Many of our teachers are at the Iowa Technology and Education Connection Conference in Des Moines (from Sunday to Tuesday).
Staff, here is a link that might be useful if attending the conference.
“Tell others to go to session/workshops handouts,” teacher Elizabeth Anderson said. “Tons of great things!”
Middle School students are getting a friendly, Lynx hand before venturing out to the High School next year.
The Lynx Connection is a mentoring program designed to assist 8th Grade students in the transition from middle to high school with some help from upperclassmen, called mentors. Each mentor is paired up and assigned four to six students to work with from Spring through December.
Lindsay Gelder is a guidance counselor at the High School. She has been in charge of The Lynx Connection for six of its eight years.
“It’s a wonderful thing,” Gelder said. “Students respond best to other students.”
This spring, there are approximately 218 students participating!
Just how does a student become a mentor? High School students volunteer and apply of course! Mentors receive community service hours by participating in The Lynx Connection, as well as a certificate.
When mentors apply, they must answer three important questions: what qualities they possess, what they remember from their first year of High School, and how they would help a new student. A team of teachers then looks at applicants’ grades, attendance, and character before selecting between 60 and 75 students to become mentors. Mentors are then paired up and assigned to 8th Grade students.
Mentors meet with 8th Grade students in the Spring (while they’re still in 8th Grade) as well as later that coming Fall (when the students are transitioning into 9th Grade).
They all meet once a month for various activities that range from scavenger hunts and other fun things to introductions to The Lynx Connection. Mentors have posters they share with their students with the 5 Most Important Things to Know About High School, answer questions students might have, inform them of the extracurricular activities available and the different classes students can take, as well as any other information they would find helpful to the students.
“We really want the mentors to encourage the students to get involved in at least one thing at the High School,” Gelder said. “We want the students to feel comfortable. Through the Connection, students at least know a few people at the High School before they reach 9th Grade.”
Below are some recent photos from mentors meeting with a few students:
Gelder said so far, the student response is really positive from both the mentors and the students.
“Students always remember who their mentor was,” she said. “Moving to High School is a big deal, and this is a great way to get students more comfortable with the transition. I’m really happy we do this!”
Webster City Community Schools 