It’s no secret that high school can be very scary for some incoming freshmen. Going to a big new school with new kids can be nerve-racking, according to the incoming underclassmen.
To help with this transition, this past Wednesday, January 23, incoming freshmen from schools in the Big Sky district came into the high school to have free roam, getting to meet new people and learn about new classes that will be available for them.
The new students had free access to walk around the school with tables set up throughout the halls and gym. The tables had information about different school activities, and normally had a student that has been with that activity for a year or more there to talk to the new parents and students about how their activity works from their experience.
“This year we did the event as an open house style, that allows for people to go around and visit tables and take their time throughout the school,” said assistant principal Christine Hiller-Claridge, or HC.
The gym was set up with all sports Big Sky has to offer, including volleyball, the brand new baseball team, cheer, dance, and more. In the Commons, there was a whole station set up to buy Big Sky merchandise, like shirts, hats and sweatshirts. Tables in the main hall included academics and clubs like speech and debate and the agriculture team, or FFA, which brought in a live cow and sheep to meet incoming freshmen this year.
HC, who has been at Big Sky for two years, was there that night as both an administrator and an incoming freshmen parent.
“It’s kinda hard for me to step back as an assistant principal, and be more on the parent’s side and ask questions about the sport or club when I already know a lot about it,” said HC.
When asked about the overall goal of the event, HC said, “The goal is to get new kids in the building, get comfortable with the layout of the school, and make connections with teachers.”
HC wasn’t the only person with these same goals. Jack Young, an assistant principal and the school activities director, and Sabrina Beed, assistant principal, had similar thoughts and opinions.
“For some eighth graders, it was their first time coming into Big Sky, and first impressions are very important. It’s nice to see smiling faces and enthusiasm from every part of the school,” said Young.
Beed echoed Young’s sentiments.. “The event is to show parents that the student is the center of our school. We try to showcase all cultures and build relationships throughout the night.”
In previous years, Big Sky, along with the other big high schools in Missoula, used to “fight” for students. Beed said that it was called a showcase-style freshman event. That entails having all families that are attending the event in the auditorium and administrators talking to the families on why they should go to Big Sky.
“We stopped the showcase because we don’t want to compete to get kids. Now with the new transfer policy, incoming freshmen get to choose where they want to go,” Beed said when asked how previous years compared to this year.
Beed wrapped up by saying, “Overall the turnout is always great, we want our kids to come here and we do the best we can to provide an authentic experience of high school life.”
