With the end of the holidays marking the beginning of term three, it is only a matter of 6 months until the new year 7’s will joining Glenunga International High School. With new people and teachers, new subjects to learn and new activities to explore it will be both a daunting but also exciting journey for the new Year 7’s. In this article, I will explain what to expect at Glenunga International High School in the first two terms.
Part 1 – Transition Day
In part 1, I will be talking about transition day, which will happen in the second last week on Thursday and Friday of Term 4. The days will run from 8:45-3:10 (approximately). Students will be expected to arrive and will be dismissed from Glenunga. On transition day, you will meet in the new gym. Here, you will sit in the mentor groups you will be in for your year. Your parents should get a text/email about the colour you are in, otherwise at the New Gym on the day there is a print out of everybody’s name, and which colour they are in. The different classes are firstly allocated by a colour, for example white. If you are in the white colour, you would go to the white balloons or the sign that says ‘White’. You will find your mentor teacher and Peer Support leaders behind you. After some time, the year 7 sub-school leaders (the sub-school leaders are leaders for very year level) should walk out and adress the crows. After some time talking about Glenunga, how excited they are to have you and important information, you will be dismissed with your mentor group to your mentor class. Make sure you remember this place because it is where you have your Mentor class for 10 minutes on Monday & Friday morning, and Leap PB sessions on Tuesday and Thursday (unless another meeting point is set). Sometimes your mentor group classes will be moved for some reason, but you will be informed. You will also go to take photos which will be put on your StudentID cards and Daymap. You will then get to know your mentor teacher and some other people before recess. Your mentor teacher will give you instructions on where to meet after Recess. You can explore the years, or play/make new friends. Between Recess and Lunch, you will get to know your class more, and also go to a specalist subject that will be randomly chosen, for example one mentor group may do a math class with a random teacher, and then PE class. During lunch on both days, there will be a club expo to sign up for new clubs such as Debating, Coding, etc. In the afternoon, the year 7 sub-school leaders will tell you more information about Glenunga before you end your day with a performance. On the second day, you meet in your mentor group in the morning, and play some games. After recess, you play a scavenger hunt, and do some activities in the New Gym. After lunch, you will be dismissed from the New Gym after a final talk.
Part 2 – First Week
The first week is very fast so it is important that you get a good sleep and are energised. On the first day, you would meet in the New Gym but after some time you would go to your mentor groups. There, you will get your StudentIID cards. It is very important to keep these safe because they are a gate-way to everything. You will also get your lockers, numbers and codes. Make sure you remember this because if you don’t the results will be bad. After recess, you would do more activities, same with after lunch. You would go on a tour around Glenunga. Then, you would be dismissed. Day 2’s morning will be heavily based on the computer. You will login to your new account, add chrome, learn how to send an example properly, add a signature on Outlook, learn about Daily Access, DayMap and make your schedule. In the afternoon you will go to your first classes, like on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. In these introductory lessons, you will get to know about your subject teachers, what you will be learning and also other people. If you don’t know which are your classes are being held, don’t worry as the Peer Support Leaders can help you.
Part 3 – Remainder of Term 1 & 2
In term 1, you will also have camp for 2 days and 1 night in the Adelaide Hills. You will go with some other mentor groups, but not all. You will also have NAPLAN testing, which you may experience technical difficulties with, but the IT are very friendly and ready to help. You will also have swimming Carnival and start to get in the groove of having classes, doing summatives and staying on top of your work. In term 2, year 7 boys sport such as Soccer and Basketball open and there is athletics day as well.
Overall, I have told you about what happens on transition day, first week and terms 1 and 2 at GIHS.