Freshman and New Student Orientation is an annual event at Larned High School to help incoming freshmen and new students discover clubs, sports, and activities that interest them in high school. Freshman and New Student Orientation has been a bit hectic for years, but it gets the job done every year. This year the event will be held on Monday April 15th. The National Honors Society club has run Freshman Orientation in the past, but this year, the Student Council, counselors office, and our new social worker are going to get involved! Bethany Steinlage, the Student Council sponsor, has been helping Chris Scheideman, the NHS sponsor, to revamp the entire event. They are aiming to make the entire event more beneficial for the incoming freshmen.
Freshman and New Student Orientation always happens at the end of the school year. The current eighth grade class comes to the high school in the evening and they learn about what LHS has to offer. The high school students sit at tables in the high school and they introduce themselves and their club, organization, or sport to the eighth graders. Then, the high school students explain what their club is about and why the students should join their club. Each eighth grade student is responsible for meandering about the gym and finding tables that interest them, but this can be a bit too much to handle for the new freshman class, which is why Mr. Scheideman and Mrs. Steinlage are working together this year to help the incoming freshmen have a better understanding of the clubs offered within the school.
This year, Freshman and New Student Orientation will be very different. The club and organization tables will be lined up in the hallways, and the students will get to see them as they go through the tours, which are led by NHS members. Mr. Scheideman stated, “I hope it [Freshman Orientation] gives them a better sense of what the high school can offer, and it allows them to feel more comfortable with where everything is located.” Freshman Orientation leaves a lasting impression on the incoming freshmen, and the high school wants to make the best first impression on those kids and their parents as possible.
In Addition to learning about new clubs, eighth graders are taken on tours of the high school, so they can begin to understand where everything is located in the school. In the past, the students were responsible for jumping into their own tour group when another group gets back, while also learning about all the different clubs and remembering which ones they are interested in joining. This can be a bit too much for these eighth grade students, so this year, changes have been made to create a better experience for the new students.
This year, students will be put into a tour group, and then they will be shown around the school. While on their tour, students can learn about new clubs and meet people within those clubs. Additionally, the high school teachers have been invited to attend this meet and greet event. Students will get to meet their new teachers and attach a face to a name and classroom. Mrs. Steinlage mentioned in an interview that “We hope Freshman Orientation creates a more interactive experience; teachers and parents are excited for the dip into high school life, and we hope it adds to their excitement and exceeds their expectations of Larned High School.”
Moving from eighth grade into high school is a daunting experience, but the students and faculty here at LHS do not want eighth graders to be scared of the jump. By revamping Freshmen Orientation, they hope that the freshmen will become more comfortable with the high school building and the students and staff within it. Mrs. Steinlage mentioned that “we recognize it’s the only time all parents and students are in the building at the same time, so this is the time to give them all the information and put our best foot forward.” Freshman and New Student Orientation will be Monday, April 15, 2024 at 6:00pm, and everyone at Larned High School is excited to welcome the incoming freshman class!
