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In light of state aid cuts, Dansville Board of Education made a difficult decision last spring in closing down the middle school building.
Last Friday, incoming seventh graders had the chance to tour what was formerly the high school — now a combined 7–12 building — as well as meet their upperclass mentors.
The bulk of the orientation occurred in the gymnasium, where seventh-graders entered to applause and high fives from their peer mentors, a team of 30 incoming juniors and seniors called The Pony Express.
The Pony Express was created so that every single seventh grader — about 136 this year — will have someone to connect with and help them out on a personal level for their first year in the combined building, Amy Schiavi, formerly the middle school principal, now the district’s director of pupil personnel, said.
There will be 10 seventh-graders to four mentors.
A number of group games that involved everyone playing at once helped to break the ice with the mentors and seventh-grade students while teaching about trust, listening and other team-building skills in a fun way.
The orientation started off with a group game of Simon Says. From there, 2010 graduate David Longhini spoke to the students about not being afraid to step into something new, which is not only appropriate for the incoming seventh-grade students, but is a lifelong lesson, he stated.
Principal Mike Falzoi spoke to the incoming seventh-graders, introducing them to the school’s core values of courage, honor and commitment through a video of the past several years, and later stated, “The next six years are what you make of them. Enjoy them, get involved, it can be the best time of your life. It doesn’t have to be scary or stressful. Look around, you have people here to support you ... this is going to be a great time for you guys.”
When asked about going into a 7–12 building Makayla Pierpont, 12, said she isn’t apprehensive, but is excited about it.
Sakina Tasaddaq, 13, has some reservations, though, stating it might be hard getting used to a new school building.
At the end of the orientation, the seventh-graders divided into groups with their mentors, where The Pony Express helped them fill in their schedule and then guided them on a tour of the building.
Most of the seventh- and eighth-grade classes will be contained on the building’s second floor — previously the high school’s math, foreign language, health and special education classes.
In light of state aid cuts, Dansville Board of Education made a difficult decision last spring in closing down the middle school building.
Last Friday, incoming seventh graders had the chance to tour what was formerly the high school — now a combined 7–12 building — as well as meet their upperclass mentors.
The bulk of the orientation occurred in the gymnasium, where seventh-graders entered to applause and high fives from their peer mentors, a team of 30 incoming juniors and seniors called The Pony Express.
The Pony Express was created so that every single seventh grader — about 136 this year — will have someone to connect with and help them out on a personal level for their first year in the combined building, Amy Schiavi, formerly the middle school principal, now the district’s director of pupil personnel, said.
There will be 10 seventh-graders to four mentors.
A number of group games that involved everyone playing at once helped to break the ice with the mentors and seventh-grade students while teaching about trust, listening and other team-building skills in a fun way.
The orientation started off with a group game of Simon Says. From there, 2010 graduate David Longhini spoke to the students about not being afraid to step into something new, which is not only appropriate for the incoming seventh-grade students, but is a lifelong lesson, he stated.
Principal Mike Falzoi spoke to the incoming seventh-graders, introducing them to the school’s core values of courage, honor and commitment through a video of the past several years, and later stated, “The next six years are what you make of them. Enjoy them, get involved, it can be the best time of your life. It doesn’t have to be scary or stressful. Look around, you have people here to support you ... this is going to be a great time for you guys.”
When asked about going into a 7–12 building Makayla Pierpont, 12, said she isn’t apprehensive, but is excited about it.
Sakina Tasaddaq, 13, has some reservations, though, stating it might be hard getting used to a new school building.
At the end of the orientation, the seventh-graders divided into groups with their mentors, where The Pony Express helped them fill in their schedule and then guided them on a tour of the building.
Most of the seventh- and eighth-grade classes will be contained on the building’s second floor — previously the high school’s math, foreign language, health and special education classes.
