High School Class of 2016/College Class 2020

[NewCrew42]

4 years of gym here too. And a Health class that is impossible to schedule so most kids take it during the summer. It is by a lottery and DD didn't get in. I found out she is high on the waiting list so we're crossing our fingers. Here is her schedule: I think she's nuts!

APUSH
AP Physics
AP English
Calc BC
Spanish 3H
Latin 2
Band/Chorus
gym

I think my DD would want to quit school if she had to take gym all 4 years.

 

[zoemurr]

I think my DD would want to quit school if she had to take gym all 4 years.

She hates it, but it is what it is. I definitely see the reason.. especially in her case. You don't get exercise by reading a book. It is every other day, and they try to schedule your science lab on the alternate days.

She does get to pick her sports for 11/12 grades so that helps some.

Not sure if it is a NY state mandate (anyone know?) or a local thing.

 

[coneeny4]

My DD was accepted into the National Honor Society.
We hope this will help her when it comes to scholarships.

 

[MomofKatie]

My DD was accepted into the National Honor Society.
We hope this will help her when it comes to scholarships.

Congrats! They don't select NHS until junior year here- the precursor is BetaClub (sophomores only), and DD belongs to that now.

 

[DisneyNutMary]

Not sure if it is a NY state mandate (anyone know?) or a local thing.

For some reason I think it is a New York State mandate. My DS has to take four years of gym too. He doesn't mind, his school is very lax when it comes to gym, basically it's free play. The kids decide what they want to play, they choose sides and play for the duration of the period. I think the fact that about 80% of the students participate in at least one season of some sports team or intramural team plays into the school's attitude toward gym. My DS is a three sport, three season athlete, he gets a pass if he wants to sit out of gym because the teacher knows he will be practicing for two to three hours after school every day.

Classes for next year, ugh, most of his classes are chosen for him as part of the scholar's program that he is in. The only class he has to decide on is what math to take. He and eight other kids are a year ahead of the sophomore class, taking trig this year while the others are taking geometry. His options are pre-calc, calc, and something called "senior math" which he doesn't know what that means. I'm hoping he opts for pre-calc then calculus in senior year and skip the "senior math" all together, but it's his decision, so I just agree with whatever he chooses.

 

[luvsJack]

Very glad we do not have the PE requirement that some of your kids do! They are required to take 2 PE credits--2 semesters however they want to divide it up. But, that requirement is met with most sports, cheerleading and the dance portion of show choir so dd has met it.

If our kids had to take it all 4 years, it would be extremely hard for any of them to meet their other requirements and take part in anything else. Choir, basketball, baseball, football, cheer, etc. are all full year classes, leaving dd 6 classes per year to meet other requirements. Really would not have to take one of those for PE.

 

[Kimberlyann11]

Very glad we do not have the PE requirement that some of your kids do! They are required to take 2 PE credits--2 semesters however they want to divide it up. But, that requirement is met with most sports, cheerleading and the dance portion of show choir so dd has met it.

If our kids had to take it all 4 years, it would be extremely hard for any of them to meet their other requirements and take part in anything else. Choir, basketball, baseball, football, cheer, etc. are all full year classes, leaving dd 6 classes per year to meet other requirements. Really would not have to take one of those for PE.

DD has way too many academics to fit in to do a whole 4 years of PE. She has to take half a year of PE and half a year of health. I would rather have her fit in another science or tech class since she wants to be an engineer. She is in band so that takes away an academic class every year as it is. It would be nice if marching band could fit the PE requirement. A varsity sport fits it - so one would think marching band would too - but no.

 

[luvsJack]

DD has way too many academics to fit in to do a whole 4 years of PE. She has to take half a year of PE and half a year of health. I would rather have her fit in another science or tech class since she wants to be an engineer. She is in band so that takes away an academic class every year as it is. It would be nice if marching band could fit the PE requirement. A varsity sport fits it - so one would think marching band would too - but no.

.

Marching band practice can be as or more physically demanding than most sports!!!

 

[zoemurr]

DD has way too many academics to fit in to do a whole 4 years of PE. She has to take half a year of PE and half a year of health. I would rather have her fit in another science or tech class since she wants to be an engineer. She is in band so that takes away an academic class every year as it is. It would be nice if marching band could fit the PE requirement. A varsity sport fits it - so one would think marching band would too - but no.

Choir and band are classes that meet during the day here, but all of the other sports are only before or after school. None of them can count toward a gym credit.

DD is taking 6 academics, gym, band/chorus (shares a class period) and next year she should have lunch. This year she only has lunch every other day. It is common for kids to give up lunch to take an extra class.

 

[Kimberlyann11]

Here concert band is a class that meets during the day, but marching band is after school and during the summer. The sports are after school and during the summer too and they count as a PE credit but marching band doesn't. Next year DD is taking

Concert band
health / sociology - a half year each
AP chemistry
AP Civics
AP language arts
Spanish III
Algebra II

Her extracurriculars will be marching band, robotics and linkcrew (older kids who assist the freshmen with problems or issues).

She doesn't have the option of skipping lunch. They don't have a long enough lunch to do that anyways.

 

[HannaBelle]

DD16 is not an over achiever, she is a solid B student and does not love school. Her older brother was very goal oriented and handled everything himself. She is a totally different kid!

Her junior year she is taking:

Pre AP English 3
US History
Pre-Calculus
Physics
Art 3 (Ceramics if it enough students enroll)
American Sign Language 3
Spanish 2
Interior Design

She has been in the GT program since kindergarten, scores high/off the charts on all of the standardized tests, did well on the PSAT and the practice ACT but her GPA is not high enough to get her in to a better than average state school.

She does not have a clue what she wants to do and is not involved in any extra curricular activities. After middle school she completely dropped volleyball, basketball and band. She does not have a bad attitude and is a sweet, sweet girl She just lacks focus.

 

[4luv2cdisney]

DD16 is not an over achiever, she is a solid B student and does not love school. Her older brother was very goal oriented and handled everything himself. She is a totally different kid!

Her junior year she is taking:

Pre AP English 3
US History
Pre-Calculus
Physics
Art 3 (Ceramics if it enough students enroll)
American Sign Language 3
Spanish 2
Interior Design

She has been in the GT program since kindergarten, scores high/off the charts on all of the standardized tests, did well on the PSAT and the practice ACT but her GPA is not high enough to get her in to a better than average state school.

She does not have a clue what she wants to do and is not involved in any extra curricular activities. After middle school she completely dropped volleyball, basketball and band. She does not have a bad attitude and is a sweet, sweet girl She just lacks focus.

Honestly, that sounds so nice and stress-free right about now. The only thing I'd be concerning myself with is finding her some extracurricular activity. And, I guess, as long as she's not just sitting in front of the TV, computer, whatever all the time, I may not even worry too much about that.

I am really trying to encourage balance in life right now. I am so sick of the stressing out over the next big paper or test or whatever. My DD15 typically scores high on standardized tests (though not particularly high on the PLAN test early this year) but she really has to work hard for her grades and she reeeaaallllllllly cares about her grades! She just did a retake on a test that she scored an 88% on. She had to set up a (6 am) meeting with the teacher to discuss why she scored "poorly", why she deserved to retake, etc., etc.,, the teacher had to then make up a completely new customized test, and then she had to stay after school to take the test. OMG

She is not doing (in my opinion) enough normal teenage stuff. She should be hanging out with her friends and devoting time to her interests and talents. She has been offered some great musical opportunities (free studio time, a "skip the line" type of audition in LA for a singing competition, and some other local stuff) by professionals that think she is very musically talented, yet she keeps pushing it to the back burner because...well...she can't push the schoolwork to the back burner. She is going to end up missing out and it is really unfortunate. Ugh.

Really sorry for the rant. It's been a rough weekend! I am just so emotionally exhausted.

 

[MomofKatie]

BIG mom brag here:

DD got accepted at the North Carolina School of Science & Math!! It is a highly selective residential high school (junior and senior years only) for high achieving students in NC. She had to go through a rigorous application process over the last several months, and acceptance emails were sent out today.

I'm so proud of her!! Of course, I'm also already panicking about my 15 year old living 2 1/2 hours away from her mom and dad in a dorm... I am not prepared for Empty Nest Syndrome this early!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Congratulations to your daughter, Momofkatie!

 

[NewCrew42]

Congrats momofkatie! Enjoy the time you spend preparing to send your dd away to school. That is quite an honor.

 

[hereyago]

Congrats MomofKatie

dd's back up class schedule is:
11 English
Mythology(semester) Literary Film(semester)
Alg. 2
Honors U.S. History
Bio 2 Zoology(semester) Bio 2 Marine *semester)
Ceramics(Semester) Digital Photography(semester)
Intro to Culinary Arts

Now, she has applied to go to a Vo Tech school for Vet Assistant, we won't know if she was accepted until after Spring break which is right now. So if she does get in, I am not sure which electives will be taken away because she will have Vet Assist every day and it's 2 hours long not to mention bus time because it is another area of the city.


I took her yesterday to take her Learner's Permit test, we have to go back in 2 weeks because she said she froze, after she put down the answer on the computer, she would remember, the real answer, but you can't refresh and go back. so we are going back over her booklet.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

My DD had a good tip for the Permit test. Skip over the ones you're not absolutely sure of. You pass when you get a certain number correct.

 

[hereyago]

My DD had a good tip for the Permit test. Skip over the ones you're not absolutely sure of. You pass when you get a certain number correct.

Thanks. I just gave dd that suggestion. I asked her if they had a skip button, she said yes, but she didn't use it. I said next time, use it. :rotfl2 then once she passes that, she can sign up for the driving portion of the driver's ed class. 200.00 smack a roos for a 2 week course.

Dumb question, but when do you add them to car insurance, when they get permit or the actual license?

 

[thegales]

Thanks. I just gave dd that suggestion. I asked her if they had a skip button, she said yes, but she didn't use it. I said next time, use it. :rotfl2 then once she passes that, she can sign up for the driving portion of the driver's ed class. 200.00 smack a roos for a 2 week course. Dumb question, but when do you add them to car insurance, when they get permit or the actual license?

It may vary by state, row even your insurance company. For us, it was when she got her license. Give your insurance provider a call to make sure she is covered at the right time. Oh, and get ready for some sticker shot for the cost.

 

[hereyago]