Little Britain students visit WMS

This week, Washingtonville Middle School is hosting fifth-grade students from Taft, Little Britain, and Round Hill elementary schools. The fifth graders are visiting to get an introduction to what middle school will be like when they join in the fall. 

Today, Little Britain fifth-graders were introduced to Teresa Thompson, the principal at WMS, as well as assistant principals Ashira King-Wilson and Steven Nyarady. 

Fifth-graders learned about joining band, music, and chorus, and also watched a brief presentation from sixth-graders Anissah Abdul-Jabara and Lea DiGiovanni. They spoke with students about their day-to-day experiences at WMS, which included how they felt when they first started sixth grade, the clubs they have joined, and some of the classes they take. 

They talked about learning to navigate the halls on their own and the new lockers they’ll be assigned. The morning event also featured a short performance by one of the WMS Chorus classes. 

Ms. Thompson spoke with the students and reassured them that it’s OK to be nervous and they will be greeted with lots of support and encouragement in the fall. 

They went on a tour of the school, which was led by the National Junior Honor Society students.

“It’s important for the fifth graders to come and see the middle school so that they can be more comfortable when they come next year,” said Victor Espinal, a guidance counselor at WMS. “It’s a new transition and it’s a new building, which can be daunting for them. This way they can see what we have to offer, walk around the middle school, and also be able to ask students questions. It’s someone they can relate to.”

In August, the fifth graders will return to WMS with their parents for orientation.