BANGOR – Colleen Grover, dean of students at John Bapst Memorial High School in Bangor, spoke recently about the transitional support program instituted for ninth-grade students at the school. The program, High School 101, includes an evening of discussion with parents of incoming students as well as informational sessions with the students.

The program, adopted two years ago, is conducted by the John Bapst guidance department and supplements the one-on-one meetings that occur throughout the year between student and guidance counselor. The goal is to help students learn how to take advantage of all there is to study and participate in without an overload of anxiety and stress. It also helps students begin to prepare their backgrounds for college acceptance and career success.

Grover said, “An education at John Bapst is full of exciting opportunities. We like to give parents a few weeks to see how things are going, but give them a chance very early on to ask questions, clarify concerns and receive a timeline for what they can expect as their students move through high school. In addition to the sharing of information, parents receive several handouts at the session, and much of the material is then discussed with our ninth-graders.”

High School 101 includes discussions about transitioning into and during high school, communicating with school personnel, the requirements for graduation, long-term planning, developing a portfolio and making the most out of high school.

This year, the Bapst guidance department also plans to add more topics for discussion, including student health and safety. Grover said, “This is meant to be more of a reminder for everyone that many things change in high school, and it’s easy to make poor choices. Students are reminded that there are dangers out there, from drugs to eating disorders, to being safe in the neighborhood, to crazy Web sites.”

As a prelude to High School 101, the first day of school at John Bapst is always reserved for incoming students. John Bapst students come from more than 50 different communities, so the freshman field trip provides another unifying opportunity for them and helps to ensure a much smoother transition from middle school to high school.