Acknowledging the juggling act:
orientation helps teens succeed

Milton faculty – specialists in helping adolescents – know well the challenges students face at a new place and at this new time in their lives.

For some time, faculty at Milton have predicted that new students would really benefit from a special program that anticipated the issues students deal with, and helped them respond in healthy, productive ways. At the same time they have wished that students had more time devoted to getting to know one another in a relaxed, fun setting.

This year, we are launching the New Student Program that brings students and adults together on campus and in Boston – an extension of orientation – to treat issues that really matter in their lives, and to make friends.

The program spans four fall weekends. Each new student from Classes III–IV will attend on one day of each of the four weekends, either Saturday or Sunday (see schedule below). Students who have commitments on Saturday can participate on Sunday, and the reverse. More than 40 faculty members will participate in the weekend program that has been shaped by a faculty team led by Lukie Wells, dean of students.

The morning will be divided into sessions on four discrete topics: academics, relationships, risk-taking and diversity. The afternoon is devoted to having fun: on a Duck Tour of Boston, at the Museum of Science, at the Franklin Park Zoo – or at other city sites. We hope this innovation in orientation programming will make a big difference for new students over the long term. Watch the next Centre Connection for a report on the first two weekends.

New student orientation, 2002

Sessions will begin at 9:00 am and end at 4:00 pm except on November 9 and 10 when there are not required afternoon activities.

September 14 or 15 Academics and Franklin Park Zoo
September 28 or 29 Relationships and Boston Museum of Science
October 26 or 27 Risk Taking and Boston Duck Tour
November 9 or 10 Diversity and Nobles Day