DDA Chapter 25

[bethbuchall]

Oh, and GOOD MORNING, DDA!

I have to take my car in to be inspected this morning. I don't think that they will find anything to fix, so it shouldn't take too long.

We had our open house at the preschool last night. It went very well for all the current students' families. We had only one prospective family in, though. It would be nice to see a few more interested families, but I'm not going to worry too much about it. Whatever happens, happens.

 

[Glynis]

The School Board had a meeting last night. It seems that they are taking away all the half days and teacher workdays that we were supposed to have, and adding 20 minutes to the day, 10 in the AM and 10 in the PM, to make up for all our snow days. At least we won't be adding on to the end of the year. YET! We are supposed to get snow tonight!

They also voted on the before Labor Day start, and that got voted down, so we will continue to start the Tuesday after LD.

Sounds like they are trying really hard not to add any days. That's a good thing! I'll keep my fingers crossed that the snow you are supposed to get is a minimal amount!

 

[Tammi67]

Yay for not having to extend the school year (yet)! I can't see how extending the day by 20 minutes will actually benefit the students. In high school, that would work out to a little more than 2 minutes/period. I know that they were out for a long time, but it seems like they should just forgive those days at this point other than adding back in the teacher workdays and half days.

I don't think it has anything to do with them learning the missed work. It's just to say they were "in" school for the required amount of hours.

 

[Glynis]

I don't think it has anything to do with them learning the missed work. It's just to say they were "in" school for the required amount of hours.

That's exactly what it's about!

How did Nicholas's awards ceremony go? What did he win? Was he excited?

 

[Glynis]

Good morning, all! I'm happy to report that I have absolutely NO errands to run today, so I'm hopeful that I can hunker down and finally finish the chapter I've been working on since Saturday! This is a tough one, and it's almost 100 pages long. It includes a lot of workbook stuff, which is what I need, but it's hard to do when you have to run errands, and deal with children. Hopefully, Timothy will want a nice long nap so I can get a large chunk dealt with before the kids come home from school. I got a page and a half done this morning from 5:30 to 6:30. There's a lot of flipping back and forth in my medical dictionary, coding books, computer work. Ugh!!! The sad thing is, I don't know how much I'm retaining. It's not looking good for my old brain!

Theresa - hugs to the community. I just don't understand people! Alan had to cover a story last week about a 14 year old boy who took his gun to show his friends while they played poker. Joking around, he "demonstrated" Russian roulette. I'm sure you can figure out where I'm going with this. The 3 friends who were there are extremely traumatized, as they saw their friend die in front of them. Why don't people think?????

 

[Tammi67]

That's exactly what it's about!

How did Nicholas's awards ceremony go? What did he win? Was he excited?

It went very well. He saw me as he was walking into the cafeteria. He got this puzzled look on his face and mouthed "what are you doing here?" Then, like lightbulb went off in his head, he got a big smile on his face. They gave out 4 ribbons per classroom, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and Honorable Mention. He received HM. I spoke with one of the mom's that did the judging for his class and she said the competition for his room was tight, a lot of really good projects, so he should be very proud. After he came home he proceeded to scold me for not telling him. When I told him that I didn't tell him because I wanted him to be surprised, his response was "I don't like surprises." He's just like me.

 

[Pooh67_68]

Tell me about it, John was reading about it last night and they said it will look like a hurricane from outer space.

I hope you Eastern Pennsylvanians don't get what they are predicting. I have to drive up to the Lancaster/Valley Forge area on Saturday!

I'll be staying in the Exton area. I don't know if that is near anyone but if it is let me know!

 

[tinker1bell]

I hope you Eastern Pennsylvanians don't get what they are predicting. I have to drive up to the Lancaster/Valley Forge area on Saturday!

I'll be staying in the Exton area. I don't know if that is near anyone but if it is let me know!

It is not a long drive and I do like the Exton Mall!!!! Not sure yet how the upcoming weather is going to affect us yet.

 

[Glynis]

It went very well. He saw me as he was walking into the cafeteria. He got this puzzled look on his face and mouthed "what are you doing here?" Then, like lightbulb went off in his head, he got a big smile on his face. They gave out 4 ribbons per classroom, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and Honorable Mention. He received HM. I spoke with one of the mom's that did the judging for his class and she said the competition for his room was tight, a lot of really good projects, so he should be very proud. After he came home he proceeded to scold me for not telling him. When I told him that I didn't tell him because I wanted him to be surprised, his response was "I don't like surprises." He's just like me.

How wonderful!!! Congratulate him from me!!! I hate surprises, too!

 

[Tammi67]

It is not a long drive and I do like the Exton Mall!!!! Not sure yet how the upcoming weather is going to affect us yet.

Well, if anyone is available and able to do dinner Saturday evening, let me know. It will be Alyssa and I.

 

[Tammi67]

How wonderful!!! Congratulate him from me!!! I hate surprises, too!

I will, thank you. Good luck studying today!

 

[my3princes]

We finally got a winter storm. No school today We have about a foot on the ground now and it is still coming. The kids are excited. This one should wrap up tonight with another starting tomorrow and going into Friday. The second storm has great potential too. Of course the temps will be warming up by the weekend so this won't stick around too long.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Heidi, glad your mom is OK!

Theresa, hope the ankle continues to heal and that the pain diminishes soon!

Tammi, YAY for Nicholas!

I hope the weather isn't too horrible for you guys! Our "snow" yesterday ended up to be a couple of flurries in the AM.

Stephanie, you and DGS are going to have so much fun!

So, the guidance counselor from the middle school laughed at me when I told her I want the 504 reinstated or an IEP. He has all A's and B's and his test grades are fine, so there is NOT a demonstrated educational need for modifications. My point is that when there IS a demonstrated need (IF it comes to that) we will lose at least 30 days while they flail around trying to get the documents in order. Idiots.

Since the middle school will be NO HELP this will be a fight I engage in with the high school. The question then becomes "Is it worse for him to be in a math class he can't pass, or is it worse to put him in a math class with the gang bangers where he will be too scared and distracted to learn?" Good times. Good times.

I have decided there is no point in counting on him getting into the Arts magnet. Not getting in will be a blow all by itself. Not having a Plan B would just make a horrible situation even worse. So for now we have to play the "pretend there isn't an Arts magnet" game and try to sort out the lesser of the evils at the regular high school.

The other option we haven't really looked at is moving to another district. Our lease is up July 1 so we could definitely move. The problem is where to go without making DH's commute a nightmare. So for the moment we aren't seriously considering relocation.

Planning for the regular high school, his courses will be: Pre-AP English, Pre-AP Biology, Pre-AP Social Studies, Algebra I, Marching Band, Theater, Spanish I. They also have a mandatory study hall period, and a lunch period for a total of 9. I am confused on "lunch as a class period" but whatever.

 

[bethbuchall]

I don't think it has anything to do with them learning the missed work. It's just to say they were "in" school for the required amount of hours.

I know, but I think it's silly. It definitely beats having days added to the end of the year, though. I wouldn't actually complain about it, but I just think that it doesn't make a lot of sense.

 

[bethbuchall]

It went very well. He saw me as he was walking into the cafeteria. He got this puzzled look on his face and mouthed "what are you doing here?" Then, like lightbulb went off in his head, he got a big smile on his face. They gave out 4 ribbons per classroom, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and Honorable Mention. He received HM. I spoke with one of the mom's that did the judging for his class and she said the competition for his room was tight, a lot of really good projects, so he should be very proud. After he came home he proceeded to scold me for not telling him. When I told him that I didn't tell him because I wanted him to be surprised, his response was "I don't like surprises." He's just like me.

I don't like surprises either and neither do my kids. I was thinking that when you first wrote about it. I think that I would keep the secret from Miles, because even though he doesn't like surprises, he'd roll with it. I think I'd have to tell Laura in advance. I'm not sure with Matthew. Mine all need time to process a "surprise" and need a little warning. Actually, dh is the same way, too. I know that I'll never have to worry about having a surprise party.

 

[bethbuchall]

Tell me about it, John was reading about it last night and they said it will look like a hurricane from outer space.

Maybe our newspaper was reporting about your weather. I hope it's not as bad for you as they predict!

 

[bethbuchall]

We finally got a winter storm. No school today We have about a foot on the ground now and it is still coming. The kids are excited. This one should wrap up tonight with another starting tomorrow and going into Friday. The second storm has great potential too. Of course the temps will be warming up by the weekend so this won't stick around too long.

I'm glad that you are finally getting some snow. We haven't had much snow, but I am definitely ready for winter to end.

 

[bethbuchall]

Heidi, glad your mom is OK!

Theresa, hope the ankle continues to heal and that the pain diminishes soon!

Tammi, YAY for Nicholas!

I hope the weather isn't too horrible for you guys! Our "snow" yesterday ended up to be a couple of flurries in the AM.

Stephanie, you and DGS are going to have so much fun!

So, the guidance counselor from the middle school laughed at me when I told her I want the 504 reinstated or an IEP. He has all A's and B's and his test grades are fine, so there is NOT a demonstrated educational need for modifications. My point is that when there IS a demonstrated need (IF it comes to that) we will lose at least 30 days while they flail around trying to get the documents in order. Idiots.

Since the middle school will be NO HELP this will be a fight I engage in with the high school. The question then becomes "Is it worse for him to be in a math class he can't pass, or is it worse to put him in a math class with the gang bangers where he will be too scared and distracted to learn?" Good times. Good times.

I have decided there is no point in counting on him getting into the Arts magnet. Not getting in will be a blow all by itself. Not having a Plan B would just make a horrible situation even worse. So for now we have to play the "pretend there isn't an Arts magnet" game and try to sort out the lesser of the evils at the regular high school.

The other option we haven't really looked at is moving to another district. Our lease is up July 1 so we could definitely move. The problem is where to go without making DH's commute a nightmare. So for the moment we aren't seriously considering relocation.

Planning for the regular high school, his courses will be: Pre-AP English, Pre-AP Biology, Pre-AP Social Studies, Algebra I, Marching Band, Theater, Spanish I. They also have a mandatory study hall period, and a lunch period for a total of 9. I am confused on "lunch as a class period" but whatever.

I hope that it all comes together in the end. Our high school has a period for lunch, too. It adds flexibility to class scheduling or something, since there are three lunches. Our middle lunch is mixed sophomores and juniors, and some of the classes are mixed grade levels. We don't have mandatory study halls, though, and PE is mandatory all four years.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

I hope that it all comes together in the end. Our high school has a period for lunch, too. It adds flexibility to class scheduling or something, since there are three lunches. Our middle lunch is mixed sophomores and juniors, and some of the classes are mixed grade levels. We don't have mandatory study halls, though, and PE is mandatory all four years.

I found the thing about study hall online somewhere, and for the life of me now I can't find it again. But the high school counselor did say it is mandatory. It is some acronym - PAWS - that is study and organizational skills.

As far as PE, marching band counts as .5 PE credit. So if he marches for 3 years he will have the required 1.5 PE credits. If he takes an actual PE class he can't have more than 2.0 PE credits count towards graduation. If he wanted to take a PE class as a year-long elective next year instead of Spanish he would be done with PE entirely. (1 credit for PE and .5 for band.) I do think there is a required .5 credit health class, too.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Oh, the best part is that they may still tweak the graduation requirements before school starts. Band might not count as a PE credit anymore, they might add a Fine Arts credit requirement to the minimum graduation plan, and there are a couple of other things being debated. Good thing they didn't make all those changes BEFORE they had the kids choose their courses! THAT would have been FAR too logical!