Parents of the High School Class of 2017/College 2021

[McKelly]

I sent my DD off to her first day of High School today! It's just freshmen day (about 250 kids) and the rest of the grades start tomorrow. She was dressed down because she had swim team practice at 6:30 this morning . My iPhone really took a crappy picture but here it is:

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6:30am? She's lucky, my freshman DD's swim team practices 5am-7am - it's killing her!! There is also swim practice from 3pm-5pm, they have to make at least one, but, it's STRONGLY encouraged to go to both. For the first week of school, I told her to just do the after school practice, she's stressed enough starting high school!!

 

[Colleen27]

6:30am? She's lucky, my freshman DD's swim team practices 5am-7am - it's killing her!! There is also swim practice from 3pm-5pm, they have to make at least one, but, it's STRONGLY encouraged to go to both. For the first week of school, I told her to just do the after school practice, she's stressed enough starting high school!!

Ah, two-a-days. I remember those, almost fondly... almost!

 

[Xcited4Disney]

So today was my dd's first day. She loved it! These first 3 days are half-days for orientation. We are both happy with her classes. Tomorrow and Friday are strictly for Freshmen. Tmrw is a spirit day/field day for them and then Friday they'll get their lockers and go through a mock schedule.

 

[traces7]

My DD started high school yesterday, the first day was just freshmen, today the whole school. She's doing ok. It's a big adjustment for all of us in some aspects though!!! The high school is all the way across town (2-1/2 miles), so we're still trying to figure out what time to leave so I can still make it to work on time! And trying to get her home from school has been interesting. She was going to ride the bus, but rode today and doesn't like it, so now she might walk! (could probably make it home faster!)

DD seems to be doing ok with school, but she's kind of intimidated by the upper classmen I think. She has quite a few classes with sophomores, juniors and seniors in them and her Spanish 2 class in particular, there's only 4 freshmen, she's already saying that she hates it!! How are everyone else's kids doing with this?

Oh well, it's only the 2nd day, we'll see how it goes!!!

 

[McKelly]

My DD started high school yesterday, the first day was just freshmen, today the whole school. She's doing ok. It's a big adjustment for all of us in some aspects though!!! The high school is all the way across town (2-1/2 miles), so we're still trying to figure out what time to leave so I can still make it to work on time! And trying to get her home from school has been interesting. She was going to ride the bus, but rode today and doesn't like it, so now she might walk! (could probably make it home faster!)

DD seems to be doing ok with school, but she's kind of intimidated by the upper classmen I think. She has quite a few classes with sophomores, juniors and seniors in them and her Spanish 2 class in particular, there's only 4 freshmen, she's already saying that she hates it!! How are everyone else's kids doing with this?

Oh well, it's only the 2nd day, we'll see how it goes!!!

My DD tried the bus for the first time this year too. While she was nervous, she found out she knew a couple people on there and she is the first drop, so she seems okay. Does she want to take it? No, but that's life.

My DD also expressed some concern about the upper classmen in her Spanish 2 class. The way the seating arrangment was put together, she is partnered with a senior.................BOY!! She is VERY shy. She is NOT happy.

 

[robinb]

Ah, two-a-days. I remember those, almost fondly... almost!

Frankly, I wish she had doubles every day instead of twice a week. Every single other team in the city is swimming twice a day PLUS Saturdays and her team is not. I think it's because it's a small team of newer swimmers and they don't want to scare them off. But, my DD is a competitive swimmer and she is not being conditioned the same as the other girls who she will be swimming against at the end of the season.

Her history teacher had them read a book over the summer and they have a book report due next week. The same teacher gave them a "personal history" assignment today that is due tomorrow. She's been working on it for the last hour.

 

[traces7]

My DD tried the bus for the first time this year too. While she was nervous, she found out she knew a couple people on there and she is the first drop, so she seems okay. Does she want to take it? No, but that's life.

My DD also expressed some concern about the upper classmen in her Spanish 2 class. The way the seating arrangment was put together, she is partnered with a senior.................BOY!! She is VERY shy. She is NOT happy.

No, she doesn't want to take the bus, there's only little kids on it, the bus driver is "mean" and it takes an hour and a half to get home. She could walk in about 30-45 minutes we think. Not sure what we're going to do about that situation, she may be able to walk on nice days, take the bus or get a ride with someone on snowy or rainy days. I think she should just try the bus a little more. We'll see!!!

Sounds like my DD and her Spanish 2 class, she's concerned about being partnered with an upper classmen or giving presentations in front of them.

Seems like it's going to be an interesting year so far!!

 

[aprilgail2]

The high school is all the way across town (2-1/2 miles), so we're still trying to figure out what time to leave so I can still make it to work on time! And trying to get her home from school has been interesting. She was going to ride the bus, but rode today and doesn't like it, so now she might walk! (could probably make it home faster!)

DD seems to be doing ok with school, but she's kind of intimidated by the upper classmen I think. She has quite a few classes with sophomores, juniors and seniors in them and her Spanish 2 class in particular, there's only 4 freshmen, she's already saying that she hates it!! How are everyone else's kids doing with this?

My daughter hates the bus! They don't start school until this coming Monday but I will drop her off on my way to work- I will just be early for work LOL, I figure I will just stop off for breakfast on the way to work and that will kill some time. She will have to take the bus home most days unless she stays for a club or something, then they have no late bus so either she has to catch a ride with another parent or hand out there for an hour and wait for me to get her.
I looked at her AP Bio class list and she is in there with a bunch of seniors-some of them are 18 already and she is just 13! Can't wait to hear if she gets paired with one of them LOL. I know her Bio teacher said during AP orientation night that they do a few group assignments. AP Bio has the most mix of kids because if you don't qualify for it in 9th grade you can't take it again until you are a senior. She is DREADING gym with the older kids!

 

[bjscheel]

LOL I hated gym with upperclassmen boys. Now you can waiver out of gym if you go out for sports, so that's what DD is doing!

She doesn't have too many upperclassmen in her classes. Her grade is the first to do an advanced math, so there are several sophomores in math. The foreign exchange student (senior girl) is in art at her table and DD enjoys talking to her.

So far I am super pleased with how school is going for her, especially socially it is 100% better than 8th grade so far.

 

[Colleen27]

LOL I hated gym with upperclassmen boys. Now you can waiver out of gym if you go out for sports, so that's what DD is doing!

She doesn't have too many upperclassmen in her classes. Her grade is the first to do an advanced math, so there are several sophomores in math. The foreign exchange student (senior girl) is in art at her table and DD enjoys talking to her.

So far I am super pleased with how school is going for her, especially socially it is 100% better than 8th grade so far.

My son is doing that for gym as well. Although he'll probably take "Advanced Conditioning" (weight training) which also counts as a PE credit - most of the football players take it fall of junior or senior year to give them an easy-A 6th hour that's practically an extension of practice.

Two of my son's classes have a lot of upperclassmen - band, which almost doesn't count because they all get to know each other so well over the summer that grade level doesn't matter much, and Spanish II. DS has his sights set on an 11th & 12th grade voc-ed program which requires most of his non-STEM requirements out of the way in the first two years. So he took high school Spanish I last year and will complete his foreign language requirement this year.

So far, he's liking high school much better than middle school. I suspected all along that this transition would be the same as the transition to middle school - 5th grade teachers in our district are WAY harder on students and pile on MOUNTAINS of homework "to prepare them for middle school", and then 6th grade ends up being a shock because it is so much easier than 5th grade. It looks like the 8th/9th transition is the same, and my son expected as much because the one class he had at the high school (shared campus, so really same building, different wing) was less fussy and more results-oriented than the 8th grade classes with teachers who liked to talk about "preparing students for high school".

Right now the only one having a hard time with the new school year is our dog. As I type this, she's sitting on the couch, looking out the window over our front porch, and whining pitifully. We adopted her in May and she has some separation anxiety issues, and I don't think she likes all of "her" kids being gone all day!

 

[Mickeyluver37]

I think all the sports practices and homework, combined with getting up so early wore my kids out and they are happy to have a day off! DS's football team still practiced over the labor day weekend, including Monday, but there is a county-wide rule that they have to observe the holiday today, so he was happy to sleep in this morning!

DS has no problem with the bus. I offered to take the kids to school in the mornings- helps me get out the door earlier- but DS wants to ride the bus.

 

[IDoDis]

I think all the sports practices and homework, combined with getting up so early wore my kids out and they are happy to have a day off! DS's football team still practiced over the labor day weekend, including Monday, but there is a county-wide rule that they have to observe the holiday today, so he was happy to sleep in this morning!

DS has no problem with the bus. I offered to take the kids to school in the mornings- helps me get out the door earlier- but DS wants to ride the bus.

DS has to go to practice on Labor Day so they'd be ready for their first game 2 days later. Unfortunately, his freshman team got slaughtered on their first game Wednesday. So the practices were 30 minutes longer on Thursday and Friday, and then they had to practice again for 2 hours this morning. DS is exhausted, too. He was sick a week ago with a nasty cold, but he trudged on and went to school and practice with tissues stuffed in his socks for when he had to wipe his nose during practice! I think his body is still trying to recover. He will finally get to sleep in tomorrow morning.

 

[mamacatnv]

Right now the only one having a hard time with the new school year is our dog. As I type this, she's sitting on the couch, looking out the window over our front porch, and whining pitifully. We adopted her in May and she has some separation anxiety issues, and I don't think she likes all of "her" kids being gone all day!

Awwww we are having the exact same issue. We adopted a Great Pyrenese in May and he too has issues when his flock is all gone. DH and I work all day and now DD and DS are in school all day, poor baby can't figure out which one of us to love on first when we all walk in the door. This morning he came and got into bed with me, cuddled up as much as 100#'s of dog can do and passed out in utter contentment. We have been taking him for a longer walk in the evening and giving him lots of new toys to chew on in our absence.

 

[wannabee]

digging this back up...

My freshman has his first date tonight... Homecoming. I'm killing time waiting to pick him up at midnight and hoping all went well.

 

[mamacatnv]

digging this back up...

My freshman has his first date tonight... Homecoming. I'm killing time waiting to pick him up at midnight and hoping all went well.

Awesome! Was there a lot of angst in asking his date to the dance?

My DD had no desire to go to the dance but she did wear her first Mum to school yesterday.

 

[Xcited4Disney]

digging this back up...

My freshman has his first date tonight... Homecoming. I'm killing time waiting to pick him up at midnight and hoping all went well.

I hope he had a great time!

 

[wannabee]

Awesome! Was there a lot of angst in asking his date to the dance?

My DD had no desire to go to the dance but she did wear her first Mum to school yesterday.

No, not really.. He says they are just friends.... but after seeing them together yesterday I'm not so sure. He had a great time. Thankfully no after parties yet for the younger kids but he did end up going to a friend's house for the night.

I'n not sure what I am most nervous about coming in the next few years- driving? girls? alcohol?

But one thing is for sure.. these next four years will be interesting.

 

[aprilgail2]

digging this back up...

My freshman has his first date tonight... Homecoming. I'm killing time waiting to pick him up at midnight and hoping all went well.

Hope it went well! Freshmen are not allowed to go to the homecoming dance here, you have to be 10,11 or 12th grade!
My 9th grader took the PSAT's a week or so ago, I hear we don't get those grades back until Dec!!

 

[Xcited4Disney]

Hope it went well! Freshmen are not allowed to go to the homecoming dance here, you have to be 10,11 or 12th grade!
My 9th grader took the PSAT's a week or so ago, I hear we don't get those grades back until Dec!!

My dd also took the PSAT's. Mostly for practice.

 

[wannabee]

Mine was not happy I made him take the PSAT... the freshman have the option. I think the more practice the better.

He just finished the first 9 weeks... It has definately been an adjustment but he seems to be more in the swing of things now.