6th Grade Experience
A strong partnership between the school and family starts day one. By working together, students can build confidence and develop important skills that set the foundation for future academic and personal success. We understand that middle school can feel intimidating to our incoming students; that's why we host several events throughout the school year to get our feeder families and students acclimated to our Pirate environment!
We're here to support our newest Pirates through this new transition!
Transition Events
6th Grade Orientation
Incoming 5th grade students and their families are invited to Lakeside to learn all about life in middle school! The evening event features performances by the band and orchestra, building tours, locker practice, meeting teachers, signing up for classes and much more.
6th Grade Transition Day
Held every year, students can practice all of the procedures that make middle school different from elementary school. This includes going through the Open Gate security system, opening and closing Yondr pouches, opening lockers, moving from class to class and entering their numbers in the cafeteria to receive lunch. Practicing these procedures before the first day of school goes a long way towards helping calm those 1st day of school jitters! The building remains open during normal operating hours until school starts so students can walk their schedule, continue practicing their locker and put away any supplies in advance. We want the transition to middle school to be as seamless as possible!
Back to School Night
To celebrate the start of the school year, Lakeside families are invited to attend Back to School Night. This event includes schedule and locker pickup, games, community organization booths, teacher meet-and-greets, information about Yondr pouches and OpenGate.
What Makes 6th Grade Unique?
We’ve created a space just for our 6th graders to help them feel supported as they begin their middle school experience.
Becoming a Connector
At FWCS, middle school students are “Connectors.” All 6th graders at Memorial Park have the extraordinary opportunity to take a class all about “Becoming a Connector.” This 9 week course is broken down into five sections: Academic Life, Digital Life, Student Life, Future Life and Creative Life. The skills taught in each of these areas lays the foundation for a successful middle school experience and is the first step on the college and career readiness pathway.
Career Day
Each fall at the conclusion of our Becoming a Connector class, 6th grade students participate in a panel discussion with community members for Career Day. Panel members represent the areas of Entrepreneurship, Enrollment, Enlistment and Employment after high school. Our goal is to help 6th grade students at Memorial Park begin making connections between what they are learning in school and their future.
Parkview Mirro Center Guaranteed Experience
Students will visit the Mirro Center for Research and Innovation to work with professionals in exploring more than a dozen different fields in the health sciences.
Monthly Celebrations
Each month, 6th grade students who meet positive behavior and attendance goals are invited to a celebration during 6th period! Criteria varies but may include things like no referrals, good attendance and responsible technology use. During the celebration, students choose from fun activities like karaoke, board games, bracelet making or soccer—there’s something for everyone! They can also use their Pirate Bucks to buy a snack and drink to enjoy during the fun.
A Hall of Their Own
6th grade students are located in a dedicated hallway to create a close-knit learning environment and help with the transition from elementary school.
Core Teacher Team
Students work with a consistent group of teachers who collaborate to meet their academic and social-emotional needs.
Dedicated 6th Grade Assistant Principal
One of our assistant principals is focused specifically on supporting 6th grade students and their families throughout the school year.