Adding 6th graders to ROJH next year has its positives and negatives.

On the bright side, there will be fewer transitions between schools. Students will have elementry for six years, middle school for three years and high school for four years. It’s going to be easier for parents to keep their children in one school rather than changing to a new one every two years. Even better, students get to spend more time with their favorite teacher(s).

With the addition of 6th graders, the student population at ROJH will top 1,000. For elective classes, this could cause some increases in class size. Luckily, 6th grade students will be in their own building most of the day. This will help keep the halls from being overcrowded and upperclassmen won’t be forced to spend too much time with their younger classmates.

Due to the number of students at the high school and the junior high, there will be new buses, but the two schools will still ride the buses together. There will be an increase in buses but a decrease in stops. That’s good news for some people but not everyone. Some buses might have one stop only, which will be great for those bus drivers. They won’t have to worry about seating arrangements.

Also, with the addition of 6th graders, the school will have to be renamed as it will no longer be a junior high. I don’t like the idea of the school’s name being changed. Some students might feel as if they are still a child if it is changed to a “middle school.”

Still, the 6th graders coming to ROJH will have some positive effects, and I am looking forward to them coming here.