New sixth-grade students descended on middle schools across Canyons District for orientation on Friday morning with excitement, some trepidation–and a million questions. 

For the last 11 years, Canyons’ middle schools have opened their doors a day early to help newcomers navigate the hallways, learn new schedules, explore the cafeteria, open their lockers, and generally get a grip on what it means to leave elementary school.

“At the end of the day, I just really want them to be excited to come back, that they’re not fearful on Monday,” said Draper Park Middle School Vice Principal Jodi Roberts. “Kids are scared of not knowing how to open their lockers, being able to find their classes, not having any friends–these are the things we focus on to alleviate their anxiety.”

Roberts and the other sixth-grade teachers at Draper Park also focused on teaching students the new rules that come with middle school. They greeted students with colorful hats and mustaches as part of the orientation’s theme: “I mustache you if you are excited for the 6^th grade” and gently offered guidance in how to navigate school rules and the new expectations of middle school.

When Roberts saw a group of newcomers sprinting around the corner toward the lockers, she made a point of teaching them not to run through the wide, sunny hallways. They had to go back to their classrooms and start again, because with 1,640 students at the school, there isn’t room for anything but walking if you want to avoid a collision. “When in your life do you have to learn all of this?” Roberts said, after the students complied. “There is so much to learn.”

In math period, the students solved a problem that involved a gummy peach ring and a gummy worm, but they also learned the right way to participate in class. “Ladies and gentleman, 3, 2, 1,” said sixth-grade math teacher Kim Oldroyd as she worked to get her students to listen. “Why do I want you to clap on ‘1’? Right, to show me your hands are empty. OK, ladies and gentleman, 3, 2, 1 – pretty good. We’ll work on it.”

The students toured the cafeteria and ate popsicles as they learned they’ll have more lunch choices in middle school, but they better not cut the line or they’ll be sent to the end. They learned that all of their sixth-grade core classes are on the main floor of the school, separated from the older students, to give them a little buffer. In social studies class, the students had a question-and-answer period with several of the school’s student council members.

In one class, the students were abrim with questions. 

“How much better is the food?”
“How much homework do we get?”
“How big is this school?”
“What if you forgot your locker code?”

The students took turns asking about everything they wanted to know, then they practiced opening their lockers and headed to the auditorium for an assembly, looking remarkably more confident and prepared to face a new school year.

The first day of school for the 2019-2020 school year is Monday, August 19. Information on bell schedules can be found on each school’s main web page, and the school calendar can be found on Canyons District’s alphabetic directory of parent resources.