*What is WEB?
WEB is a middle school transition program that welcomes 6th graders and makes them feel comfortable throughout the first year of their middle school experience. WEB, an acronym for Where Everybody Belongs, is built on the belief that students want to and can help other students succeed. The WEB middle school transition program trains members of the 8th grade class to be WEB Leaders; as positive role models, WEB Leaders are motivators, leaders and teachers who guide 6th graders to discover what it takes to be successful in middle school.
WEB creates safety and comfort for your new 6th grader. While the transition to middle school can be a major event in the life of a young person, very few strategies for support exist in most middle schools. WEB was developed in response to the recognized need for a middle school transition program and based on the philosophy of the very successful high school transition program, Link Crew. Creating a safe and positive learning environment for all students has become a major priority as many educators are finding that the traditional “fun and games” of teasing each other can often result in dire consequences. Additionally, more and more studies are showing that if students have a positive experience in middle school they have greater chances for continued success in high school.
WEB’s goal is to provide a structure in which students make real connections with each other. Through this program students learn that people at school care about them and their success.
WEB is the middle school transition program that will increase attendance, decrease discipline referrals and improve academic performance at your school.
WEB Leaders are 8th grade students who are good role models for younger students and who have been successful at our middle school. WEB leaders’ communication skills, leadership potential, responsibility, and personality have helped them succeed in the middle school environment, and the lessons they have learned should be shared to help others succeed.
What does a WEB Leader do? WEB Leaders are trained to work with the incoming sixth grade students who are entering our school each fall. After extensive training, the WEB Leaders will run 6th grade orientation before school starts in September. At the orientation the WEB Leader will be given a small group of sixth graders to work with that day and will asked to befriend and to help out that group during the first week of school with any challenges they may face. Additionally, throughout the school year, WEB Leaders will meet with their student groups to touch base, discuss problems, and plan social activities. We know that the more contact a sixth grader has with his/her WEB Leader the more successful the sixth grader will be.
Mrs. Vanessa Amorin and Mrs. Cynde Riley (Activities Director) are the WEB coordinators. They have received extensive training and are responsible for running all aspects of the WEB program. As the coordinators, they will organize and facilitate the process of Leader training, run the opening day orientation and keep the program alive through out the year with a variety of Follow Up activities. Mrs. Riley and Ms. Worden are the primary contacts for those who have questions or seek further information.
*Information taken from the Boomerang Project’s website and program handbook. For more information please go to www.boomerangproject.com.