What an absolutely fantastic surprise it was to come home from tonight's PTO meeting to find all of your responses!!! It is so encouraging to know there is a great group of like-minded individuals who can help! I will share your responses with my PTO officers as we work to find a solution to this.
Anyone else with advice, please send it along! Thanks again
I forgot to address the dance. We have 2 dances each year, and both are parent-child nights. We cater the Valentine's Dance to Pre-K-2nd grades and end of the year dance to 3rd-5th. Occasionally, the principal will allow a school club or grade level to sponsor a dance for upper level students right after school, but no slow songs are allowed. I thought everybody had dances throughout their school "life." I had no idea some districts didn't allow them until middle school and high school. You learn something new everytime you log on to ptotoday.com.
I think an Alumni Night would be fantastic at our school. For the last 2 years, the 6th grade counselor has come over to talk to 5th grade parents and students about middle school transition and what to expect as far as registering for classes, locker assignments, etc. and the students always have a field trip to tour the middle school, but having a former student partner with the incoming student would add so much! I'm adding that to our agenda for the next PTA meeting. Thanks a lot!
We have several dances each year, usually for the 5-8 or 6-8 graders. (our school is K-8) We've even had 'dances' for the K-4. They have a ball and do more karaoke and face painting than dancing.
volunteer, what a fabulous way to introduce the 5th graders to middle school! Ours get a tour and there is a parent orientation night, but to be able to shadow someone for a day would be so helpful in making that adjustment.
