Grayslake district aims to ease young students' fears

Going from a small neighborhood school to one with about 900 students can be scary.

That's why Grayslake Elementary District 46's Frederick School is hosting an optional kickoff camp for 126 of 400 incoming fifth-graders this week. It'll run from 9 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. every day through Friday.

Teacher introductions, school tours and various team-building exercises are part of the effort. Snacks and activities such as a library treasure chest help to keep the atmosphere light.

David Dinsmore, a fourth-grade teacher at Park School in Round Lake, and Frederick fifth-grade instructor Coye Flores worked together on the inaugural event. They said surveys of parents and students in fourth and fifth grades indicated there was a need to ease the transition into Frederick, located in Grayslake.

Four smaller neighborhood schools feed pupils into the fifth- and sixth-grade building, which with 900 students can be a bit intimidating.

"They're used to being in a classroom with the same kids for the first five years," Flores said.

Dinsmore said it's hoped the orientation sessions will allow the children to be more comfortable when school starts Aug. 26.

Elisa Speck was among 18 teachers who participated in the Frederick event. As children with name tags sat in groups and nibbled snacks during one session, Speck asked them to provide their definitions of courtesy to her.

Flores said the 126 children who went through the kickoff camp will be compared to the rest of the Frederick School students.

"Throughout the school year, we'll check back with the kids in the transition camp to see how they are doing socially and academically," she said.

To culminate the week Friday, parents will join their children at the camp for team-building exercises. Students who earned raffle tickets this week will be eligible for a final-day drawing for prizes such as a classroom visit from a Lake County police dog.