One after another, yellow buses from Oak Point Elementary and Eagle Heights Spanish Immersion pulled up to the front doors of Central Middle School. Fifth graders began stepping off the buses and walking excitedly into CMS — some for the first time. It was the middle of March and the third day of Ready, Set, Central, an event that gave fifth graders from each elementary school in the district an opportunity to visit CMS during the school day. They would hear from teachers, administrators and counselors, and experience a typical weekday morning at CMS. “It eases some of that tension,” CMS sixth grade Associate Principal Ryan Eggers explained as the soon-to-be middle schoolers began filing into the Performing Arts Center for a presentation. A similar event had taken place prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, and Eggers was excited for its return. Ultimately, the day was a chance for students to have an “authentic experience” at CMS and feel more comfortable about their transition to middle school in the fall.

When the CMS Jazz Combo had finished playing its lively rendition of “Can’t Stop the Feeling” to the seated fifth graders, Principal Cedric Fuller took the stage. “This is the next part of your middle school journey,” he said with a smile. In the fall, students and their families had been invited to CMS Preview Night, an opportunity to learn more about what to expect from middle school. Attendees heard from students and staff and took a tour. That November event was a great reminder of the transition that was to come for the fifth graders at the end of the school year, but middle school still felt far away, and the halls were empty of students that evening. Eggers wanted soon-to-be middle schoolers to experience CMS during the day, too, while school was in session. To actually see a class in action, and the hallways during transition times between classes — that’s what Ready, Set, Central was all about. Soon, half of the students would leave the Performing Arts Center for a tour while the others would hear from staff who would be part of their support team next year. Then they’d switch.

Over the next hour, the fifth graders got a firsthand look at CMS. Students on tours peeked into the sixth-grade gym, where Eagles were playing badminton. They walked through a Pathways to Engineering class, watching as students constructed models. They sat in classrooms where teachers answered questions about band, lockers, opportunities for advanced classes and more. Many wondered about passing time — would they have enough time to walk from one class to another, especially on different sides of the school? Standing in the hallways during those four minutes of transition time reassured them.. Oak Point teacher Kerry Evink was glad her fifth graders were having this experience. “I love that they’re seeing everything in action,” she said. “It puts things into perspective.”

When Evink’s class returned to the Performing Arts Center, students learned about the support team of an associate principal, administrative dean and two counselors who would be dedicated to sixth graders next year. After forming relationships with the sixth graders, that same team of professionals would “loop” to support them through seventh and eighth grade as well. Counselor Roxanna Bona took to the microphone, acknowledging that the transition from elementary to middle school could be challenging, but that “the people who are most successful are the people who aren’t afraid to ask for help.” The caring CMS staff, including cultural liaisons, social workers, teachers and more, were there to help. There were so many chances to try new things in middle school, from exploring multiple languages and art forms in sixth grade to joining clubs and activities. There would be many new people to meet and friends to make. Sixth graders would further develop skills like organization and independence at a much larger school. Everything would look a bit different next year, she said, but fifth graders only had to look around the room to see the people who would help make middle school a great experience. 

As the elementary Eagles made their way back to the buses, Oak Point fifth grader Nethra Alladi thought about how many new classes she’d have next year. But she was ready. The day had shown her that “middle school is not as hard as I expected.” And after attending Ready, Set, Central, how did she feel? “A lot better than before.”