It’s that time of year again! Summer begins to fade in glory and the season shifts to fall, a wonderful time of year in Southern Oregon. Dragonfly programs also shift during this transitional season. The caseload trips to the Pacific Northwest, Colorado, and Utah were all a success and we now turn attention to the transition of returning school.

Many of our students have enrolled in either Oregon Tech, Klamath Community College, Klamath Adult Learning Center, Southern Oregon University, or many of our on-line High School programs. It’s an exciting time of change, challenge, and opportunity for our students. College options such as Writing, Math, Art, Psychology, Sociology, Biology and Early Childhood Education are just a few of the classes that stand out this semester. Oregon Tech, Southern Oregon University, Rogue Community College, and Klamath Community College offer the students many core curriculum credits that can be transferred to other major colleges.

To ease this important transition back to school, we have designed Student Prep Days to better equip and acquaint the incoming students with the many facets of successful academic practices. Scheduled for September 24 and 25, Student Prep Days covers many topics. ‘Nutrition on a Busy Schedule’ looks at eating right to think right and preparing nutritious meals in advance to avoid fatigue and burnout. Another session, ‘Dealing with Anxiety and Stress’, is designed to equip the student with proactive coping skills, organizational skills and developing an awareness of emotional balance in the classroom. ‘Getting Organized’ addresses the successful practice of using planners, schedules and organizers to prepare the student for solid goal setting and measurable outcomes.

Dragonfly students will join with the Oregon Tech orientation program that will cover all of the services and support that the campus offers, along with a meet and greet lunch.

All sessions are designed to be collaborative and interactive so that we can cover questions, concerns or innovative ideas. Day Two features a tour of the college campus and each student will find their classroom, professor’s office, Library, Student Union, CFLAT testing center, and other important destinations. This helps alleviate anxiety on the first day of classes.

When the first day of class begins, Monday September 28, the real work begins for our supporting teams of mentors and Educational Coordinator. Each student is assigned a specific time to meet with both their mentor and Educational Coordinator to ensure that academic expectations are understood, curriculum is reviewed, and assignments are planned out in advance.

It’s back to school at Dragonfly Transitions, an exciting time for students and staff. We look forward to working with each student as they develop positive habits and strategies for success.