Walking through the doors this morning, students were greeted not just with a new school year but with a carefully crafted experience designed to spark connection, creativity, and a sense of belonging.
📱 First Things First: Phone Pouches
Before the day even began, students placed their phones into secure pouches that stayed in the classroom until dismissal. This intentional choice created a distraction-free environment, setting the tone for authentic interaction. HSFI Back to School
🍦 Ice Cream Social Kickoff
The morning started with a sweet tradition—an ice cream social. Students and staff mingled, laughed, and shook off first-day jitters while sharing a treat. It wasn’t just about dessert—it was about creating community right from the start. HSFI Back to School
🎬 Getting to Know Each Other: Creative Introductions
Rather than standard “go-around-the-room” intros, classes launched into activities like:
Name Tent Design: Students decorated name tents with fonts, colors, and symbols that reflected their personalities.
Life in 3 Stops: Sharing three key moments that shaped who they are.
Movie Trailer Intro: Picking a movie title that best described their life right now.
Emoji Intro: Summing themselves up with just three emojis.
Each activity was quick, interactive, and built towards the bigger goal—helping students see each other as individuals with unique stories. HSFI Back to School
🌍 Team Building Adventures
After introductions, students dove into collaborative challenges. Depending on their grade, they might have:
Survived together on a deserted island,
Created body-percussion rhythms in Beat Makers,
Reflected on their “River of Life”,
Discovered common threads with classmates,
Or tested their SEL skills through interactive games.
These weren’t just icebreakers—they were exercises in communication, problem-solving, and creativity, all wrapped in fun. HSFI Back to School
📜 Academic Reflection: My Transcript, My Future
Students also carved out time to review their transcripts. They asked questions like: What am I proud of? Am I on track for graduation? What do I still need? This reflection was paired with guidance on promotion and graduation requirements, helping every student set personal and academic goals for the year ahead. HSFI Back to School
🎤 Assemblies by Grade
Each grade came together for an assembly that introduced the year’s vision and spirit. With performances from LUMEI, 2! 3! KPOP, ICONOLAN, & STEP TEAM. With shared goals, and messages of encouragement, the assemblies highlighted the power of community while giving each grade its moment to shine. HSFI Back to School
📝 Closing the Day
As the day wound down, students enjoyed lunch with their peers, collected their Omni cards, and completed surveys before heading home phones finally back in hand. HSFI Back to School
🌟 The Big Takeaway
HSFI’s first day wasn’t about diving straight into coursework. It was about laying a foundation of trust, connection, and belonging. Through ice cream, storytelling, team building, and reflection, students didn’t just start school they started building community.