Staff and students at Franklin Middle School and Hoover Middle School have worked to create a school environment
“Where Everybody Belongs” through the innovative WEB program.

WEB is a middle school orientation and transition program that welcome incoming fifth graders. It is an extension of the innovative Link Crew Program which was introduced at Kenmore East High School and Kenmore West High School in 2016 to provide an orientation, transition, and peer-to-peer mentoring framework for new students.

The activities make new students
at Franklin Middle School and Hoover Middle School feel comfortable throughout the initial orientation and first days of their middle school experience. This sense of community and belonging has spread across all grade levels at both schools.

Expanding on the belief of empowering students to help other students succeed, WEB coordinators facilitate summer training for seventh-grade “WEB Leaders.” These students are trained with WEB strategies and skills that promote team building, brainstorming, cooperation, meeting challenges, and trial and error through peer interaction and engaging activities.

As positive role models, WEB
leaders are student leaders who build relationships with fifth graders and help them discover what it takes to be successful in middle school. Student success rates increase when they have positive experiences such as WEB.