BCSC To Offer New Student Onboarding Program

The program will be personalized for each school.

(Batesville, Ind.) - The Batesville Community School Corporation is launching a new "onboarding program" to welcome new students and ensure they feel at home. 

All four schools in the corporation will be participating in this program which aims to remove the stress of transitioning to a new school. 

“We took a closer look at what every new student goes through,” said BCSC superintendent Paul Ketcham. “This transition and acclimation can be daunting; it can be a barrier for success. Our ‘Welcome to Batesville’ onboarding program is our plan to identify and remove those barriers.”

School counselors helped developed a detailed student success onboarding program. Each building has a personalized process that is tweaked for its specific age group.

“The counselors worked on a variety of integration issues in all areas of the school, from the classroom, to the lunch room, to the hallways. Successful transitioning to a new school doesn’t just mean the students know where their classrooms are and who their teachers are. It also includes helping them find someone to sit with at lunch those crucial first few weeks and assigning them a dedicated buddy or peer who can answer questions. It means ongoing check-ins from staff to see if there are any issues at all. We want new students to know that BCSC is doing everything possible to make them feel welcomed and valued.”

Batesville Primary School (BPS)

• BPS houses grades K-2, and orientation is very warm and friendly. A personalized tour of the building, meeting with the school counselor, a classroom buddy, and a lunch bunch group will all welcome new students at the primary school. They will also have time to participate in fun activities and ask questions in a small group format.

Batesville Intermediate School (BIS)

• Third through fifth graders fill BIS. Orientation features a variety of integration experiences, including a welcome folder and t-shirt, a personalized laptop tutorial, a classroom buddy waiting at the door to school to greet the student, as well as multiple counselor and administration check-ins.

Batesville Middle School (BMS)

• Peer mentors will welcome any new sixth through eighth graders at BMS. Throughout orientation, mentors will help newcomers with getting to classes, navigating the lunch room, and answering daily questions. Students will receive a personalized tour, one-on-one computer training, and follow-ups from administrative staff as they settle in. 

Batesville High school (BHS) 

• Academic and social concerns are both major factors when transiting to a new high school. New students will be set up with an individualized scheduling appointment, a personalized tour, one-on-one computer training, an assigned student leadership partner, and academic follow-ups regarding classes. For the social aspect, students will be invited to a new student group, which will meet every three weeks providing ice breaker activities, snacks, and a chance to learn more about BHS, ask questions, share concerns, and see some familiar faces.

“We’re always working to improve our programs at BCSC,” Ketcham explained. “Of course, we want to ensure that every student is poised for academic success. For new families, however, the intangible benefits of our school corporation, such as personalized onboarding, are another indicator of our strength. Whether our new students are from across town or across the country, we also want them to think of our school corporation as a place where adults and peers take an active role in helping them feel at home,” Ketcham concluded. “These new onboarding programs are our way of saying, ‘New student? No problem. We’ve got you covered. Come on in.’”

You can learn more about BCSC Onboarding Program by contacting the Director of Student Learning, Melissa Burton, at 812-934-2194.