<p>The other thread about students missing class presentations reminded me of an incident last weekend. My 7th grade son was supposed to play in a quartet for music festival (commonly known as Solos and Ensembles). One member of their group did not make it in time to play because she was "taking the SAT." I assume this was for the Duke talent program or the like. This was said by way of excuse. But really, the girl should have told the teacher she might have a conflict and asked if he could move the time or replace her on the group. It was completely unfair to the others.</p>
<p>I agree. There was a previous commitment to the group. In the event that a member of one of my kids’ quartets couldn’t make it to a gig or performance, there was the (professional)( expectation that the person (with help from the coach) would provide a suitable sub. Heck, my D’s music teacher showed up for orchestral performances when in chemo because of professional obligation…</p>
<p>In my state, if someone doesn’t show on time for a music festival commitment, they are forbidden to participate for at least one full year in future festival events.</p>
<p>Wow, thumper! Even in middle school?</p>
<p>Nothing wrong with taking the SAT for talent competitions (for one of my kids it was a springboard to great opportunities that eventually helped a lot with great college admissions results). But the kid who missed (and her parents) must have known about the SAT date at least weeks in advance and could have made other arrangements. This has nothing to do with the SAT, and everything to do with inconsiderate parents/student who didn’t notify their group and the director so a sub could be found.</p>
<p>Speaking as the parent of a kid who did the talent search SAT, attended 4 years of summer programs, AND was a musician who played in various ensembles, there is no excuse for this lack of consideration. </p>
<p>Yes. Even in MS. Students audition for these ensembles. If selected, they make a commitment to attend. If they are ill, they are excused…but other reasons…nope. Can’t participate for a year. </p>
<p>extremely rude and inconsiderate, I’d say.</p>
<p>A dose of reality - I tend to be the parent with everything on the calendar well in advance. Still, I did actually book an October SAT date only to realize that it conflicted with a “mandatory” music event. I paid extra to move the SAT date but this would not be the kid’s fault if the parent screwed up in this way or just realized it at the last minute. My kid is heavily involved with music and it conflicts with EVERYTHING. Even with a master music calendar online I’ve found that sometimes the dates for last year are still there or the director just gets them wrong. To be realistic, your kid is in 7th grade and if this is a district/state solo ensemble contest the world won’t come crashing down. Of course it is frustrating, and of course your kid feels cheated out of the experience and let down (been there done that too recently from the same perspective). However, it could easily have been a totally accidental thing from the “hmmm . . . what’s on the calendar THIS weekend?” perspective, and either way it is VERY unlikely that a 7th grader is keeping her own calendar and would have even realized the conflict.</p>
<p>I used to do a lot of sports coaching and when I could see potential game conflict on the horizon I would send out pointed emails to triple check for kids who might be absent. Still, some parents wouldn’t realize they fell into that group until the 11th hour.</p>
<p>I should amend this to say that the other kid who plays the same instrument as mine WAS gone for the October SAT so it was a good thing that I caught it ;)</p>
<p>I’ve been on both sides of this issue. Generally speaking our calendar has everything on it and is up-to-date. But sometimes stuff slips through the crack and we have the “oh crap” moment right ahead of time. Or we set up things back to back thinking the timing will work and something slips…</p>
<p>On the flip side, I coach a ton (5 teams this winter–4 as head and 1 a assistant) and like Saintfan I’m constantly dealing with missing kids. Even parents that are usually good about remembering things occasionally screw-up. For example, one of my teams just lost a shot at the league title because a number of kids got confused about the start time.</p>
<p>In the situation described by the OP , I’m guessing the parent saw the SATs and figured they would be over in time to make the festival.</p>
<p>Time management fail and beyond rude.</p>
<p>Sorry folks. The SAT has MULTIPLE dates. The music festival has ONE. The parents of a MS student most likely were doing the scheduling. They goofed. The SAT should have been take at a different time. Or the kid should have declined the music fest participation. </p>
<p>Sometimes you can’t do it all. </p>
<p>My kid missed a scholarship weekend at her second choice college because of the All State Music Festival. It never dawned on us to stiff the orchestra.</p>
<p>I remember solo & ensemble as really the high point of the year musically for me. It took so much extra practice with my group to be ready… I am guessing that the person who suggested above (NO POST NUMBERS TO REFER TO, DARN IT) that the parent thought they would make it is on the right track. And to be fair, it is hard to know how long the SAT or ACT will take (I never knew when to pick up my kid, and always underestimated and sat in the parking lot for 45 minutes). I also don’t think we could have changed our groups S&E timeslot readily (but maybe a parent or band teacher could have done so). To move your group’s timeslot means someone else also has to be shifted, and they probably aren’t from your school, so it is a communications headache.</p>
<p>But I just don’t buy the “parent might not have been keeping track of the calendar, oh well” argument. And as soon as I knew they were the same day, I would have been trying to see if I could move the S&E slot OR had my kid withdraw from S&E so they could find another whatever instrument to learn the part and practice with them. The parent gambled and lost, and with it so did the other kids in the S&E group.</p>
<p>This one was totally on the parents, and while I understand scheduling glitches, they really left an impression that their kid’s taking the SAT was more important than the other kids getting to perform.</p>
<p>Sorry… but if my kid had to make the choice between S&E and the SAT, I would choose the SAT. But I would not have left the other kids in the lurch with no communication or chance for them to replace my kid in the ensemble, or have just taken the chance that my kid could make it to both events. The issue is the parents’ taking a risk with the other S&E kid’s schedule, not their prioritization of the SAT. They shouldn’t have tried to do both in the same day.</p>
<p>By the way, regarding the SAT and multiple dates, you can’t take it through the talent search programs each time College Board offers it. When my kid took it through NUMATS, I think the only option was the January date. </p>
<p>Intparent…that is the point! The kid needed to make a CHOICE…well…his parents did. They didn’t make that choice. It’s NO secret how long the SAT takes. Those festivals include not only the actual performance time, but also rehearsal time. This family really let others down. Sorry, but our family had to make those types of choices many times with two musicians in the family. There are only so many hours in the day.</p>
<p>Plus…after 4 plus hours of SAT, did the family REALLY think this musician was going to be at the top of their musical game? </p>
<p>Sorry…I think they blew it. They should have given up the music commitment the minute they realized the SAT conflict.</p>
<p>ETA…our state is VERY good about avoiding SAT dates for music festivals for HIGH SCHOOL. The numbers taking this particular SAT date for MS would not have been avoided, however.</p>
<p>It IS hard to judge how long the will take because if a lot of kids are taking it or there are issues with the rooms/etc, it can start late… but if you read all my posts, I consistently agree with you that the parents should have made a choice and not tried to do both. What I am reacting to is the OP’s implied assumption that the SAT is less important for middle schoolers. Believe me, for us it wasn’t, and the way my kid’s future played out based on middle school SAT results show it. Of course the parents should have made a choice early and notified the S&E kids if they chose the SAT. I never said they shouldn’t. So you and I are in violent agreement on that part, I guess.</p>
<p>Yes. We DO agree! </p>
<p>The SAT for MS students who need it IS important…but as you and I both noted, it does not trump the responsibility to others this student agreed to when agreeing to be IN that music festival.</p>
<p>And again I say…these are usually full day events. You don’t just drop in for YOU time to perform. Students have rehearsals, and are expected to attend the performances of the others. Clearly, the SAT would have interfered with the ability to attend a full day music festival.</p>
<p>But unfortunately I’ve seen this first hand. Where parents But But BUT the festival organizers, because they think their kid should be an exception to the festival rules. It gets ugly sometimes. </p>
<p>Our solo/ensemble is about a 30 minute thing on the day of for the student. Show up 20 minutes ahead to warm up and get ducks in a row - 5 minute performance - 5 to 10 minutes with clinician/adjudicator. The big time commitment is in practicing as a group to be ready for your 5 minutes of fame. They tend to find out their performance time 2-3 days ahead if that.</p>