Incoming freshmen and parents flooded the library Thursday night for the student and parent Forum setup by the Carlmont Eighth Grade Transition Information Committee. There, teachers as well as student ambassadors from Carlmont answered questions and provided general information about Carlmont to future students and parents.
The Forum kicked off with a tour of the school by student ambassadors. Incoming freshmen and parents were split into groups.
One tour group was lead by freshman Maggie Donaldson and junior Rachel Hunter, who lead their group around campus starting from the Library, up to D-hall, around the dance studio and finally through the Quad before looping back to the Library. Hunter and Donaldson discussed the various placement of the classroom in relation to the department they were in, and answered parents questions about the new Biotechnology Building.
The meeting began at 7:30 p.m. as Transition Committee members talked about general polices at Carlmont before splitting up the parents with the teachers and incoming freshmen with Carlmont ambassadors.
Future students were able to ask ambassadors personal questions about Carlmont, and Ambassadors shared their own personal experiences with the incoming freshmen.
Eighth grades submitted their questions ether orally or on notecards, and Ambassadors spent time going into great detail about school policy, teachers, and what its like to be a student at Carlmont High School.
At approximately 8:40 p.m., the ambassadors switched audiences with the teachers. Ambassadors answered parents questions about specific rules and polices at Carlmont, such as homework load for AP classes and GPA requirements for sports.
Afterwards, students and parents reconvened for a brief recap of major points discussed during the Forum before the meeting ended at 9:00 pm.
“I’m so excited to come to Carlmont, it’s so much bigger than Ralston,” commented incoming freshman Adam R. after the Forum.
The Forum itself was put on by the Carlmont 8th Grade Transition Committee, which is a committee setup by the PTSA to aid parents and students for the transition to Carlmont. The team consists of Carlmont’s Principal, Dr. Raul Zamora, and nine parent volunteers from local middle schools that send students to Carlmont.