This 2025-2026 school year is the start of the freshman academy where things at school are more different than ever. New rules and different required classes are just some of the changes that are being made.
“I personally don’t understand it, I mean I kind of understand it,” said Freshman Ellis Melone “I understand that kids coming from certain middle schools don’t really know how to be a high schooler.”
That’s where the Freshman Seminar comes in. Freshman Seminar is now a required class unless students have reason to waver it. This class will provide insight on using communication skills, creating a resume and applying for jobs.
“A lot of students were told that it was a required class but the thing is, I was told that it was not,” Melone said. “So I simply just didn’t take it.”
Freshman Seminar is a class that helps with life skills and getting adjusted to high school. It also helps students become ready and successful in the future. They will also look at students’ interest and where they are trying to head into their career.
“In the beginning we’re just going through a lot of the expectations at Kennedy, how they fit in, what are classes like,” Kennedy science teacher Alyssa Jacobson said. “So really right now we’re working as a support system, but eventually we’re going to work on skills like filling out job applications and interviewing and getting those long term skills that everybody needs that technically.”
It’s like any other class that students would take, except this helps freshmen transition into high school and get them used to being at Kennedy.
“The point of giving the class to freshmen is to give them extra support as they transfer from middle school to high school because it is a big difference,” Jacobson said.
