<p>And I just wanted to make the 1000’th post :D</p>
<p>1000 posts and they are only sophmores! Woohoo. </p>
<p>Blueshoe - Like you, we lived in a very historic area until DD12 completed 7th grade. Very fun! I think that my kids just like world history more. I agree with you on the tests, they are very hard. As I’m sure most AP teachers do, the tests are previously used AP questions and are very difficult. My DS12 did very well in AP World though, because he really loved the subject. He is finding APUSH much harder. His quarter grade was an 87, while he got high A’s in AP World. That is why I think my DD will have much more difficulty with APUSH. She is squeeking by in AP World and does not like it!</p>
<p>The schools must have received the PSAT scores. My son got a call on Sunday (?!) telling him that he was excused from 2nd and 3rd period today to go to something called Future Merit Scholars - to practice vocabulary for next year’s test! I think this is just ridiculous. We told him not to go (he already missed 3 days last week to attend a theatre convention). Anyway - cramming vocabulary now is NOT going to help come 2011. Also, he has started to receive a slew of college letters so I suspect the scores have been released. Does anyone know when the kids get them?</p>
<p>In our district, they don’t release them until after winter break, in January. But I know other places release scores in December.</p>
<p>Longhaul: Congrats to your son!</p>
<p>I know that the PLAN results were received at our school last week because D found out her composite from her GT counselor, but is supposed to get the paper results with the breakdown in English class. She got a 28 composite; she told me that it was out of 36 but I then had to inform her it was out of 32 (that’s the PLAN scale; ACT goes up to 36) but the counselor had told them out of 36. Sigh. </p>
<p>PSAT aren’t given out in school till just before Christmas or after winter break but I know that they’re sent earlier electronically and released to the mailing lists. D made sure she checked off the “no mail” box on both tests so hopefully that will keep the mail deluge to a minimum. </p>
<p>D’s big time sucker is AP Euro this year. It’s a real eye opener for the sophomores that take it. D pulled an A last MP, and is currently still at a low A, but that’s partially because the teacher gives them a lot of credit for their unit reviews; her tests are killers. A lot of kids got very bad grades on the last one (31, 45) but D managed to squeak a barely passing grade. I really think it preps them well for the reality of the junior & senior classes as well as college. It also acts as a weeder class of sorts for those kids who are just not interested in working that hard. </p>
<p>Happy Thanksgiving all!</p>
<p>RobD, sounds like your D’s AP Euro class is much like my D’s AP World. She got a B on the last test but many got the same kind of low grades you reported in your D’s class. I agree that what doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger.:)</p>
<p>All 3 of my kids preferred APUSH to AP World. They found it much more interesting. I have to admit I do too. My S is learning that his usual minimal effort is not going to cut it in AP World. He currently has a B+ but I hope by the semester it will be an A.</p>
<p>Still a happy camper here 
I am just glad to know that slacker boy does have a work ethic for some things and others see it. His EC has as many adult members as student members. It is great to see he can earn the respect of both. I just hold out hope that he’ll “care” about more things as he matures so eventually his work ethic is seen in all aspects of his life.</p>
<p>Ran to school and got report card at lunchtime. I’ll be back at school after work for conferences (4 til 8 - yuck! - meeting with 9 or 10 teachers for all 3 kids). His grades were so much better than I expected! 3 As(one is a trimester Art class, H Latin III, H English), 2 A-s (H Pre-Calc and APUSH), 1 B+ (AP Gov/Politics), 1 B (H Chem). NJ breaks APUSH into 2 years, so 1st year APUSH is taught as an AP at a snail pace. On the GPA 1st year APUSH is graded like an Honor’s class. As much as I complain about the NJ laws for 2 years US History, my kid could never get through the reading if it was 1 year. He may be a homework slacker, but he does complete the reading assignments.
I was surprised by all the honors because 1 class was not listed as an honors when he signed up and another I refused to sign the paper for an honor’s option, yet he was given it anyway.</p>
<p>Though grades are better than anticipated, all the comments continue to say the same thing as past years – homework slacker, slow quiz/test taker. I attribute 70% of it to his ADD and 30% to his sex – or maybe it is the other way around. Love the teachers who put a positive spin on his homework inconsistency “did a fair job submitting homework!” vs. “did not fully commit”</p>
<p>Now you all have me anxious for PSAT scores!</p>
<p>Do any of your schools give numerical grades rather than letter grades? Ours is strictly numerical. S’13’s charm kicked in again this six weeks (report cards are every six weeks). Two of his teachers bumped up an actual 89 to a 90 for no apparent reason. The grade book is open to see online and as far as I can tell - he really earned the 89. Husband calls it the “cute” factor. Plus son’s Chemistry grade was bumped up by two songs he wrote about Avogadro’s number and the periodic table. (Did I mention that this is a fine arts HS?)</p>
<p>They give numbers and letters. On the official transcripts, only letters are given (and only end of semester letter grades.) However, on the online grading system, progress reports and marking period report cards, the number and equivalent letter grade are given. GPA is determined by the number grade. A 91 is not given the same weight as a 94, and a 94 is not given the same weight as a 97. then factor in the honors or AP/IB distinction…</p>
<p>We use numbers.</p>
<p>We are numbers only. GPA is only calculated on the 100 point scale; no 3 point whatever for us. Weighted GPA is used to determine class rank. Unweighted GPA goes on the transcript.</p>
<p>Hello to All
RobD - are you saying that the results of the PLAN they took on November 3 (or around) are already out? Have not heard anything.
Last year PSAT results were given to the students just before the winter break, so around mid December. Also, your ranking calculations are very, very strange. I am not sure how ranking is determined here, but I sure do hope it is not by number grade 
In Spanish 4 anything above 89% is an A, as the teacher said it will be a very tough class. And it is!
Son’s current lowest grade is in AP Stats, and he is a math whiz The teacher is absolutely boring, does not teach and the questions on the tests seem to be out of the blue. But S thinks he has finally figured out which book the teacher is teaching out of. It is sure not the text the school pays for…
In APUSH they do weekly outlines of chapters, which really helps them to study. For the big final before the end of the quarter they have organized a huge study session via skype. All loved the results. I guess we should find out how well the kids did on the AP test in previous years?
Have a great Thanksgiving , I don’t think I will be visiting before Thursday :)</p>
<p>D took the plan here the day before the PSATs so it was mid October (it doesn’t have a fixed date like the PSAT.) Forgot to check yesterday if she got the paper score report as I walked in the door to having my D1 home along with my inlaws.</p>
<p>Our grading scale is also only up to 100; weighted GPA determines class rank & also goes on the transcript. Even if a student got a 97+ in every class, and took honors and ap/IB whenever possible, I don’t think you can get over a 4.5.</p>
<p>We’ve been told by school that PLAN results will be released in February.</p>
<p>Our school grades 0-100, and actually gives zeroes. Some of the districts here in TX limit the minimum grade to 50, which seems crazy to me. If the kid doesn’t turn it in - it should be a zero. There are “quality points” for honors and AP classes, but those don’t show up on report cards or transcripts. I think they are only used to calculate class rank. The only problem with numerical grades for me, is that I don’t know how they translate onto the 4.0 scale that colleges look at. Can someone fill me in?</p>
<p>I’d say that a quick email to the guidance office should be able to answer that question. Our school has a very detailed chart on their website that says what each numerical spread equates to in quality gpa points including the honors and ap/ib equivalents:</p>
<p>Grade Value Regular Honors AP/IB</p>
<p>A 97-100 4.0 4.5 5.0</p>
<p>A 94 - 96 3.7 4.2 4.7</p>
<p>A 91 - 93 3.5 4.0 4.5</p>
<p>B 87 - 90 3.3 3.8 4.3</p>
<p>B 84 - 86 3.0 3.5 4.0</p>
<p>B 81 83 2.7 3.2 3.7</p>
<p>C 77 - 80 2.3 2.8 3.3</p>
<p>C 72 - 76 2.0 2.5 3.0</p>
<p>D 70 - 71 1.0 1.5 1.9</p>
<p>F 0 69 0.0 0.0 0.0</p>
<p>Our school only issues report cards on the letter grade, but actual grading is numeric (0-100).
We only get a GPA on transcript, so I have no idea how the actual calculations are done. </p>
<p>Though my son is still struggling to get homework done, this was the best parent/teacher conferences yet. All his teachers love him - even those who have shown disdain to him in the past. All commented on his wit and sense of humor. I’ve spent years telling him he has no idea how to read people and he needs to put out nice-fuzzies. Well, he finally succeeded. Of course, with his style, this means handing in math homework with witty comments about how he didn’t complete his homework. At least he keeps them entertained. </p>
<p>Today was half day(due to conferences) and my kid was at school til 5 putting “bling” on the pumpkin chunkin project. His teams project is decorated like a dragon, complete with spike scales and fully painted. Meanwhile, he hasn’t completed any homework this week. Small steps - teachers at least like him; he is showing commitment to something; repeat “love the kid on the couch”, “love the kid on the couch”, uughh, the kid painted in his school uniform even though he had a change of clothes. </p>
<p>HAPPY THANKSGIVING!</p>
<p>Happy Thanksgiving all! </p>
<p>Our school does letter grades. There is some controversy this year as I believe the administration was looking to treat all A’s equally when converting. </p>
<p>Our school does not provide class rankings since it is an honors school, so I haven’t really paid attention yet to this. </p>
<p>We are struggling with my D this semester. The good- she is a very involved kid- great EC’s, leadership positions already. This month alone, she had two articles published in our city newspaper. So I should be happy right???</p>
<p>Well…report cards came home…Only two A’s (AP Global, and Music Theory). Rest are B’s and (Yikes) one C+ in Trig. I think her first C ever. This is a bright kid who did not work for a semester except for her extracirriculars. H and I are struggling with appropriate consequences. It is her high school career. We very much leave her to her own- not checking those grades that are on line. We have told her to pick the EC she is dropping. Have decided she has no need for TV Monday thru Thursday. And if she doesnt show substantial improvement before next marking period, all EC’s will be removed. </p>
<p>I hate coming down on her because I saw tremendous effort in her articles for the local paper, (research, interviews, holding her own with adults, draft after draft). It is something that fills me with awe of my 14 yo.</p>
<p>I think cutting back on ECs is fair. Or at least limiting them during the school week. </p>
<p>When our kids have a grade (marking period, not individual assignment) below an 80, the school requires them to go to tutoring at least once a week. At our school, every teacher is required to do tutoring at least once a week and in “core” courses such as math and English, there is at least one teacher tutoring every day - at lunch and after school. So my kids can never say that they couldn’t find the time. My son, who usually practices his music during lunch, was especially annoyed to have to give up that time for tutoring - but he brought up his grade double quick!</p>