A new freshman transition program will begin at Paly next year thanks to a Site Council fund allocation approved earlier this week, according Paly Principal Jacqueline McEvoy.

Site Council approved $10,390 at the Nov. 17 meeting. As a result, McEvoy is positioned to begin Link Crew adviser selection and planning for fall 2009. McEvoy said she plans to begin Link Crew adviser training this spring.

“I think that it would help a lot,” freshman AnaCena Zander said. “It is hard to move into a new school and get to know new people. I think that it would make freshmen feel more comfortable in the new environment.”

Link Crew consists of volunteer upperclassmen who are trained as Link Leaders and who guide freshmen through their first year of high school. According McEvoy, Link Crew may be added as an elective class, but students already in the Associated Student Body class would not have to take the class during the school day to help avoid scheduling conflicts.

“I think that it’s a great idea,”2008-2009 ASB President Erik Klingbeil said. “[Principal] McEvoy seems to support it [Link Crew] a lot. She has communicated to us in the past that the freshman student body does not feel quite as welcome, in large part because of Freshman Friday.”

Link Crew has already been established at Gunn High School.

“Part of what to look at is how it works at Gunn,” freshman adviser Elizabeth Brimhall said. “We like to have sort of equitable experiences for students in the district.”

According to the national Link Crew Web site, “Link Crew is the high school transition program that will increase attendance, decrease discipline referrals and improve academic performance at your school.”

Brimhall thinks that the establishment of this program will help freshmen adjust to high school.

“I think that it is good that we’re doing something to help freshmen adjust,” Brimhall said, “especially in light of the Freshman Friday incidents this year.”

Link Crew is more than just freshmen orientation – the program continues year-round through academic, social, and leader initiated follow-ups. According to the Link Crew Web site, Link Crew Leaders teach lessons on topics such as peer pressure during freshmen classes. Also, throughout the year, freshmen and Link Crew members come together for fun activities such as a group lunches. Link Crew Leaders are expected to take the time to make freshmen feel welcome at the school with simple actions, such as saying “hi” in the hallways.

According to the Link Crew Web site, “Link Crew helps change school culture. Hundreds of schools have watched as their student bodies have become more connected, more spirited and kinder to each other.”

This year, ASB tried to utilize Freshman Orientation as a tool to welcome incoming students to Paly.

“Link Crew is similar to what ASB has been trying to do to make the freshmen feel welcome,” Klingbeil said. “We organized Freshman Orientation in such a way that exposed new students to as much of the campus as possible.”

Klingbeil is optimistic about the effect that Link Crew will have at Paly.

“For sure I think it will work,” Klingbeil said. “I think that Link Crew would work better [than what ASB has tried]. I think that it’s good that the Site Council is using their money for a program like this to be implemented at Paly.”

Zander also thinks that the program will be useful, and hopes that it will be established soon.

“If this program is established when I am an upperclassman, then I would definitely be interested in joining it,” Zander said.