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    Joined: Mar 2013
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    My DS17 is now officially a H.S. senior. Grades aren't officially out but DS did pull a few grades up at the last hour. He's always good at taking finals. It's the homework grade that always pulls him grades down. His grades aren't what most parents would wish for but they are better than last fall and will keep his GPA stable. And he is really happy he made it into the top level band for next year. The extra-curricular's he has chosen will make next year interesting.

    But I feel like the end is in sight and this kid will graduate and hopefully get into college somewhere where he will want to go. I worried a lot when he was in junior high that he would end up as one of those kids who ended up hating H.S. and who dropped out of school. I thought a lot about alternatives to traditional H.S. and considered other options. But despite my many worries, this school has turned out OK for him. (Not great.. but he has found his nitch.) Because of anxiety, stress, and his low processing/working memory there was no way DS was going to manage a full load of honors courses.

    Next week will find out how his first shot at the SAT's turns out. College Board gave him extra time because of his 504. That extra time was likely helpful but it made a really long test quite excruciating. Crossing my fingers he did well enough we won't feel he needs to take it a second time nor need tutoring. He already needs to spend 3 weeks of August taking online Health, a pile of AP Physics summer homework, practicing his instrument and work on those college essays on top of Marching band camp. But he has 6 1/2 weeks of activities where he doesn't have to think about school work. He's busy & will be out of town. It's fun outdoors activities with no academics that he needs to rejuvenate himself. Am I alone if feeling resentful for all the extra stuff that gets thrown in break time?

    Last edited by bluemagic; 06/09/16 08:57 PM.
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    Wow bluemagic, what a great update! Your DS should be very proud (as should you)! It sounds like he has really matured and is finding his path, well done!

    I hear you about the summer/vacation work- it is beyond tedious, and frustrating. Here health is just about the only requirement that can be taken during the summer, and most kids we know do this to allow room for AP or elective classes during the year. However, our health class requires brick and mortar attendance, and because it is a full semester class, students are not allowed to miss even one of the summer classes.

    Don't get me started on summer AP work- kids here really have to push to complete all the AP stuff before the May exam time, and then have 6 weeks of school left after the exam, which is generally spent on lame activities like review for regents and SAT2 exams- maddening as these exams are of much lower rigor. The summer work is excruciating- last year, DD had a LOT of work (much of it busy work in her opinion) for her world history class, only to arrive the first day of school and learn that the teacher was not even going to look at the vast majority of it; too many students to evaluate all those essays and short answer questions. Not a good system.


    Last edited by cricket3; 06/10/16 03:28 AM.
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    bluemagic - so happy to hear you DS has found a zone he can work in comfortably, and succeed. You give me hope! I hope both of you enjoy your well-deserved (if too short) break.

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    Originally Posted by bluemagic
    work on those college essays
    This book may help minimize the amount of time required: Write Your College Essay in Less Than a Day.

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    Originally Posted by cricket3
    I hear you about the summer/vacation work- it is beyond tedious, and frustrating. Here health is just about the only requirement that can be taken during the summer, and most kids we know do this to allow room for AP or elective classes during the year. However, our health class requires brick and mortar attendance, and because it is a full semester class, students are not allowed to miss even one of the summer classes.

    Yes well our school district claims to require the same thing for health. They now have a similar attend once a week but otherwise online health course. But this requires you must be HERE for the 6 weeks of summer school. Seems you have to ask for special permission to take the online BYU online class. Honestly I would LOVE for him to take the B&M class. In our district it's a well done informative class even if it's an easy A and they bring in a ton of guest speakers.

    Originally Posted by cricket3
    Don't get me started on summer AP work- kids here really have to push to complete all the AP stuff before the May exam time, and then have 6 weeks of school left after the exam, which is generally spent on lame activities like review for regents and SAT2 exams- maddening as these exams are of much lower rigor. The summer work is excruciating- last year, DD had a LOT of work (much of it busy work in her opinion) for her world history class, only to arrive the first day of school and learn that the teacher was not even going to look at the vast majority of it; too many students to evaluate all those essays and short answer questions. Not a good system. But fitting it in zero period his last semester wasn't a good option for DS.
    Up to two years ago we also had 6 weeks plus weeks after AP's. But the district changed it's schedule partly to get a few more weeks of school in before AP's. This year there was only around a month of school after AP's were done. Still his AP classes were essentially done after their AP class was over. Still the class DS has the most homework for will be AP Physics, and they are trying to fit in the entirely of Physics 1 & Physics 2 in one year.

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    Re:health, yes it is frustrating to a kid who really needs a break from school. But I agree with you, that at least it is a very good course- not difficult, just lots of great, practical info, everything from CPR certification to detailed sex Ed, and I am glad our kids have the opportunity to learn it. I just wish it was a bit easier to fit in all the requirements our state has! Our summer health class is every day, M-F. Kind of rules out much else for that portion of the summer, but it is still more practical for most kids than taking it during the school year.

    And I'm impressed your district was able to make such a big move in the schedule. It seems unlikely here, as the NY regents exams are late in June, and are required for graduation, so unless that changes, we will have that huge gap in classes with May exams like AP. I guess I wish there was less teaching directly to the tests, which drives a lot of the problem.

    Congrats to your DS on making the upper level band, too- sounds like he has a lot to be proud of!

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    circket3.. As to the change in schedule. More than half the state was already on this earlier schedule. It's a trend here in CA. And there were a few other things pushing it mostly affecting H.S. students, but I know AP testing schedule was one consideration. As other districts change, Altletic schedules are affected. Summer programs that H.S. students were doing in the such community college were starting before we got out of the summer.DS's freshman year we went till VERY late June, this was a big problem & students weren't able to apply to many of the popular university programs for H.S. students. I know districts in CA that now start in mid-August. We aren't that early.

    Difficulty in getting the change is the elementary teachers don't want to start till after Labor Day. Part of the push to start earlier is some districts (not mine) is to make it so Fall finals are done before the Xmas holidays. It's one way to try and help the kids with the level of stress. These districts are trying to let winter break be just that a BREAK for the students.

    It's honestly a bit crazy since around here August/September are the hottest months of the year.

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    Our district is trying to make a similar move. Other districts ae moving that way, and AP timing is part of it. (Here's a notion: why don't the APs move? Oh yeah, scores would come out too late.) Here moving mid year exams would turn our Thanksgiving break in the studying time for students, they'd still have 3-4 days of tests, right around the same time as the ACT and when all the performing arts groups are having their holiday performances. Our music ensembles actually earn money all through December performing at centers, meetings, events, and parties.

    We currently go about 3weeks beyond APs, seniors even less. The nice thing for underclass AP students (in classes where the majority are seniors) is that they take their final exam in mid-May, and the actual final is not an exam at all (they have to go, but might watch a movie or turn in last-minute stuff)

    There is a small contingent in the district--I'm in it--that wonder whether moving finals only moves the stress. We suggest eliminating mid-year exams altogether. It would allow the school year to start about the same time as currently (if not later) and not lose time to review and testing. Only one-semester classes would have finals in January.

    The administration seems to be warming to that idea. We found support in universities that are minimizing final exams.

    Back to your original "Whew", well, "whew" is right. DS finished junior year by the skin of his teeth. We went through the process to enter SpEd for senior year, and he lost several periods of classes for the testing and meetings. Part of the testing was SB-5 and W-J and more, so we finally have actual numbers for him. (Turns out that last year, when his old counselor looked at his English grades and said "well, clearly he's not the smartest kid in the class", I was correct in responding "well, actually, he may BE the smartest kid in the class".)

    DS got great grades and comments on the few English poems and essays he DID do, and barely passed so he doesn't have to do a Credit Recovey online this summer. Whew.

    We had switched him to audit AP physics since he was failing mid-semester, and sure enough he would have failed the entire semester, despite 104% on the final; anxious to see the AP scores in July: they take the exams for 1 and 2. Even though he does not have the second semester credit, he doesn't have the combo of no credit AND an F to drag his GPA further into the dirt. And he has, we hope, a decent AP score.

    He started taking medication for anxiety. He was accepted into SpEd and we just received the IEP; the main gist is enrollment in a highly structured and supportive study hall. I have so many questions about the IEP, and they have to wait until staff is back in August.

    He's taking two online courses this summer (one semester each) to fulfill graduation requirements, because the B&M classes totally conflict with his AP and "beyond AP" classes next year.

    I'm exhausted. So is he. He is so relieved to have everyone off his back, he's almost bouncy.

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    NotherBen -- Good to hear you got through this semester. Guess we don't find out about those AP test scores till mid-July. I'm very curious how they turn out. Because of DS's 504 he did get extra time on them and despite his grumbling did use the extra time. If DS would have cooperated about taking extra time on his AP Bio tests, he might have gotten a better grade. The teacher would have worked with him, but he has been so reluctant to ask for extra help. Thankfully the teacher gave him partial credit on a late turned in assignment, that pushed him into a B- rather than a C+. (C's don't get the extra point at our our school so the C+/B- line for AP classes is a HUGE one.)

    Originally Posted by NotherBen
    He started taking medication for anxiety. He was accepted into SpEd and we just received the IEP; the main gist is enrollment in a highly structured and supportive study hall. I have so many questions about the IEP, and they have to wait until staff is back in August.
    We have considered putting DS on medication for anxiety. Almost did last spring but I think he is managing without it. I'd rather do lifestyle changes IF it works.

    Originally Posted by NotherBen
    I'm exhausted. So is he. He is so relieved to have everyone off his back, he's almost bouncy.
    I hope next year goes better for him and the online summer classes aren't as stressful. And that his grades on his AP turn out well.

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    Thanks, Bluemagic. DS doesn't like to use any accommodations, even when they are the teacher's normal policy for EVERYONE. For example, the English teacher lets them rewrite an assignment pretty much as many times as they want to. I like that. You learn so much more when you can correct, redo, etc. And another teacher will give time to all students in class the next day to finish a test. But DS would not use either of those, let alone the accommodations they were extending to him to help him out.

    He's on a school trip right now, so he will have to begin the online classes a week late, and they already have a shortened time, it being summer.

    AP scores come out in early July, I think. He also took a couple of SAT-IIs; those scores come out in late July. So we are trying not to even think about them for now. Of course, he has to start thinking seriously about colleges, he hasn't been on any visits yet. We will have to squeeze those in around his online work.

    I've been so glad to hear your DS's year has gone better, and heartened by your updates!

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