Eighth Grade Preview Night
JCMS students at a pep rally.
December 17, 2018
Lafayette High School provides many great opportunities for its students, such as extracurriculars, academic promises, co-op, job opportunities, counseling, and more. Furthermore, one of the most beneficial acts Lafayette does is for its incoming students, is the 8th grade preview night.
January 22, 2019 in the cafeteria, Lafayette will have its annual 8th grade preview night. Families bring incoming Lafayette students to preview the school’s academic and extracurricular programs. Lafayette’s incoming freshman come from all around the Fayette County: Jessie Clark, Beaumont, LTMS, Southern, SCAPA and others students moving into the district. Lafayette works hard to make freshman from any school feel welcome and comfortable walking the hallways on their first day of high school and this preview night is the beginning of a series of meet-and-greets the freshman and their families participate in.
As the night begins, 8th graders and their guardian(s) will go to the cafeteria. Parents and 8th graders will tour the cafeteria and be introduced to Lafayette’s many extracurriculars which have set up little booths with information detailing their activity or class. There is usually two dozen clubs and extracurriculars shown at preview night. The extracurriculars are presented to them conference style, at individual tables. Usually, the club sponsor, president, or one of the students participating in the club will give a small speech, answer questions, or present flyers and posters about the club. Parents and 8th graders can then see what they are interested in and want to carry on with.
After the exciting and informative exposition of Lafayette’s extracurriculars. The parents and 8th graders sit down to be introduced to the counseling and administrative staff. Counselors ease parents and 8th graders worries by discussing school requirements, academics, registration for classes, credits, scheduling, and more. Principals answer any questions that can’t be answered by the counselors or are a principal’s issue. Then as the night continues counselors will group the 8th graders into 6 groups and take them into a different part of the school. The incoming freshman will meet their counselors and another incoming freshman. This also allows time for parents to ask questions and get to know our staff personally.
To end the night, Lafayette holds an event social. All participants in the preview night are invited to attend the annual Preview Night basketball game in the gym. Before the game begins, the cheerleaders and dancers will perform for the audience.
As 8th graders and parents head home, all their anxieties towards high school are, hopefully, alleviated some. Lafayette High School understands that transition from middle school to high school is extremely important to a good high school experience. That is why they aim as a school to make this transition as easy and stress-free as possible. The 8th grade preview night is just one of the amazing things Lafayette does for its incoming freshman. One of the principals, Mr. Bryne Jacobs, had a few words to add to this, “Lafayette does preview night to ease worries and anxieties of new coming freshman and parents. We want all those who come through our doors to feel comfortable and informed. So that is why we must have an intellectual night of fun and opportunity”.
