On September 4, the Class of 2022 started their four-year journey in high school. Students got lost in the halls. Teachers handed out their syllabi and their new rules and expectations for the class. 

“I expected to get hazed a lot by upperclassmen and get pushed around a lot.  I also didn’t expect there to be any friends in my PREP class,” Lindsay Toothaker said.  Toothaker was surprised that none of these expectations came to pass.

Kaelyn Diaz said, “I was very nervous, and I expected for the school to be like a maze. I thought it would be almost impossible to find my classes.” 

Middle school and high school are two different setups for the normal school day.  New Market Middle School has seven different classes along with a lunch and ELT(Extended Learning Time). Transitioning to four 80-minute classes is a big change. 

Class of 2022 member India Ismael said, “I prefer the eighty minute classes because there’s more time to actually focus on work and it makes the day seem shorter to me.”

Students are given homework to do after school or sometimes in PREP. But after PREP, there are still two other classes that may include homework.

“I have a lot of homework, and it gets tiring because it’s just an extension of school in a way,” Ismael said.

Incoming freshmen are used to having lunch with their own grade, but now that they are in high school, they have a lunch with all the upperclassmen. Diaz said “My lunch shift is okay. I would like to have more friends in it, but it’s not all that bad.”

Teachers get just as excited about the first day as students. Mrs. Jamie Hendi, a history/government teacher, said, “So much fun!  I love teaching freshmen–although many are nervous on their first day, they are so enthusiastic.  Freshmen are at such a great point in their lives where they can recreate their stories in new classes, new environments, new friends, new activities and new experiences.  It is such an exciting time.”

“I am thoroughly enjoying both my freshman classes. The students are so enthusiastic and have a positive attitude for learning. They are also kind with a great sense of humor. It’s been a great year so far,” she said.