Parents of the High School Class of 2017/College 2021

[aprilgail]

well tonight was the last chorus concert- they did the senior medley and slideshow- ugh- so many tears flowing!!

 

[AustinTink]

We are from NY so we are VERY familiar with homeless people all over the place but last year when my daughter went to Brown in Providence RI for the summer she said the homeless there were SO much more aggressive than the ones we have in the city- when they would tell them no they would follow them saying "why you think you are to good to give us money" and yell at them.

We felt perfectly fine walking around NYC at all hours. Santa Monica felt so different. The aggressive behavior and shear number of strung-out looking/acting people really threw us off.

 

[robinb]

We are, too. We were very impressed by everything we saw on campus, but it wasn't enough to pry him away from UT.

That must be a relief for you! He gave it a shot and realized that the UT was a better fit.

Many great schools are in bad neighborhoods and you really do have to take that into account. Aggressive panhandlers can be threatening. I totally understand not wanting to put yourself in the situation of having to run the gauntlet everyday and worry when one of them will snap and you'll get hurt. I come from a big city (Chicago) and it would even eventually wear on me to be in "fight or flight" mode all the time. I wonder if students stay in the dorms at UCLA longer than normal.

 

[aprilgail]

Well got notice home to buy prom tickets- since my daughter is going with someone from out of district (out of state actually!) we have to get form filled out by the other kids school- and we have until the 31st to get it in! I need to send in a check for 300 for the tickets plus the form, can't buy them if both are not there! Hope the other school fills it out fast and faxes it back to me! Tuesday is Senior cut day, my daughters group is going to the aquarium since the weather is not that great.

 

[mamacatnv]

I just did the most petty thing I have ever done and I'm only slightly ashamed to say it felt good.

DD is an Athletic Trainer and has been her entire high school career. I have had more than one go-around with the coaches of the program over ridiculous scheduling etc. over the 4 years but have always bit my tongue for DD's sake. The two persons who run the program are petty and work these kids way too much. When DD started the program her Freshman year, it was made clear that this program was a 4 year commitment. She took two classes a semester (double blocked) that were "AT" as well as worked practices, games and the training room rehab all year long, including summers and all school breaks. Unlike some of the athletes who when a sport is over have down time, the AT's are at it all year. This was a huge time commitment but DD really enjoyed it. Not being athletic and being able to be part of a team was a big draw.

When DD started her Freshman year, there were 55 Freshman in the program.
Here we are down to the wire, there are 2, yes 2, Seniors who made it all 4 years. There is also one other AT who joined her sophomore year, she is a 3 year senior. So, a total of 3 made it to their Senior year.
These kids don't get a true "senior" night like most other groups so the end of the year picnic is their "night".
I ordered a cake with the 3 Seniors pictures on it as well as was planning to stop and pick up bouquets of flowers with a balloon for each of them.

Two days ago DD says "we have a problem" Turns out, when coach was planning the end of the year picnic he cleared Wednesday the 24th with the kids however, he told all the parents the picnic was Thursday the 25, reserved the pavilion etc for the 25th and never told the kids of the change to the date. DD and the other Seniors realized on Tuesday (two days ago) that there was a problem. My DD and the other two seniors have a major conflict. DD is in charge of the IB banquet tonight, she arranged all the catering etc. and the other AT's have their final choir performances tonight.
The girls were all trying to figure out how to juggle the schedules so they could be at both events, this was proving to be stressful and forcing them to pick between two activities that were their Senior Nights.

Then, yesterday during the Senior Class award ceremony, the AT Coach awarded the annual recognition for AT to the 3 year Senior. My DD didn't care that it did not go to her BUT she was furious that it did not go to her fellow 4 year senior. Even the 3 year Senior who received the award was mad that it went to her.

This morning, all 3 seniors decided that trying to juggle the two events was not going to work out so they have decided to not attend their AT event AND my DD asked me to not take the cake (with their pictures on it) to the picnic but instead to bring it home where the 3 of them will meet up tonight after the IB dinner and Choir event and will dig into their cake.

Soooooo, with DD and the other AT's and their parents blessing, I sent an email to the coach telling him I couldn't carpool extra kids and that I was no longer bringing the cake AND that the seniors would not be in attendance.
Petty, I know but dang,,,,,,,after 4 years of those coaches ticking me off, it felt good.

 

[robinb]

Ugh, @mamacatnv. That sounds terrible! The AT coach had only 3 freaking seniors out of over 55 who started (um, HELLO!) and he couldn't honor them all? I'm not looking for "everybody gets a trophy" ... but geeze ... those other two kids gave up a lot and they are not even acknowledged. Good for them to stand up and not try to bend over backwards to try to make the banquet work. I might have brought the cake anyway (with their photos on it) and then have all the kids and parents wonder, "Where are all the seniors? The cake has their photo. What's going on?" as an added bit of embarrassment for the coach. But he'll be embarrassed enough with no seniors at the banquet and your kids will have a better time eating their own faces, LOL.

I've never heard of athletic trainers in high school. We have real ATs from one of the local hospitals/clinics (we live in a university town). When my DD visited ISU we attended a special session for kinesiology majors and the counselor was talking about being an Athletic Trainer and she laid it on the line that your life will not be your own and that you worked the whim of the coaching staff ... practices, games and meets year round. I thought it was great that she didn't sugar coat it.

 

[bethbuchall]

Well got notice home to buy prom tickets- since my daughter is going with someone from out of district (out of state actually!) we have to get form filled out by the other kids school- and we have until the 31st to get it in! I need to send in a check for 300 for the tickets plus the form, can't buy them if both are not there! Hope the other school fills it out fast and faxes it back to me! Tuesday is Senior cut day, my daughters group is going to the aquarium since the weather is not that great.

I was complaining about the cost of the prom tickets here ($55/person). Does that include dinner? My son went to his prom on Saturday, and senior skip day was Monday. Unfortunately, he was actually sick on Monday and spent the day on the couch. He made through the day Tuesday but had to come home early yesterday. It looks like he made it through today, so I hope he's getting better.

 

[mamacatnv]

Congrats! We skipped Senior Awards Night. My DD didn't want to go and she picked up her honor cord the next day.

I do have a (very minor) brag. My DD got a a scholarship yesterday! She only applied to a few scholarships because most of them required way too much time to complete and too community service and had too much competition. She didn't have time to do community service and also swim competitively so that part of the applications always stymied her. This one was though her school ... it's only a couple hundred dollars, but it's something! The best thing about it wasn't the money, but that it made her feel good.

Yay!!!!!!!!!!! Money, WoooWhooo. DD's school did a senior awards day event - it was yesterday morning and we did not attend. DD had to attend as it was during the school day. The kids were supposed to wear their college choice t-shirts etc.

We felt perfectly fine walking around NYC at all hours. Santa Monica felt so different. The aggressive behavior and shear number of strung-out looking/acting people really threw us off.

For what it is worth, I have never liked Santa Monica or Venice area - it was skuzzy 25 years ago and I doubt much has changed.

Well got notice home to buy prom tickets- since my daughter is going with someone from out of district (out of state actually!) we have to get form filled out by the other kids school- and we have until the 31st to get it in! I need to send in a check for 300 for the tickets plus the form, can't buy them if both are not there! Hope the other school fills it out fast and faxes it back to me! Tuesday is Senior cut day, my daughters group is going to the aquarium since the weather is not that great.

Ouch, was dinner/transportation included?
No real senior cut day here, they did that awhile back, it was not well organized and most of the kids were at school, learned it was skip day and then left.....Dorks

Ugh, @mamacatnv. That sounds terrible! The AT coach had only 3 freaking seniors out of over 55 who started (um, HELLO!) and he couldn't honor them all? I'm not looking for "everybody gets a trophy" ... but geeze ... those other two kids gave up a lot and they are not even acknowledged. Good for them to stand up and not try to bend over backwards to try to make the banquet work. I might have brought the cake anyway (with their photos on it) and then have all the kids and parents wonder, "Where are all the seniors? The cake has their photo. What's going on?" as an added bit of embarrassment for the coach. But he'll be embarrassed enough with no seniors at the banquet and your kids will have a better time eating their own faces, LOL.

I've never heard of athletic trainers in high school. We have real ATs from one of the local hospitals/clinics (we live in a university town). When my DD visited ISU we attended a special session for kinesiology majors and the counselor was talking about being an Athletic Trainer and she laid it on the line that your life will not be your own and that you worked the whim of the coaching staff ... practices, games and meets year round. I thought it was great that she didn't sugar coat it.

I thought of all your scenarios but in the end, I completely went with what DD wanted - screw the AT coach.


I'm from the litigious west coast , I too was shocked to see this program in a high school. My DD's AT program is considered one of the best in the state of Texas. Given the size of the state and the vast number of athletic programs, its a pretty big deal but man oh man, there are child labor laws in this state that the AT hours violate regularly. My DS, the PT was impressed with the depth of the program and what his sister has actually learned (kinesiology, anatomy, exercise science) as well as what they were able to do in regards to first aid, assessments and team maintenance. They are all first aid and CPR certified. The kids do all the basics, they keep everyone hydrated, report injuries to coaches and team trainers etc. they also tape limbs, ice owies, bandage booboos etc. They (on a rotating schedule) cover the training room every single morning for morning treatments that begin 1-2 hours before school begins as well as every afternoon until 6pm. Plus practices, they travel for games with the teams etc.
Most of the kids that complete the program head off to the 3 top AT programs in the state at either A&M, UT or Texas State. DD has no desire to go that direction but she did enjoy the program as a whole.

 

[sksjasams]

I was complaining about the cost of the prom tickets here ($55/person). Does that include dinner? My son went to his prom on Saturday, and senior skip day was Monday. Unfortunately, he was actually sick on Monday and spent the day on the couch. He made through the day Tuesday but had to come home early yesterday. It looks like he made it through today, so I hope he's getting better.

Hope he feels better soon! That sucks to be sick for all the end of the year stuff.

Prom tickets were $25 here - I guess that was a bargain!

No senior skip day though. They had one planned but then the school sent out an email to parents and students saying if anyone skipped (even if excused by parent) they would not be allowed to participate in the pre-graduation events including the Six Flags trip and possible "other consequences". They said if you had a doctor's appt previously scheduled you needed to provide a doctor's note.

 

[robinb]

No senior skip day though. They had one planned but then the school sent out an email to parents and students saying if anyone skipped (even if excused by parent) they would not be allowed to participate in the pre-graduation events including the Six Flags trip and possible "other consequences". They said if you had a doctor's appt previously scheduled you needed to provide a doctor's note.

Senior skip day is classic. what a bunch of poopyheads.

 

[sksjasams]

Senior skip day is classic. what a bunch of poopyheads.

Agreed! I thought everyone got to have a senior skip day. We had one way back in my day!

 

[mamacatnv]

Hope he feels better soon! That sucks to be sick for all the end of the year stuff.

Prom tickets were $25 here - I guess that was a bargain!

No senior skip day though. They had one planned but then the school sent out an email to parents and students saying if anyone skipped (even if excused by parent) they would not be allowed to participate in the pre-graduation events including the Six Flags trip and possible "other consequences". They said if you had a doctor's appt previously scheduled you needed to provide a doctor's note.

Senior skip day is classic. what a bunch of poopyheads.

Agreed! I thought everyone got to have a senior skip day. We had one way back in my day!

I think kids just can't get away with anything - everyone is so serious, all consequences are so severe. It takes the fun out of some of the rights of passage ie: skip day, pranks (harmless) etc.
There was a news story the other night, someone listed one of the local high schools and land for sale on Craigslist for $1,000,000. I laughed and laughed but the thing that was so weird was the total seriousness of the news piece. I mean really people, its late May, Seniors are at it....sheesh, sometimes I just want to shout LIGHTEN UP!

 

[bjscheel]

Our seniors planned to do a skip day every quarter, but I'm not sure how many happened. DD didn't do any of them. She thought the ones early in the year were ridiculous, and when it came to the end of the year, it was just before track districts and she was not missing practice.

She did attend the "senior prank" Monday night which was camping out in the underclassmen parking lot at school. They had intentions of still being there when kids arrived to school but the janitor cleared them out at 7 am, saying he would call the cops. DD said the cops stopped by 3 times during the night to chat and make sure everything was going alright, which it was. Anyway, she had fun and was glad she went. She is a homebody who had a very small circle of friends at school to begin with and has made a concerted effort to be more social in her last two years.


Now tonight there will be about 10 kids in our yard for a "bonfire" (fire pit). Not sure if it is all seniors or some of DD15's friends as well. DD18 has one friend leaving for theater school in NYC in a month, so wants to make sure she gets to come out at least one more time.

I think kids just can't get away with anything - everyone is so serious, all consequences are so severe. It takes the fun out of some of the rights of passage ie: skip day, pranks (harmless) etc.
There was a news story the other night, someone listed one of the local high schools and land for sale on Craigslist for $1,000,000. I laughed and laughed but the thing that was so weird was the total seriousness of the news piece. I mean really people, its late May, Seniors are at it....sheesh, sometimes I just want to shout LIGHTEN UP!

In 1981 my brother's class gathered up all the For Sale signs from people's yards and moved them to the high school yard.

 

[mamacatnv]

When I was in high school we had an outdoor quad that had a covered step down area with tables. My class covered the drain, spent all night filling the area with water and when school started in the morning, the rest of the school found us having our own pool party in the quad, floating on rafts in our "pool". Dean of students made us promise to drain and clean up, which we did, everyone had a great laugh and our Sr. prank is still talked about.
These days, sheesh, the cops would have been called, the kids hauled off for trespassing and vandalism, no graduation ceremony etc.
I get that pranks can and have gotten out of hand but everything is sooooo serious.

My DS's high school had an all pranks had to be approved by the principal rule - they came up with some fun stuff that no one went to jail over. DS's class covered the floors of an entire hall with upside down dixie cups and another hall floor to ceiling with balloons - time consuming but harmless and all approved by the principal.

 

[aprilgail]

I was complaining about the cost of the prom tickets here ($55/person). Does that include dinner? My son went to his prom on Saturday, and senior skip day was Monday. Unfortunately, he was actually sick on Monday and spent the day on the couch. He made through the day Tuesday but had to come home early yesterday. It looks like he made it through today, so I hope he's getting better.

It's prom- it's held in same venue as weddings. Comes with dinner, dessert, DJ - limos are not included. My daughter went in with a group for a 13 person limo. It's costing each kid around 150.00 each for the limo. After the prom they are taking their limo into NYC then back home to one of the kids house to spend the rest of the morning.

 

[aprilgail]

When I was in high school we had an outdoor quad that had a covered step down area with tables. My class covered the drain, spent all night filling the area with water and when school started in the morning, the rest of the school found us having our own pool party in the quad, floating on rafts in our "pool". Dean of students made us promise to drain and clean up, which we did, everyone had a great laugh and our Sr. prank is still talked about.
These days, sheesh, the cops would have been called, the kids hauled off for trespassing and vandalism, no graduation ceremony etc.
I get that pranks can and have gotten out of hand but everything is sooooo serious.

My DS's high school had an all pranks had to be approved by the principal rule - they came up with some fun stuff that no one went to jail over. DS's class covered the floors of an entire hall with upside down dixie cups and another hall floor to ceiling with balloons - time consuming but harmless and all approved by the principal.

Lol that's funny- it's "tradition" to either burn the grass or dig up the grass in the middle of the school field in the shape of a *****. Crazy. I told my daughter to not be a participant because it could blow her whole college acceptance if this is the year the decide to catch and suspend them!

 

[bethbuchall]

It's prom- it's held in same venue as weddings. Comes with dinner, dessert, DJ - limos are not included. My daughter went in with a group for a 13 person limo. It's costing each kid around 150.00 each for the limo. After the prom they are taking their limo into NYC then back home to one of the kids house to spend the rest of the morning.

The prom here is also held in a wedding venue, but it doesn't include dinner. Everyone goes out for dinner on their own (usually in groups) beforehand. They do have some food at the prom (actually, more than I realized), but it's not a complete dinner. Our group of 6 had a limo that was about $115/person for 5 hours. They usually go to dinner a little out of the area for a couple of reasons (including using limo time) and then get dropped off at the prom location. From there, they arrange their own transportation to the after-prom at the school or wherever they decide to go.

 

[aprilgail]

The prom here is also held in a wedding venue, but it doesn't include dinner. Everyone goes out for dinner on their own (usually in groups) beforehand. They do have some food at the prom (actually, more than I realized), but it's not a complete dinner. Our group of 6 had a limo that was about $115/person for 5 hours. They usually go to dinner a little out of the area for a couple of reasons (including using limo time) and then get dropped off at the prom location. From there, they arrange their own transportation to the after-prom at the school or wherever they decide to go.

Prom starts at 7 and ends at midnight- Limo comes around 6 to get them, takes them to prom and waits there for them- at midnight they all get in and go out afterward (nightclubs in NYC have after prom parties going on - http://www.copacabanaproms.com/copacabana-after-prom-gallery.php ) so by the time they drive into the city (another 45 minutes away), do what they are going to do and come home at 4am that's 10 hours of limo rental. The limo will be stocked with drinks (soda and water obviously, and snacks) Its a full wedding type meal at prom. Also photo booth etc. For that price it better be a darn good meal too- with hors d'oeuvres!

 

[robinb]

Prom starts at 7 and ends at midnight- Limo comes around 6 to get them, takes them to prom and waits there for them- at midnight they all get in and go out afterward (nightclubs in NYC have after prom parties going on - http://www.copacabanaproms.com/copacabana-after-prom-gallery.php ) so by the time they drive into the city (another 45 minutes away), do what they are going to do and come home at 4am that's 10 hours of limo rental. The limo will be stocked with drinks (soda and water obviously, and snacks) Its a full wedding type meal at prom. Also photo booth etc. For that price it better be a darn good meal too- with hors d'oeuvres!

That sounds like an AWESOME time!

 

[mamacatnv]

It's prom- it's held in same venue as weddings. Comes with dinner, dessert, DJ - limos are not included. My daughter went in with a group for a 13 person limo. It's costing each kid around 150.00 each for the limo. After the prom they are taking their limo into NYC then back home to one of the kids house to spend the rest of the morning.

Prom starts at 7 and ends at midnight- Limo comes around 6 to get them, takes them to prom and waits there for them- at midnight they all get in and go out afterward (nightclubs in NYC have after prom parties going on - http://www.copacabanaproms.com/copacabana-after-prom-gallery.php ) so by the time they drive into the city (another 45 minutes away), do what they are going to do and come home at 4am that's 10 hours of limo rental. The limo will be stocked with drinks (soda and water obviously, and snacks) Its a full wedding type meal at prom. Also photo booth etc. For that price it better be a darn good meal too- with hors d'oeuvres!

How amazing! This sounds like so much fun!
My DD did not go to prom but my DS did when we lived in Nevada - the Prom was usually at The National Bowling Stadium in Reno or one of the larger hotels. Prom prices did not include dinner, the kids would go out ahead of time and then they usually would go bowling or mini golfing following the prom. The Prom was in the $40-50 range and honestly I do remember that the general consensus was it was pretty lame. Perhaps spending a bit more and providing all the extras you have described would be well worth it in the long run.
Limo's were one of those some did, some didn't type affair. My BFF had a very nice Land Rover, DS drove that to the Prom and all his formal events throughout high school.
Hope they have a great time!!