Parents of the HS Class of 2011 - Original

Parents Forum Class of 20xx Community
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<p>S would have loved to have had that assigned. You should try borrowing the sudio book from the library, Sedaris is great to listen to.</p>

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<p>:: brews fresh coffee ::</p>

<p>:: puts muffins, danish, bagels, and croissants on buffet table ::</p>

<p>We have blueberry, orange cranberry, lemon poppyseed, banana nut, and chocolate chocolate chip muffins, cherry, cheese, lemon, and prune danish, plain, raisin cinnamon, and onion bagels, and plain, almond, and chocolate croissants. There are various spreads available for the bagels and croissants, and if you need to watch your cholesterol intake, watch out for the Brie.</p>

<p>Soooo, chintzy, is chintzyS still among the living? :D How's the math going?</p>

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<p>Ah, ChintzyS, it helps to be a math idiot....by about 5th grade, our kids stopped asking us (the parents) for math help. Now they ask each other. Better for all of us.</p>

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<p>Ha, if I completed a math packet for D2, that would indeed be her last day in the Honors class. I think I hit my knowledge limit in about 4th grade.</p>

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<p>Missypie, I'm really impressed with your daughter getting so much of her work done early. That's fantastic. My son picked up his summer reading book and started it. Then he read online that the assignment isn't due until after Labor Day. "Sweet!" And back to the bookshelf it went. Grrr. Chintzy, at least your son is staring at his work, LOL. To give my son his due, he is working hard on a computer programming book. It's so much easier when work doesn't seem like work at all.</p>

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<p>chintzyboy is still alive and well and annoying as all get out. Last night he got mad at me and stormed off to do it on his own--who did he think he was punishing? Today he is back at the kitchen table because he had a question. School starts in 18 hours and 15 minutes. Give me strength because it's too early to give me a cocktail!</p>

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<p>from Good Housekeeping--how did I get this recipe, since I don't subscribe? </p>

<p>2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 twsp salt
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon amaretto
2 tsp almond extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup sliced almonds</p>

<p>Heat oven to 375. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt.</p>

<p>In large bowl, mixer at medium speed, beat butter and sugars until creamy. Beat in eggs, amaretto and extract. Reduce speed to low; beat in flour mixture just until blended. Stir in choc chips, coconut, and almonds.</p>

<p>Drop dough by heaping measuring tablespoon, 2 inches apart, on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden around edges. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool. </p>

<p>Initially, D1 asked for these without the nuts or coconut. Now she's OK with those ingredients, and the cookies are much, much better. The coconut, especially, adds something to the texture.</p>

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<p>Should have know it was too good to be true. Last night at 8:45PM, as S was packing his bag for first day of classes today, he casually mentioned that the printer was out of ink and he still needed to print out copies of the book reports he finished weeks earlier. That pat on the back I gave myself several weeks ago because S had already finished all his work was given in haste. I don't know why I cannot be calm when he does this to us. Twice in the past year, late at night, he has told us the printer has no ink. I am pleased I only had to yell at him for about a minute before I got it all out of my system. So we are off to a good start.</p>

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<p>Great self control, mamom! Those last minute crises drive me crazy. chintzygirl, my class of '09, asked me how late I was planning on staying up last night because she had to email her paper to her teacher by 11:59 p.m. and wanted some editing help. Just because you have until 11:59 doesn't mean you have to wait until 11:59........</p>

<p>Happy to report chintzyboy, my class of '11, has been very on top of his game so far this year. School started last Thursday and his schedule was all messed up. He got right to GC, got it fixed, and then went and followed up w/ teachers whose classes he had missed because of the snafu to get books and assignments. Let's hope it lasts!</p>

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<p>I'm very glad to read that chintzyS lives on!</p>

<p>And I'm delighted to read that amaretto chunk cookie recipe; thanks for that, SlithyTove! How fortunate that I picked up a new bottle of almond extract last night! (Now I know what I'm doing this weekend. :D)</p>

<p>mamom, sounds like you need a backup supply of ink cartridges, one stashed away somewhere for just such emergencies. And some cookies! :)</p>

<p>It didn't take long for the complaints about homework to start (among them: "Why did I have to take AP Government during an election year?!" because he had to listen to the candidates' speeches for class), but it looks like, since I've declared that he can be on the computer until I get home from work and that's it, he's settling into a groove. Too bad a couple of the books he needed last night AND the night before were over at his dad's, and his dad worked late both nights so they could not be retrieved. (We went through this each of the previous two school years; books need to stay at my house, since S is at my house every single day after school and can do homework needing a textbook here. Once a book makes it to his dad's house, it's unavailable for use here, and sometimes even for use there. Sheeeesh!)</p>

<p>He's sufficiently unhappy with school, not classes, but the school environment, that I've told him he can apply to Simon's Rock if he'd like, but HE has to do it, he'd need significant financial aid to make it work, and he needs to make sure his grades this year are really good. We'll see what happens.</p>

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<p>owlice wrote.< you need a backup supply of ink cartridges, one stashed away somewhere for just such emergencies. And some cookies! ></p>

<p>Actually, I threatened younger D with no TV for a week next time I see 5 copies of something from the Hannah Montanna page printed out. You know how the backup supply of ink cartridges work, they never get replaced til the next emergency. ...sigh</p>

<p><t didn't="" take="" long="" for="" the="" complaints="" about="" homework="" to="" start="" (among="" them:="" "why="" did="" i="" have="" ap="" government="" during="" an="" election="" year?!"="" because="" he="" had="" listen="" candidates'="" speeches="" class),=""></t></p>

<p>I hope he ends up enjoying his class. After lasts weeks convention, I have sat up and am starting to pay more attention. Instead of books on tape I am listening to NPR and talk radio during my commute. </p>

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<p>We started buying two copies of all S's books (except workbooks) last year. Half.com and ebay are great sources of good used and new books. It saves S from lugging 35-40 pounds of books on the train each day and we never have to woory about him leaving a book at school. </p>

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<p>Never heard of Simon's Rock til now. Looks intersting from my quick look at the web site. Have you thought about BS or good day school? S has a friend at BS and the classes he is offered are incredible.</p>

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<p>S is in public school (in a competitive-entry science and tech program), and usually, the school assigns one set of books for school, and one for home. Last year, I did buy a copy of the math book he was using, as the home copy the school assigned ended up at his dad's and never made it back to my house. I don't know that we could afford to buy dups of all his books; last year's math book was pricey!</p>

<p>We've talked some about private schools, too, including boarding schools. I've told him that all of these options would still come with homework, and with Simon's Rock, it's likely to be a LOT more homework. So just how much he is really interested in other options is still to be seen, as I think he was thinking that Simon's Rock would be more CTY-like, and at CTY, the kids are forbidden from doing work outside of class (which is good, since they spend 7 hours a day in class). Not likely to find a place which requires NO homework! :D</p>

<p>I think he'll enjoy AP Government. I've been impressed with the teacher's website and assignments so far (will meet the teacher at back-to-school night) and the kid did pick this class, after all! I think he grouses almost more because he can than for any other reason sometimes!</p>

<p>He was up pretty late watching McCain's speech last night (I didn't make it through the whole thing; conked right out partway through), and was one tired tired boy this morning.</p>

<p>And what, only five copies of Hanna Montana stuff?! :D (Poor you! I think one copy of anything from that website would be enough to put me over the edge!!!)</p>

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<p>SlithyTove, thanks very much for that cookie recipe! They are GREAT, and as good as they are fresh out of the oven, they are even better the next day. (I know this because I made them yesterday and just had four of them...)</p>

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<p>Well, 10th grade actually seems to be going pretty well over here. The extra copy of the math text still needs to be unearthed so that it can stay at school, along with the very heavy language book.
mamom - I buy two sets of inks at once, so when I 'only' have one set, hopefully, I replace it.
Owlice - have you looked into local private schools? What about the school is the problem?</p>

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<p>nemom, part of S's problem with the current school is the proximity to his mother, who is, to hear him tell it, way overly involved in his life because she (can you beLIEVE this?!) wants him to do his homework! (How DARE she?!) And... and.... oh, this is just dreadful..... his mother expects him to do chores!! And even (the horror, the horror) to go to church once a month!!!!! </p>

<p>Okay, those aren't the main problems, though these complaints were heard (probably by the entire neighborhood) this past weekend. </p>

<p>His major complaints about school are 1.) there are lots of annoying people there; and 2.) he doesn't feel especially safe. (He's as safe as any other kid in a large suburban high school is, but that doesn't mean he feels he is.) Except for some kids in his program, it's not a very intellectual environment (since it is, after all, a building full of teenagers), and that also grates on him.</p>

<p>He likes being away at CTY and being more responsible for himself. (I have no problem whatsoever with his being more responsible for himself, and wish he'd demonstrate same at home!)</p>

<p>We are looking into local private schools, too, but he really likes the idea of boarding school or early college.</p>

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<p>owlice, very glad you liked the cookies! </p>

<p>D1 thought I'd enjoy reading the info sheet from her science teacher. She was right. This guy has a wonderful anti-cheating policy. If you're caught, you get a zero on the assignment, which cannot be dropped (the two lowest grades get dropped for grading). He will not write you a recommendation of any sort. He will also inform the school's GC and all of the other teachers in the school. He doesn't mention it, but since he's the one who runs Science Bowl, the independent science research project course and some other academic plums, I suspect that cheating in his classes screws up your chances for those, as well. </p>

<p>Also, his class rules start with rule number 1: Do not annoy Mr. XXXXX. Good general advice for life.</p>

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<p>Hmmm...he needs to understand that boarding school/private school/Simon's Rock/ other early college are ALL going to involve homework! Most boarding schools are, in my view, not very much like CTY. Simon's Rock may be a bit like it in that it draws from a similar crowd, but there will be fewer classroom hours and more homework hours. The right private school might work in terms of a CTY-like feel, but again, there will be homework.</p>

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<p>I've been trying to get him to understand that, nemom. None of them will be like CTY, except possibly in the abilities of the students there, and even then, he's bound to find some people annoying!</p>

<p>SlithyTove, LIKED the cookies?! No, no, I LOVED the cookies, and will no doubt be wearing some of them on my hips for the rest of my life, given yesterday's intake! They are great!</p>

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<p>Ah, homework. Now there's a subject close to this 2011/2015 parent's heart. My youngest is incredibly independent. His theory is, "Don't mention it. Let me succeed or fail on my own. If you don't let me fail, I'll never learn." Theoretically this is good and right. In practice, it's a struggle for this mom. Plus, he has to keep in mind that FA is a big factor in where he goes to school. My oldest had the best aid from the toughest schools to get into. </p>

<p>Anyway, he doesn't spend anywhere near the time on homework his brother did. They've had different teachers which can make a big difference, but I always feel like he must be forgetting something. He's had to pull one late-nighter so far and said he had forgotten how hard that is, and that it was indeed a learning experience. I hope so. He is much better this year at keeping his planner with him so there's progress.</p>

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<p>Hi Owlice, thank you for openning this thread. I have a daughter who is in 10th grade, she is very bright but not good with home work. I just hope to come here to get some ideas to help myself.</p>