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Vestavia Hills City Schools is committed to ensuring all information placed on its public website is accessible to individuals with disabilities. If you have a disability or face any barriers accessing website content, please contact (205) 402-5100.

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Everyone makes a big deal about this at the beginning of the school year. Don't worry about them. It's nothing to be afraid of or anything. Just don't freak out when a slow song comes on. Yes, some people will slow dance. It's not that bad. Also, if someone asks you to go with them it doesn't mean you're dating or anything.

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to save time i suggest to bring whatever you need for the next class to PE so that you don´t have to go back to your locker. Just grab whatever you need for the class after PE and leave it in the locker room and then once the bell rings you don´t have to go back to your locker

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If you are in an 8th period that has all grades in it, you might feel intimidated by them at first. Trust me, I'm in drama, and there are all 3 grades in there and at first I got scared. Don't be afraid of them most 7th and 8th graders are super nice! Now that I have gotten to know the older kids, some of them are like my best friends. Even though they are older than you, they will be nice to you, especially in the beginning of the year when you don't know your way around Pizitz. Everyone is nice to you if you are nice to them. They aren't going to bully you or anything.

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Make sure you pay attention to your teacher, instead of talking to your friends. Don't think you can remember everything, because with eight classes that is not going to happen. Just try to pay attention, and maybe even write some notes.

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Every single thing that you do at Pizitz requires staying organized. You need to realize that your teachers aren't going to constantly remind you to do things like cleaning out your locker. If you aren't keeping all of your binders and folders straight you will lose them and the rest of the year without that stuff will be absolutely AWFUL! If you think like this,  "If I just leave my math binder on this shelf where no one can see it, I can just get it tomorrow and no one will see it." you will get in trouble and you will not survive This DOES NOT work. Teachers see these things and throw them in the trash. I'm not kidding! Stay organized!

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The number 1 tip that I would give ANYONE about to change from elementery school to middle school is STAY OR!!!

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6th grade may seem very scary and overwhelming at first. You do not have to be scared about anything. You always have teachers that are able to help you with anything at any time. Do not be scared if you cannot get your locker open on the first try also. You will get the hang of it! Also do not forget to study and do your homework and all assignments!

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(mainly) 7th graders will pick on y'all for being fresh meat but if you make friends will some from PE or 8th period you will be fine and if you dont then as long as you dont let them trick you and just be confident then you will be fine, just remember they were 6th graders only last year.

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PE can be kind of terrifying when you start out. It's important to remember not to feel nervous when you dress out or fitness test. Running the mile is a piece of cake. (Take it from someone who doesn't even like to run.) PE is a lot of fun. It's a chance for all you girls to be with your friends and have fun. Even if you don't like sports, PE is going to be your favorite subject!

You're gonna do great!

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If you're a dude and you're good at sports and such, you'll be fine. If you're not to physically strong people may try to make fun of you, ignore it. For clothes you're going to need to get used to a gym locker and having to show your underwear in front of like 30 other guys while you get dressed. It's not too bad after awhile. The mile run (P.E test) may seem VERY difficult, as well as the other tests, just do your best.
-Random Person #367

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You never know what someone is going through. It's always nice to be known as the nice kid. You want to be kind to others. You know the saying "treat others  the way you want to be treated?" Well, in middle school you really need to keep that in mind. Just saying.
BE KIND TO ONE ANOTHER!

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If you thought trends got big when you were in central, it's about that x100. People will constantly be talking about the "lit" new trends that are out. (Fortnite, fidget spinners and such) Eventually people don't talk about them much after a few months.

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Yes, you may have your best friends that you hang out with all the time, but middle school is a great chance to make new ones. You can still have your other friends, but it's still good to have others. You can have 50-50 friends and you can have 100% friends. It's never a bad thing to have a lot of friends.

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Dress codes can be strict at Pizitz, but there's no reason to be worried. There are rules that prohibit you from wearing crop tops, tube tops, spaghetti straps, etc. You also can't wear short shorts. Just because there are some rules, though, doesn't mean you can't wear other things. Girls- You can wear blouses, (cute flowey tops) or T-Shirts. It depends on what you like. Just be glad you don't have to wear a uniform!
-Anonomous

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a lot of 8th and 7th graders curse and im sure some kids will curse in 6th grade too. It may seem bad at first but you will get over it so dont stress

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Be sure that you're ready to be able to manage your time wisely. You need to be able to have time to do your homework and still be able to do any after school activities, and be able to get enough sleep at night.

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Don't drop out of grc next year cause you actually learn a lot and Mrs Castleberry is rally awesome but if you don't do your homework she will get mad at you

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PE is awesome but if you just stand around with your friends then you will get in trouble and dressing out isn't scary or anything and i wouldn't recommend dressing out in the bathroom stalls cause people will get mad at you if they actually need to go to the bathroom

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You don't need wallpaper or carpets the only thing i think you "need" is a mirror if you want and a pencil holder but surprisingly you wont really use a white board and it's just a waste of space

also i suggest getting a lock over the summer and practice how to open it

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Some people might think it's crazy to have to dress out for PE, it's not hard and it's super fun.

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At Pizitz, you'll have the opportunity to buy certain things. On most Thursdays, you can buy Italian ice. At dances and parties, you can buy candy and soft drinks. I recommend bringing some money to school or keeping a $5 in your locker. You don't want to miss out on buying a wristband, tee shirt, snack, etc.

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Hello rising 6th grader! I am so excited to have you at Pizitz next year. Here are a few helpful hints that will help you through your 6th grade year:

1. Pizitz is a large school, but don't worry! We won't let you get lost. There are teachers and other helpers throughout the hall that will help you if you get turned around. Just ask!

2. You're getting a locker! I remeber being so excited about decorating it. So I bought wallpaper, a locker shelf, a carpet, a mirror, etc. I later realized that some of this stuff was just unnecessary. My chandelier ended up breaking and my pencil holder kept falling. It became a hassle. If I could redecorate my locker at the beginning of the year, I would definitely keep the shelf, and the mirror. The rug and wallpaper are just for decoration, but I would keep it. Also, the carpet helped my books from getting so beat up.

3. We all know that there are the "popular people" at school, but don't try to impress them! There will be many fads and trends that you don't have to go along with to be viewed as "cool". These trends will eventually die out and be forgotten anyway. (i.e. fidget spinners) Plus, you don't need to change yourself. God made you special! :)

4. Yes, you do have to dress out for P.E. It's OK! You have your own P.E. locker to keep your stuff in and the girls and boys are seperate. I definitely wouldn't decorate your P.E. locker, though. It will just be a hassle. In your P.E. locker, I would keep your P.E. uniform, sweats for when its cold outside, (These will be provided for you when your parents order it during school registration.) an extra pair of tennis shoes, and some body spray and/or deoderant.

5. Be prepared! Transitioning from elementary to middle school is big. You can expect to have more work, but as long as you are organized and have good time management skills you will exceed! Also, you will have Mrs. Castleberry next year if you choose to take Gifted Science. I would definitely reccomend taking it because it is so fun! We do so many interactive activities and experiments.

I could go on for many paragraphs about advice for rising 6th graders, but I'm sure that you're tired of reading by now. So, if you've read to this point, great job! I hoped this helped.

P.S. I miss you Mrs. Coxwell and Mrs. Whiddon!

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Hi, future MS amateurs!
Most of the posts talk about the parties, or "dances", but they're not that big of a deal. You know, you're not in high school. Also, you don't want to get too caught up in the cliquey stuff!
Some of my Central friends have asked me about PE. Yes, boys and girls are split up. Yes, we dress out. And yes, we run a mile. Twice. Per year.
The switching classes thing was kind of nerve-wracking at first, but it's not too bad. Same with lockers. Really, lockers are NOT a big deal!
As for Gifted Science, it's great! Even though the tests are (super) hard, all you need to do is pay attention. I'm not kidding! And don't worry too much (but still think) about the grades. The admin put you in GRC because they knew you could handle it.
P.S.
You'll get used to the bell.

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Also ya'll, a lot of people are going to drop out of doing GRC next year- do not! GRC with Mrs. caslteberry is so much fun!-

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I transferred from a different city to Vestavia City Schools and it's not as hard as I thought it was. Pizitz isn't that complicated and the extremness of tests and homework all depends on what team you're in. Also, don't get too jacked up on school "dances', I don't understand why everyone makes such a big deal about it. Which also means to make good friends. One other thing, make sure you participate in clubs! For example, debate, sports, track, and math team. (Band is the best!).  Anyway, good luck -

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Middle School is a time of getting older and getting lockers. But, you may come across times where you may find it different. First off, you might not be in classes with all your friends, but what from I've learned it is alright! You will make many more friends and you will still see your old ones! Also do not worry about trying to be popular! I know there is a lot of fuss about being the "cool kid" but the truth is you just want to have real friends to hang out with. Some people will start to change. Some friends do not want to talk about the things you may have used to have talked about. They may wanna gossip more or talk about inappropriate things. You will have lots of fun in Middle school!!! Also don''t forget to study!!!

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Hey guys! Don't let all of these things freak you out-  for me, it may be different for you, but I really enjoyed the change over from central to middle school. Not everything is as hard as you think- academically there will be a few challenges but I believe it was just about the same as last year. Additionally, when I first got to pizitz, it was SO BIG! After a few weeks, you will have just about every route to everywhere covered though! Another important thing is that you should totally try out for as many different things as you can- I tried out for cheer and made it! It is so much fun and makes everything at pizitz all the more enjoyable. Lastly, decorating your locker is definiently something you should do! putting some scented stuff/ wallpaper will help your locker feel more like home. Don't be scared, try new things and have fun! - Anna Claire Black

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Before I start I'm gonna say one thing parties not dances. Some people make a big deal about the school parties. There's probably about 3 a year. They are not formal. It's just kind of a fun time to hang out with your friends. You do have to pay $5 dollars to attend
and you may want to bring money to buy snacks. By the way, no one really goes with a date. Only like 10 kids do and they play one short slow song. Don't feel bad if you don't have one. It's no prom! Just have fun!

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When you get to middle school, your friends will change. They might go from talking about what to do at recess to who they're gonna ask to the dance. It's super important that you pick good people to hangout out with. Your current friends may change in their behavior or language to try to be "cool". Also, don't pour out your darkest secrets to anyone; they may turn out to be not a good friend and tell everyone. Also, rumors and gossip are NOT COOL. You may start hearing some gossip just don't spread it more. You will have more time to talk to your friends in middle school though.

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In 6th grade, you have to be prepared for harder classes and harder homework. The transition from 5th to 6th grade will be  hard, but if you organize your things, you'll live. Homeroom serves as a good time to get your homework done, to review, or to just relax. Make sure that you know where your classes are, what your homework is, and when your next test is. Don't forget to study (like REALLY hard)!
Good luck

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First off, I miss you too, Mrs. Coxwell.  next, tests in middle school are serious.  You really have to study- which doesn't mean staring at your notes for 2 minutes.  No, you gotta cram all that stuff in your brain.  Also, socially, things are jacked up, man.  JACKED UP.  There are these little groups here and there.  My advice for that is find one with your friends, or one where you belong.  If you feel brave, start your own!  That's all of the advice I have to give- good luck, amigo.

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I wish I had known that the Eighth Grade hallway is off-limits to sixth graders because of safety reasons. When you are in the hallways, it can get so crowded that I wish I had worn close-toed shoes. Also, at the beginning of the year I was in the hall, and this big group of kids were screaming inappropriate stuff. You do not want to get caught in that. Best of luck,
-Ava Taylor

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I may not be the best or smartest middle school student who ever lived, but I know for a fact that checking the homework calendar daily is a must. It will help you with knowing which project is due on which day. Take it from me. In the beginning of my 6th grade year, I never checked the homework calendar, and I was ALWAYS worried about missing an assignment or forgetting to work on a project. Then, I started checking the homework calendar. I am barely ever stressed about missing a homework assignment. So I encourage you to check the homework calendar as soon as you have access to a computer. It will help you so much with what is due and on what day.

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I promise you, if you don't have everything sorted out in middle school, you will drown. You can use tabs and labels in your binders and write on the bindings of your notebooks. If you have trouble remembering your homework, you may want to keep a whiteboard or piece of paper in your locker to help you remember your homework. Let's say organization isn't one of your strengths: There are teachers that can help you with organizing your binders. I also highly recommend (as weird as it sounds,) keeping your locker organized. You want to make sure that you can get from one class to your locker to the next class in the span of four minutes. Keep organized, and you'll be golden in middle school!

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Your friends might start acting a little different. They might be more interested in being popular, other than trying to be genuinely nice. People are going to find some topics more funny than at Central. such as some "inappropriate" jokes. You get used to it eventually. Because of the split up classes, it may seem like you get less time to hang out with friends. Lunch is probably the period you'll get to spend most time with them, unless you're lucky enough to get periods with them. Just try to spend as much time as you can hanging out with your friends!

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I remember in 5th grade, my friend and I were so excited for lockers. We spent hours designing and online shopping for wallpaper and chandeliers. We thought we had lockers the size of whole classroom. Fun fact: they're the size of a kitchen cupboard. Don't buy a chandelier, rug, etc. You will end up ripping it out! I do recommend getting a locker shelf though. It will make your life so much easier. As for the hallways, we were  also really excited that we wouldn't have to walk in lines anymore. That is true but it can get really crowded at some times. I mean really crowded. However, most of your classes will be near each other, so you shouldn't have too much trouble. Wish you the best of luck at Pizitz! (sorry for making it so long)

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Always study for your tests no matter what because sometimes I think I'm going to get a high grade on a test or ace a test but then I get a low score or a score I didn't want. And when I don't study for a test and the test is in a subject  I'm bad at I get a really bad grade. Study for tests and you will get good grades.

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I wish I would have known how much homework there is. All you need to do is get as much done as you can in class so you don't have to stay up a long time. All of the teachers in the school are very nice. They will help you whenever you need help. If you get lost in the school or don't know where to go, just ask a teacher.