Katherine Alderfer loves to paint and draw and color.But she’s not just playing.For her, creating a piece of art is nearly as good as medicine in helping her feel better.Imagine yourself going to a new school, with new people and routines, maybe even a new subject. It is scary.
Santino Valadez, 12, of Fort Wayne, is entering seventh grade this year.
“It’s hard to move on from your old school. Any school is going to be hard to get used to,” he says.
Most kids get nervous or afraid. Adults usually understand their feelings.
“When kids come into Forest Park Elementary, they are nervous because they are in a new environment,” says Jay Peters, principal of Forest Park Elementary.
But people like Peters are there to help.
If you are going to a new school this year, here are a few tips on how to get over the jitters.
•Try to be friendly. Talk with your classmates and ask questions – don’t be too nosy. Treat others the way you want to be treated. Talk with your teachers, too.
•Stay calm, says Eli Tash, 11, of Fort Wayne, who is going into sixth grade. No one earns friends on the first day. You’ll make new friends and feel comfortable within a few days, he says.
•Always be yourself, says Kyndal Gully, 16, of Fort Wayne. Try to be nice and show your inner self.
•Get information. You could go online to your school’s website and get information about your teacher, your principal and the building.
•Go to registration with your parents, says Jennifer Lutz, a Pyramid for Success coordinator with Fort Wayne Community Schools and a former middle school counselor. You can talk to your teachers and some classmates there.
•Be prepared and know what to say to your classmates.
