8th Grade Shadowing
An outreach component of SOS Programs for High Schools
Rationale:
For eighth graders who have a choice of high schools, shadowing gives them a chance to experience a typical day at their local public/private high schools by attending classes with a current freshman. Students learn about the academic, sports, and other extra-curricular programs the school offers. and it allows your high school to publicize its strengths and advantages to the community. The shadowing program provides all incoming eighth graders with an opportunity to see for themselves what high school is like and to answer questions they have, thereby reducing the anxiety which may exist during this transition.
Procedures:
1. Develop a flyer advertising the shadowing program. Include the dates, times, a contact person and phone number at your school. (At our school the Freshman Transition coordinator is the contact person, and we give October 1 through April 1 as the shadowing period. We limit the number of shadows to five per day and discourage shadowing the week before vacations and examination periods.) The designated person may be the first contact a new parent has at your school. Therefore, it is extremely important that s/he must:
- be readily available to return calls promptly
- possess good communication skills
- display a positive, cooperative and upbeat attitude on the phone
- be knowledgeable about school courses, programs and procedures
2. Send the flyer to all middle schools for their newsletters, to local newspapers and to your school PTSA newsletter. Also send an announcement about the program to all staff.
3. Prior to the shadowing period, ask freshman teachers for recommendations of ninth graders who would like to host eighth graders with attention to gender, ethnic and academic diversity. The teachers may ask for volunteers from their classes as well as make their own recommendations. Ask each student if s/he is willing to participate and then compile a list of these volunteers with their class schedules.
4. Upon parent request for shadowing, complete form SH-2.
5. Match visiting student with a freshman s/he already knows or try to pair with a student of similar background and interests. Discourage eighth graders from shadowing upperclass students except in very special circumstances because they do not get the freshman experience. Sometimes parents ask to visit classes separately. Refer these requests to the principal.
6. Fax or mail confirmation to parent. (form SH-3)
7. When arrangements have been finalized, copy form SH-2 and give it with a copy of the evaluation (form SH-5) to the main office staff member who will be greeting the visiting student. (at our school it is the vice-principal’s secretary)
8. Send reminder to 9th grade volunteer the day before the shadow date. (form SH-4)
9. Make sure that students meet and pick up a pass and evaluation (form SH-5) from a designated person/place in the main office.
10. Pick up evaluation from the main office staff person at the end of the day.