They could ask what they did to make their transition easier, as well as what they should avoid getting involved in. There are also helpful books on how to handle this transition. One is Sleeping Freshman Never Lie by David Luber.
One of the best things middle schoolers can do to help make this transition smoother is to become involved in extracurricular activities in high school, especially if they are moving to a larger school. Activities can give them a niche where they can find students with similar interests, as well as make new friends. One caution: it is important they don’t go overboard and involve themselves in too many activities. Some activities like sports and musical groups require so much time that it is probably a good idea to just concentrate on one activity or possibly two. Incoming freshmen should also be aware that many activities start before the first day of school. And if they have interest in participating in them, they will need to get involved early on. Contacting the school for details early in the summer will help give a head start.
Schools are aware that transition to high school is a big move. For this reason, many will schedule an orientation session before the new school year begins. This will give students a good picture of areas like classrooms, lockers, library, school offices, and gym – making a more comfortable first day at the new school. Orientation meetings are also likely to have discussions of classes freshman can or must enroll in, as well as basic rules regarding behavior, absences, and disciplinary practices. Attending orientation meetings is a must as it is a helpful preview of what to expect as a freshman. It is extremely wise that parents attend any meeting opportunities to get a bird’s eye view of their children’s high school offerings and expectations.
While freshmen classes are typically chosen with the help of a counselor, it is good for both students and parents to have a discussion of possibilities before the meeting with a counselor. Find out what courses are required for admission to colleges they might attend. A four-year plan of courses can be sketched out to meet these requirements. The same holds true for those students who may wish to attend a technical or professional school.
Parents, here is a consideration that you might not have considered: how academically ready are your children to handle the difficult content load they will face in high school? If children have struggled academically, parents will need to assign the appropriate aids they may need. And you might consider having struggling children attend a summer school or learning center program.
Over the summer, parents and children need to have meaningful discussions and come to mutually satisfactory agreements on how a variety of things will be handled to avoid problems during the freshman year. This includes such things as transportation to and from school, choice of appropriate internet websites and what will be posted on them, handling of homework, dating rules, and bedtimes. Parents should express to their children how excited they are about the new adventures in store for them.
Parents should send questions and comments to dearteacher@dearteacher.com and visit the dearteacher.com website to learn more about helping their children succeed in school.
©Compass Syndicate Corporation, 2025