Being that the school year is starting completely online, teachers have created new ways to introduce new students to Marlborough. All of the programs that were previously done in person have been adapted virtually to adhere to social distancing. During regular school years, Marlborough would hold a Violets 101 program for incoming seventh graders, which allows the new students to meet their classmates and participate in activities together.
However, due to the changes because of COVID-19, the Violets 101 Planning Team has had to come up with creative and fun ways to get the students ready for the upcoming school year. The planning process for Violets 101 this year took more time and effort, as well as more people, to make it happen. Kendal Beeman (7th Grade Dean) is a part of the Violets 101 team and started planning this year’s program since school went online five months ago.
“Ms. Rosi-Mitchell, Ms. Duggan and I are the Violets 101 Planning Team and we have been meeting since March to plan for this,” Beeman says. “The deans have also been a part of it and over 50 faculty members are involved!”
The new plan for Violets 101 entailed putting seventh graders into smaller groups so they could get to know a few girls more closely. Administration wanted to give incoming students the feeling of student life on campus while also incorporating the new changes from COVID-19. Marlborough also wanted to give students an opportunity to meet with groups that they share interests with.
“They [had] other workshops where they meet in randomized groups, with affinity groups, and with groups based on interests to experience an aspect of student life,” Beeman said.
Some students felt as though the new version of Violets 101 was not ideal but understood the changes that Marlborough had to make with COVID-19. Abigail ‘24 is an incoming freshman at Marlborough and attended the online Violets 101 workshop over the summer.
“Overall, it was definitely awkward but I had a really good time,” Abigail said. “It felt slightly forced, but I think that it was necessary if they wanted us to speak to one another.”
