School Doors Open for Returning Students

At the High School: Freshmen Arrive One Day Early

By ALEXIS TONTI

Wednesday dawned cold and foggy with a light drizzle, an ideal
morning to hide under the covers and sleep in. Unfortunately for
students, that particular luxury is gone until next summer. The school
calendar does not abide the weather, and high school freshmen (back a
day early) had no choice but to face the grayness. Orientation began at
7:40 - a.m.

Most of the 202 students were on time, but even on the first day a
few came late. Bookkeeper Jay Swartz watched a wandering pair at the far
end of the hall.

"They're absolutely precious when they come here. Just
wonderful," she said. "And they're so little -
the boys especially. But by the time they leave," she added,
looking to the ceiling, "they hit six feet. Absolutely
wonderful."

Inside the Performing Arts Center, the assembly was under way. Each
freshman received a student handbook that doubles as a school planner.
It also contained the day's most important tool - a map of
the high school.

Administrators, guidance counselors and various department heads
introduced themselves, explained rules and offered advice.

The students in the audience had self-segregated by elementary
school, so that each was grouped in its own section of the auditorium,
the lines between them quite clear. But as guidance director Michael
McCarthy pointed out, those barriers would soon break down and new bonds
of friendship would form.

He also talked about the challenge freshmen face in finding a place
for themselves in a larger setting than they're accustomed.

"You guys are coming from the eighth grade, where you were the
cool guys running the school," he said. "This is a lot
bigger than you're used to, and maybe you're nervous about
fitting in and finding what's right for you . . . but you have an
opportunity right now to define yourself in this school.

"You can decide right now to work hard and make something of
your high school career," he said, "and four years from now
you will see the fruits of your labor."

The assembly ended with students following their homeroom teachers
to class. Some lingered to talk with friends, turning back only to find
their leaders gone and themselves lost.

"I don't even know who my teacher is," said one
girl helplessly. A quick check of her last name against the master list
provided the answer, and she hurried away to make up for lost time.

The schedule for the half-day was an extended homeroom period,
followed by a 15-minute session of each of the eight classes in their
schedule. In a regular school day, students only attend four classes,
each for 85 minutes.

Inside room 308, science teacher Mike Joyce took attendance and
passed out schedules. He explained the rotation of periods that over a
two-week cycle makes every day a little different.

"Don't worry," said history teacher Marge Harris,
who was also helping students wade through their schedules. "For
the first few weeks you'll live by this sheet of paper, but after
that you'll know your way around."

Mr. Joyce also stressed the importance of organization. "Your
classes meet every two days," he said, "and if you have
extracurriculars or a field trip and miss class, then several more days
can pass in between. You don't want to be making up work
constantly, so stay on top of things. Use your planner, write it all
down."

Then came locker assignments. As everyone spilled into the hall to
try their new locks, friends coming from different classrooms -
separated only since the assembly - found each other among the
crowd. They exchanged greetings as if years had passed rather than half
an hour.

"Can you tell I work in a whole other wing?" Mrs. Harris
asked a student as she tried to help her find her locker. "All
right, let's think," she said. "The numbers go down,
we should be able to find this logically." The problem, as it
turned out, was the locker was located in a different bank, farther down
and away from where everyone was clustered. Locks clicked and doors
slammed for five minutes before students returned for the final moments
of homeroom.

"It's going to get very crowded tomorrow," Mr.
Joyce advised. "So take advantage of today. And generally, the
best thing to do is get involved with a group. There are multicultural
and language clubs - it doesn't have to be sports or music.
Sign up for a bunch and see what you like."

The bell rang ("That is so annoying," one boy muttered)
and students headed for their first classes.

"Where are we?" one girl asked her friend, consulting
her map as they walked. "I think we're going the opposite
way I thought we were going," she added, without changing
direction.

Compared to some, those girls were ahead of the game. "I saw
somebody whip out a map," a boy said. "Where'd that
come from? How do I get one?"

Everyone made it to the right place, eventually, and the business of
classes began. Some teachers jumped right in with lessons and
assignments, while others gave an overview for the year and explained
their expectations.

"Why is history important?" asked global studies teacher
John Tirrell. Met with the usual shy, first-day silence, he continued.
"We're all linked to history. It's not just a lot of
old, dead people. All of the things that happened thousands of years ago
have effects today."

Several times he asked if there were any questions, about his class
or otherwise. Finally a boy raised his hand: "Why are the desks
greasy?" he asked.

Finally, someone had hit upon the one question for which there was
no answer.