Every year when school starts … there are so many expectations. Students, parents, teachers – everyone has high expectations. And, rightly so!
But, what can we do during the first 5 days to show students that “together” we can achieve our goals? What can we do to show that we can meet and, even, exceed those expectations?
Well, here is what we have been doing:
–teachers have studied about how to support students “to be ready to learn new things”
-teambuilding among classes
-discussion of what it means to work as a team
-teachers have attended conferences to become experts on important values that students will study
-students have joined students from Jarlaplan and Odenplan to start preparing this year’s musical
-Economy students have presented their UF idea to more than 2000 KTH university students
-tech training
-discussed course outlines and investigated what we will learn this year
-talked to each other 
-Elevkår offered a “backyard bar-b-q” for all students
-the school newspaper VRGDT interviewed new staff and students to capture their feelings
-reviewed and revised more than 500 schedules
-shared written letters of hopes, fears and expectations with ourselves via futureme.org
-older students have “guided” younger students through the nervousness of starting a new school
These are just a few of the many activities we have been engaged in for these first 5 days. Planned by our dedicated administrators, implemented by our engaged teachers and inspired by our students – it has been a busy 5 days.
Of course, there are bumps in the road, as 
there always will be … schedule clashes, the nervousness of forging new friendships, building confidence in a new environment, facing the academic challenges of high school. But, that’s ok. We will solve these challenges together. Really, that is why the first 5 days of school are so important … to learn that no matter what – we will solve it together. Together, we will meet those high expectations.
And, we are just getting started!
Learning @ VR Schools 