FRR Parent Letter
January 23, 2025
Dear Parents/Guardians of the Class of 2029:
The transition from middle to high school is an exciting one, and we are committed to making the process as smooth as possible. It may seem overwhelming at times, but we are here to answer questions, help make decisions, and ensure appropriate placement. We are confident that your children are in great hands at Brookline High School and will be offered unparalleled opportunities for learning and growth. The new 9th grade campus at 22 Tappan Street and STEM wing at BHS have proven to be outstanding upgrades in terms of space, services, and increased opportunities for personal and career exploration, and we are so lucky to have this incredible resource in our community.
The transition process begins in early February as high school events for families are offered in the evenings at BHS and students start talking to their teachers in classes about academic options. By now, you should have received mailings from BHS and an overview of important dates for your calendar.
In the two weeks before February break, I will be visiting students in classes, and meeting with them 1-1 and in small groups to prepare them for the academic and emotional aspects of this transition.
This year my focus is on HOPE and READINESS. I encourage you to talk with your child about what excites them about high school, what skills they have developed to handle the transition, and what they need to feel prepared. Please review these slides for more information about the process.
The first year of high school is about many things-getting familiar with a radically new routine and schedule, exploring new interests and skills, expanding friendship networks and navigating increasingly complex social dynamics, keeping up with more demanding coursework and homework expectations, and managing increased freedom with responsibility. For these reasons, I encourage families and students to plan for a balanced course load so that there is time and space to experience all that high school has to offer. Knowing the mental health challenges facing our 8th graders-increases in both anxiety and depression, and decreased levels of belonging and self-efficacy, it is critically important that your child be set up for success at BHS so they can start high school from a place of strength and capacity.
Your child’s teachers can be counted on for their in-depth knowledge of student potential, ability and motivation, and their recommendations regarding placement are predictive of future success. Classroom teachers work closely with department chairs from the high school and understand the demands of classes in terms of pace, depth and sophistication of the material and course trajectory. Department chairs from the high school report that teacher recommendations are consistently on point when it comes to matching student aptitude with class expectations. If a child is in a class that is too challenging or not challenging enough, it is very difficult and sometimes impossible to make a change once they are scheduled at the high school. For this reason, while parents have the final say, teacher recommendations should be followed. This is particularly true in Math where this year we had 18 students who needed to drop Advanced Math because it was too challenging. These students were recommended for Honors but opted to override the math teacher recommendation.
Important points to remember: Freshmen mostly take required classes their first year, leaving only electives and world language open for broader student choice. Academic placement is not fixed: children who take Honors classes their first year can take the same class at the College Prep/Standard level the following year, and students can start with College Prep/Standard classes and move up to Honors in the Sophomore year.
Special considerations:
+If your child is applying to private school, we recommend that they follow along with the transition to BHS concurrently in the event that plans change.
+If your family is returning to your home country, or you are moving, your child may be excused from attending transition to BHS events. Please let us know immediately if your child will not attend BHS.
+If your child has an IEP, special education classes and services will be entered by high school staff who are collaborating with our building liaisons and Educational Team Facilitator. Some decisions won’t be made until annual review/re-evaluations are completed.
+If your child has a 504 plan, it will be updated to reflect the accommodations required in 8th grade, and shared with corresponding guidance counselors and deans at BHS.
+If your child is enrolled in EL services and will continue to qualify in 9th grade, we will hold a meeting to discuss the EL courses recommended by the current EL teacher and corresponding faculty at BHS.
+If your child identifies as African American or Latinx, they may be eligible for our AALSP program (African American Latino Scholars) and will be meeting with staff from AASLP to learn more.
+If your child is a heritage language speaker, and would like to be evaluated by BHS staff for placement into a World Language course, I will be happy to assist you in connecting with Rachel Eio at BHS. (Latin, Chinese, Japanese, French and Spanish are the language options at BHS)
+For all FRR specific resources, please access my blog: https://frr2bhs.blogspot.com/ This will be your one-stop resource for all postings related to the transition, and I will update it frequently.
+Please make note of the dates for high school events and post them on your calendar or in a prominent place in your home as a reminder.
Please take advantage of the many scheduled events at Brookline High School-this is where you as parents and guardians will learn the most about the transition process and what the high school has to offer. In the meantime, sit back, relax, and support your child to be as organized and ready to learn each day as possible.
I am available in person and by phone to speak with you about any aspect of this process. Please do not hesitate to contact me. If electronic communication is a hardship for you, please let me know and I can send materials home with your child.
Jennifer Maylone, LCSW Guidance Counselor
(617) 879-4937
jennifer_maylone@psbma.org