WEB, an acronym for Where Everybody Belongs, is a middle school transition program that welcomes 6th graders and makes them feel comfortable throughout their first year at Jonas Salk Hi-Tech Academy. WEB is built on the belief that students want to and can help other students succeed, and so the program is largely run by students. We train members of our 8th grade class to be WEB Leaders. As positive role models, WEB Leaders are motivators, leaders and teachers who guide our incoming 6th graders to discover what it takes to be successful in middle school.
WEB begins with a fun and energetic orientation day that gets 6th graders excited and proud to be attending Jonas Salk Hi-Tech Academy. Our WEB leaders play a crucial role during the orientation by helping 6th graders to develop relationships with other students as well as learn strategies that will contribute to their middle school success. Each WEB leader becomes responsible for a small group of 6th graders that day, a responsibility that continues throughout the school year during WEB events called Social Follow Ups. Social Follow Ups provide social settings for the WEB Leaders and their groups to reconnect and further build relationships outside the classroom.
During the 2009-10 school year, the WEB program at Jonas Salk Hi-Tech Academy will expand to include Academic Follow Ups. The Academic Follow Ups are lessons presented by trained WEB Leaders during visits to 6th grade classes. These lessons are designed to promote 6th grade success through topics such as study skills, communication skills, the dangers of gossip, and bullying.
