Welcome to middle school
S
tarting middle school is a time of great
excitement, growth and discovery. Most
students look forward to middle school
because it means they are growing up and gaining
independence. At the same time, the transition to
middle school can be a little scary. Students may
be apprehensive about meeting a lot of new people,
getting lost in a large school building, or having a hard
time with their locker combination.
We are working hard to make sure that your child
feels at home when he or she joins our school next fall.
Almost every middle school in the Anoka-Hennepin
School District has a program designed to make sixth
graders feel comfortable throughout their first year of
middle school. Where Everybody Belongs–known as
WEB–trains eighth grade student leaders to welcome
sixth grade students to the school. WEB student leaders help new students learn survival skills, such as how
to use their planners, how to organize their schoolwork and how to get from class to class. They help
students learn what it takes to be successful in middle
school. *Anoka Middle School does not have a WEB
program at this time.
Parents/guardians play an important role in helping
young people adjust to middle school. Tips on how you
can help your child be successful in middle school are
included in this guide.
Helping all students
succeed
● Schools provide a variety of before- and after-school
programs for students who need help with homework or help understanding their coursework.
● The EXCEL program is available to help motivate
students with low grade point averages and to
teach them strategies to be more successful in
school.
● A variety of support groups are available to meet
social and emotional needs of students.
● English Language Learners (ELL) programs are
available for students who are learning English.
● Special education services are available for
students with special needs.
1
Advisement periods
Daily 20-minute advisement periods help ease the
transition to middle school. The advisement period is
similar to a homeroom. Students meet in groups of 20
to 25 with a teacher or other staff member who is their
adviser. This has been scheduled at the end of the
school day at all middle schools to give teachers an
opportunity to check in with students and remind them
to complete their homework. A variety of activities are
planned during the period:
● Teachers monitor academic progress of students,
check homework logs and grades online.
● Students discuss themes in the Anoka-Hennepin
Character Education program.
● Students have time for reading, math games, word
challenges and academic enrichment activities.