Grade 6 students from Valley schools were very excited to walk the Chateauguay Valley Regional High School hallways on April 9 as part of the annual orientation day.
Students from Heritage, Howick, Hemmingford, Ormstown, and Franklin elementary schools, as well as Gault Institute and other new recruits, first gathered in the auditorium where they were greeted by CVR student leaders.
CVR’s Principal Lynn Harkness, as well as vice-principals Marlon Maylor and Sabrina Henderson, welcomed the new students to the school. Videos were then screened showing different clubs, sports and activities that students were encouraged to join.
Then there was a question period with the CVR leaders, followed by a sneak peek at the upcoming performing arts department’s production of Moana, and a performance by the After-Hours Choir. Students then learned a choreographed dance, referred to as the “Spartan dance.”
The Grade 6 students then broke up into their school groups for a tour of the school, where they visited the gymnasium and ran laps, and did a science experiment in the laboratory. After visiting the music classroom, the students played drums as a group on the stage accompanied by the choir. They also observed a dance class and enjoyed a snack in the cafeteria.
Then the entire Class of 2031 posed together on a hill outside the school for a traditional class photo.
Students were then split into different teams and were challenged to work together as a team to free themselves from an escape room by doing activities related to school life at CVR.
“It was fun because we got to see what the school was like, and we got to meet new people who are going to be in our classes next year,” said one Grade 6 student from Heritage Elementary. “I’m a little less nervous. It does not seem like such a big place anymore,” she added.
“I am so excited because there are different clubs that you can do, and there are different sports, and the gym class is going to be harder and the teachers will treat us as though we are more mature,” said another student from Heritage.
“We are ready to move on, but we are going to miss our teachers, and we are sad to leave our friends in Grade 5 behind,” she added.
*This article was written by students in Grade 6 at Heritage Elementary School as part of a partnership between the New Frontiers School Board and The Gleaner, with support from the federal government.