How much is summer school in your area?

[Rock'n Robin]

DD#1 wants to take summer school gym and I think it's a good idea. There are only 7 periods in the school day at our HS. She will have English, Government, Algebra, Physical Science and Spanish, plus choir. I would like her to have study hall at least fall semester until she gets into the swing of things, and she wants to take either Basic Drama or a computer class second semester (which we will drop if we find out she really, really needs the study hall). If she takes gym during school the "extras" will have to go.
Our local HS won't release any information about summer gym until after spring break. They only have 50 spots and it is like a cattle call--they make the forms available and there is a huge line of parents out the door waiting (usually music parents like me or honors parents).
I can sign her up in the neighboring district now by mail, but it is $145 for out-of-district plus a $30 registration fee. DH went nuts! He says if it is free during school she can darn well take it during school. Of course this is right after we had a discussion about how much of our $ outgoing goes to kids activities, and the same time DS's spring soccer fee and baseball registration is due. (wait until he finds out how much the fees are for our kids in the fall with one in the HS!)
So how much is summer school where you are? Is $145 out of line? I guess he expected it to be about $40, but since it was $35 when I took government in the summer in 1980, I figured it went up!
Robin M.

 

[poohandwendy]

I don't know. I didn't know people had to pay for summer school. Actually, I never gave it any thought, I guess they would need something to cover the extra costs involved.

 

[N.Bailey]

I have no idea what it is in our area, but my niece was in Lancaster County about 5 years ago and it was only around $40. She had to make up a class that she failed though, so I'm not sure if there is a difference or not?

I do want to add that in our district, you must take gym all through high school and they'd never give that option for summer school. I'm not sure if you know for a fact that your area allows it or not, but if you don't, I'd look into that first and foremost. The schools today are trying to fight obesity and our district actually increased gym from 2 days a week to 3 days.

 

[aprilgail2]

Summer school doesn't cost anything but only the kids that flunk go to it...they don't make kids that pass go to it..nor do they allow kids that pass to go to it.

 

[golfgal]

The only summer school offered in our district is for jr and sr high students that fail classes during the school year and need to make them up. I don't know if there is a charge.

Personally, I wouldn't pay for summer gym class either. I don't like study halls in schools, though, either. What you are really doing is paying so your DD can have a study hall.

 

[poohandwendy]

Summer school doesn't cost anything but only the kids that flunk go to it...they don't make kids that pass go to it..nor do they allow kids that pass to go to it.

Thinking on it, I think that is how it goes here. I do not think they offer any classes to students who want to get them out of the way for next year. I know my DD would have done the summer before her senior year if it were available.

 

[Nancy]

I believe it is free if you failed a class and live in the district. You can go and take classes if you want to get ahead, but I have no clue if they charge. I do know that drivers ed is a $400.00 charge to take a Catholic high school in the district. They do not offer it through our high school at all.

 

[disneyjunkie]

It's free here. (NYC public schools)

Up until a few years ago, summer school was open to anyone who wanted to attend. When I was in high school I had a few friends take classes during the summer to increase their GPAs.

Now they only allow kids who are failing to attend summer school.

 

[Kaycee]

DS is taking gym and health this summer for the same reason the OP gave - with so many required classes, it's really the only way kids can take elective classes if they have a variety of interests.

At our school, it is $50 per class, so we'll be paying $100 for both classes this summer. Our high school is the only one of the 5 high schools in our district that is offering summer school this year, and I've heard that this may be the last summer this option will be available, so he's taking both classes while he can still get them.

 

[SPAM]

i took summer school 2 summers back and it was about that much.

DD#1 wants to take summer school gym and I think it's a good idea. There are only 7 periods in the school day at our HS. She will have English, Government, Algebra, Physical Science and Spanish, plus choir. I would like her to have study hall at least fall semester until she gets into the swing of things, and she wants to take either Basic Drama or a computer class second semester (which we will drop if we find out she really, really needs the study hall). If she takes gym during school the "extras" will have to go.
Our local HS won't release any information about summer gym until after spring break. They only have 50 spots and it is like a cattle call--they make the forms available and there is a huge line of parents out the door waiting (usually music parents like me or honors parents).
I can sign her up in the neighboring district now by mail, but it is $145 for out-of-district plus a $30 registration fee. DH went nuts! He says if it is free during school she can darn well take it during school. Of course this is right after we had a discussion about how much of our $ outgoing goes to kids activities, and the same time DS's spring soccer fee and baseball registration is due. (wait until he finds out how much the fees are for our kids in the fall with one in the HS!)
So how much is summer school where you are? Is $145 out of line? I guess he expected it to be about $40, but since it was $35 when I took government in the summer in 1980, I figured it went up!
Robin M.

 

[HonestAbe]

Have your DD fail all her classes and she'll get summer school at a significant discount.

 

[Rock'n Robin]

Even if she failed her classes it would still cost that much--the district we live in ONLY has gym and health offered in summer school, and for the reasons mentioned--active kids who need room in their schedules for drama, choir, computers, etc. If she failed a class like English she'd have to go to that other district.
Most schools around here offer summer gym, and teachers actually encourage it.
Robin M.

 

[mamacatnv]

Our summer school offerings are limited and to the best of my knowledge only available to High School students. I pay $95.00 for DS to take the "Summer Weights" not REQUIRED but HIGHLY recommended by the football coach. For my $95.00 he gets 1/2 of a credit.

MamaCatNV

 

[HonestAbe]

You know what really stinks about this thread? Whatever happened to kids being able to take the whole summer off to go swimming and biking and camping ,etc..etc...etc...

Even as an adult I miss that freedom. A lot of kids have no idea what they are missing out on.

 

[golfgal]

When I was in college you got out of your PE credit if you were on a varsity sport. Maybe HS's and jr highs should thing about something like this, I would say 2 varsity sports maybe though. Heck, we never did anything in gym that was close to how hard we worked in swimming, basketball or track.

 

[Hannathy]

Our schools offer a lot elem and middle are mostly fun things like woodshop, computers and a few reading and math offerings they are free but have a 5-15.00 supply fee. High school has academic classes for those who failed or got a D these are about $10. and a few enrichment for those who didn't debate, music and such. These are held at one of the high schools with an actual teacher.
They also offer E school which is over the internet and this is where you can take regular academic classes. My daughter is an honors student and is taking the required of everyone civics course this way so she can take AP History this fall and still be able to take orchestra. These courses cost 20. per semester so it will cost her $40. for the 2 semesters.
All the school districts around here have what they call a summer school consortium so you can attend other districts you just need permission. Over $100 is a lot to have a study hall, I'd have to think that over. If it was to have music or an AP course I may be more willing. You know your daughter and if it really will improve her life it really isn't that much in the grand scheme of things.

 

[Chris2597]

Our district is really expensive for Summer School.....I am not sure what the current price is but a few years ago it was 180.00 per class....Our tax base is unbelievable for school taxes and it seems nothing is ever totally covered.

 

[debloco]

My DD took US History last summer to open up a spot in her schedule during the school year. She takes choir and honors/AP classes so her schedule is tight.

Each "semester" (4 weeks) was $150 per class. The only class offered for students not failing was US History.
The offered different sections of US History. Those for good students taking it to free up schedule space and others for those students who had failed it the previous year.

The rest of the classes (mostly English and Math) were for those who had failed the class during the regular school year.

Driver's Ed is also offered over the summer, but that was a single 6 week session for $90.

I was appalled that I had to pay at all, much less $150! Apparently all the tax dollars I pay for this great school system only covers the regular school year

 

[Cindy B]

Personally I see study halls as a waster of time. I've proctored many study halls and no one actually works! Unless these students are IEP students and have a smaller class with GRADES called study skills, these students work because it is a a graded special ed class.

The non IEP study halls are full of students playing with thier Ipod, reading, talking with friends, or maybe just maybe reading an independent reading book.

I personally would take the gym in school and skip the study hall. FWIW, I had a study hall once in high school, hated it-- and took an academic subject!

Our high school offers summer school only for IEP students only in an extended summer year program. If you fail a course, oh well, you have to go to a neighboring district for failing summer school. This neighboring district is extremely urban and unsafe so no one really wants to go there. The thought alone that people have to go Camden for summer school scares the pants of most kids to get them to study. (google Camden NJ and you will know what I mean!)

 

[aprilgail2]

. If you fail a course, oh well, you have to go to a neighboring district for failing summer school. This neighboring district is extremely urban and unsafe so no one really wants to go there. The thought alone that people have to go Camden for summer school scares the pants of most kids to get them to study. (google Camden NJ and you will know what I mean!)

The thing here is that neighboring towns come to OURS for summer school....and one of the towns is NOT a good place to be, in fact its one you don't like to drive through once its dark out so summer school is no fun when they bus them on over! There are always fights breaking out between our kids and those other kids form other towns.....it sure keeps some kids passing during the year by thinking they would have to go to summer school like that!