Cape, Jackson schools prep freshmen for upcoming school year

Freshman orientation at Cape Girardeau and Jackson public schools saw hundreds of students -- and their teachers -- gearing up for a new school year set to begin Aug. 10.

Christopher Kase, principal at Central High School in Cape Girardeau, said the incoming freshman class has 327 students, which were divided into two groups for orientation.

Kase said the orientation process has evolved over a decade of finding what worked to get the students acclimated to the school year's structure and flow.

"It's taken on a little different form over the years," Kase said, "but it's a great way for us to meet the freshmen."

This year, students were given locker combinations and a presentation on being prepared to their school-issued Dell Chromebooks, which will be used in the classroom and at home.

Kase also said there's a new administrative team at the high school.

"We're excited," Kase said of three new assistant principals -- Brice Beck, Tracy Haggerty and Stephanie Small. "They're excited. They have great ideas to bring to us as a school."

Kase said the energy of the students has been great as well.

"Not only are they excited to be back, we have student leaders who've been here every day, working at orientation," Kase said. "It's a really great group."

At Jackson, nearly 500 ninth-graders are enrolled at the junior high for this school year.

Principal Cory Crosnoe is in his 15th year as principal. He said he thinks much of the excitement is with the new Chromebooks.

"We've talked so long about it," Crosnoe said.

Last year, the school had Chromebook carts available for teachers to reserve, and there was a computer lab. But it just wasn't the same experience as each student having his or her own device to work on and become familiar with, Crosnoe said.

Teachers at Jackson junior high have had a Chromebook each for about a year now, Crosnoe said, and have been receiving professional development training with it.

"It's exciting to have a lot of new things we can do," Crosnoe said. "We've barely touched the surface, and while this isn't the end-all, it's a different way to motivate the kids and get them excited."

Crosnoe said while today's students are comfortable with computer screens, that doesn't mean they know how to best use technology.

"Teaching them how to use technology correctly from an earlier age, the sky's the limit," he said.

Teachers are excited to bring the ideas they've formulated over the past year into the classroom, Crosnoe said. He credits the school board with giving the school plenty of time to become accustomed to the devices before sending them home with each student.

Assistant superintendent Matt Lacy said that was intentional. He also said the school has been communicating with parents about the process since April.

An at-home registration process also cut a lot of time out of Wednesday's orientation process, Crosnoe said.

"About 70 percent of Chromebook registrations were done before students got here today," Crosnoe said.

"It's been great, seeing the smiles on the faces, kids having their own devices," Crosnoe said. "And the parents are very appreciative that there's not a pile of books like there used to be."

Crosnoe said curriculum has moved away from stacks of heavy textbooks, as many textbooks now have online versions.

"It helps," Crosnoe said.

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

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Pertinent address:

1000 S. Silver Springs Rd., Cape Girardeau, Mo.

210 N. West Lane, Jackson, Mo.