<p>That is so the Missypie family! The middle school names two boys and two girls from each grade Student of the Month - they even do the summer months…so that’s 48 kids a year. Sometimes they’re outgoing students, sometimes shy students, sometimes they’re the kids with great grades, sometimes they’re the athletes, sometimes they’re practically delinquents, but never members of the Missypie family. No matter what our kids have done in school, no matter what else they may accomplish, my kids are never Student of the Month. We go to the school and the teachers give us hugs because they love our kids and our family, but never Student of the Month. The last kid has one more year at that school - they’re going to have to start giving it to people’s dogs to avoid giving it to my D because I think everyone else has won it.</p>
<p>Son’s school has now posted the schedule for orientation on its website. As I scrolled down and saw the final ceremony on the agenda, I dissolved into tears. Had to close the web page quickly because I’m sitting at my desk at work and shouldn’t really be sobbing.</p>
<p>I thought I was the only parent who was disappointed by middle school student of the month selection! Neither of the PRJ girls ever won middle school student of the month and it always surprised me. The teachers loved them, they were excellent students, helpful to others, just generally good school “citizens”. In the case of D1, being outspoken probably worked against her, but I know it will serve her well in life.</p>
<p>(((hugs))) to you missypie. The college orientation schedule got me too. And my latest crying jag? Pomp and Circumstance always reduces me to tears no matter who is graduating. So I thought I would desensitize myself and listen to it online the other day. Hah! Guess who was sobbing at her computer :o</p>
<p>My husband still cares about it. I’m way past caring. When the middle D was told that she had done the best job in school history at the mock Constitutional Convention and didn’t get Student of the Month that month, that is when I officially stopped caring. </p>
<p>We have been told that youngest D is getting an athletic award at the middle school ceremony…if you knew the Missypie family, you’d think that was absolutely hysterical.</p>
<p>Missypie, it would be more hysterical if my D got any athletic award from HS. Her objective was to not fall down the stairs during her 4 years there (which as of this morning she had succeeded at).</p>
<p>Ah Pomp and Circumstance. Got to hear it for S’s graduation. D is going to use it to trigger her valedictorian speech (thank heavens she finally has an idea) and talk about associations. She says it will always be about Donald Duck. I think you need to watch Fantasia another time. :)</p>
<p>I can’t wait to here the Val for my D’s class. The guy and D are great friends and he is a terrific speaker and funny. Hopefully the teachers don’t get to town him down. He’s just too good. His Cross Country speech got a standing ovation this year from the parents. Don’t think that has ever happened.</p>
<p>My D will speak as class pres. she likes to speak but gets nervous. Awards can be so political. Awesome to get money. I don’t remember much about the ones.that got away they have gotten their share of awards and dissapointment.
It’s good to know that everyone else is a puddle. I am experiencing a health issue and this is really all getting very hard. clouds the whole issue. I really need that gap year.</p>
<p>Well, the first “last” today here in the SJTH household. S2 has the public presentation of his final 6 month senior projects (we call it “Senior Exhibition.”) I welled up watching one of his oldest friends yesterday, and I’m positive I will this pm at his, as he has a jazz combo playing (topic is the effect of social conflict on jazz over the last decade). </p>
<p>D and her best friend are to co-vals of their high school class and plan to give a speech together. I think I am dreading it more than they are! They have been planning this co-val thing since they were in 9th grade and both got all A’s on their report cards. It’s been the fulfillment of a long term goal for them.</p>
<p>Those awards… Well, I can’t complain - DD got ‘student of the week’ (each class gave this out each week) in grade school, once, after the 1st week of school - it was probably the only week she was well enough behaved to get the award, and they pounced!</p>
<p>I’m not teary about the end of HS, perhaps because I’m still waiting for the school to take the pains to make an announcement on the math and/or science team successes. Is someone not doing their job ;)</p>
<p>Thank you, sharonohio! At D’s graduation I will close my eyes and imagine Donald Duck directing animal traffic onto the ark! A surefire way to stop the tears ;)</p>
<p>For others who need this kind of “therapy”:</p>
<p>boy do I agree with that Missypie. Congrats on your S receiving some recognition there. I think #theoryson will receive some recognition but there is no money to be handed out unless you applied for private scholarships</p>
<p>I guess the good news about having two boys who were pretty middle of the road in everything is that we have never expected any awards so at least avoided the disappointment thing. Academically, the oldest was in the top 10% but barely; the second was only in the top 25%. Athletically, both were starters and strong players in their sport(s), but never the tip top stars. While popular with peers, they definitely would not be favorites with teachers or coaches (not disliked or disruptive but would never willingly talk to a teacher or coach so not well known).</p>
<p>I think that the majority of students don’t expect awards and don’t even think about them. There might be 10 sections of Algebra I but only one student gets the Algebra I award…it’s such a long shot that most students don’t even entertain the idea. BUT, then they get to that section of the college application where they are supposed to list their awards…</p>
<p>D’s good friends were announced as val and sal last night - she couldn’t make it because of a meet, but she is so happy for them. The girl who is val is (with my D) the shortest in the class, plus her voice is so soft they will have to turn the microphone up to 11 (ala Spinal Tap) for us to hear her at graduation. I am sure the speech will be great!</p>
<p>Heard today that my company is discontinuing its scholarship program this year - that was $2500 that I thought D had a good shot at - sign of the bad economic times I guess!</p>
<p>Talking about school injustices. S has played varsity tennis all spring - not the star player but he did get a <em>by</em> for districts.
Well the day he was taking AP Bio, they had a tennis meeting at lunch, apparently mandatory, and of course S was not there. So coach took him off the schedule and he doesn’t get to go to districts or compete. S of course told him he was away taking a TEST, but coach said sorry, too bad, he could not change it.
This is the kind of crap that makes you glad to say good-bye to the whole system. Incredibly disappointing, but we have come to see it as par for the course. It probably made room for a lesser player who was more favored by the coach. The good ol’ boy system is alive and well in so many ways.
The silver lining in this (as I am looking for a lot of these days and getting good at finding them) is it gave him some much needed extra time to get some papers done. History paper turned in yesterday (4 not 5 paragraphs)- and hopefully his Power Point today. Yea!</p>