Description
Course Description: This required one-trimester course introduces students to the foundational health knowledge, skills, and school systems necessary for a successful transition into the Upper School. Beginning with essential health education, the course explores how physical, mental, and emotional well-being are shaped by daily habits, relationships, social environments, and institutional systems. Students examine physical fitness, nutrition, sleep, and recovery; learn strategies for navigating stress, anxiety, depression, and emotional challenges; and develop the skills needed to build healthy relationships through effective communication, conflict resolution, consent, and boundary-setting. The course also addresses substance use through an age-appropriate, harm-reduction lens, helping students understand risk, peer influence, and available support systems.
As the course progresses, students are introduced to the people, spaces, organizations, and resources that support student life at Parish, including academic expectations, community values, counseling services, learning support, extracurricular programs, and campus systems. Building on this foundation, the course shifts toward academic success and future readiness, focusing on executive functioning, study strategies, time management, and responsible use of technology. Students engage in guided reflection on strengths, interests, financial literacy, and post-secondary pathways. By the end of the course, students leave with a personalized framework for maintaining well-being, navigating academic life, and planning thoughtfully for their future—grounded in a clear understanding of the support and opportunities available to them as members of the Parish community.
The course is graded PASS/FAIL.
Attendance Expectations & Requirements
While the course content is online, the nature of the course is "blended," meaning there are required in-person class meetings in addition to the online course content. During in-person sessions, students have instructor-guided lessons and activities, plus time to work through course content and check in with the instructor and teaching assistants.
This summer, our New Student Seminar course will be offered in two sessions to accommodate busy travel schedules and create smaller classroom experiences. Both sessions are taught by Dr. Ann Morgan, assisted by Parish alumni serving as Teaching Assistants.
The first session is May 28 - June 29 and the second session is July 6 - August 3.
Each session has a required in-person orientation, as well as seven in-person class meetings.
Students are required to attend an orientation AND at least FIVE of the in-person class meetings.
Students should plan to complete their attendance requirements and course material in the session that they have registered for, but accommodations can be made to attend classes in both sessions with written approval from Dr. Ann Morgan before the first class day.
Students must complete and turn in an attendance plan to the instructors showing how they plan to meet the minimum attendance requirements.
Required Orientation (Choose one)
Saturday, May 30 (10:00 am - 11:30 am)
Tuesday, June 2 (10:30 am - 12:00 pm)
Monday, July 6 (10:30 am - 12:00pm)
*New Parish students who are unable to attend one of the two intro meetings should contact Ann Morgan to make other arrangements.
In-Person Meetings (Must attend FIVE)
Thursday, July 9 (10:30 am - 12:00 pm)
Monday, July 13 (10:30 am - 12:00 pm)
Thursday, July 16 (10:30 am - 12:00 pm)
Monday, July 20 (10:30 am - 12:00 pm)
Thursday, July 23 (10:30 am - 12:00 pm)
Monday, July 27 (10:30 am - 12:00 pm)
Thursday, July 30 (10:30 am - 12:00 pm)
Final date for all Coursework - Monday, August 3 at midnight