<p>D15 is also doing marching band this week, as well as next week. She seems to like it. She is a good musician. MB also give them some physical drill which is good for her. </p>
<p>@tutor, my D. really has had great time with CTY. Yes it’s pricey but it’s a great program, especially the summer program. She also did several CTY online classes on writing.</p>
<p>Hope everyone is ready for a new school year - in high school.
We went to daughter’s high school “back to school” evening. It was like an open house. We went to her classrooms and met with the teachers. It made us feel good. It’s so much better than her middle school. My impression is these high school teachers have adequate education in their field. is that right? For example, the biology teacher at least has college biology degree. When D. was in middle school, I often got the impression that the science teachers (esp. physics, chemistry) don’t know what they are teacher. </p>
<p>Also, high school seems to emphasize academics. The math teachers went on talking about how one should do well in algebra II to avoid remedial courses in college, etc. AP government teacher started by saying how hard the class was going to be for freshmen. We actually like that. </p>
<p>We did not like her middle school. Hopefully high school will be a fresh start. She also greatly enjoys the marching band experience. One good thing is she made some good friends in the band. She is taking algebra II this year to get ahead. At first we were afraid she wouldn’t know anyone in the class, because she is the only freshman taking that class. Then she found two band buddies (sophomore). That helps a lot.</p>
<p>Hi, How’s everyone doing? School here started a week ago. D. really likes her high school and her teachers. I found she needs to learn study skills in HS and onwards. This weekend her assignment from AP gov. is to do an outline of the first chapter. It took her forever to do it. She basically studied the whole chapter in full detail. She could take the chapter test and get 100%. That’s nice but it took her forever to do the homework. We told her that’s not the intention of the assignment. she got huffy with us. </p>
<p>Hope everyone is safe last weekend.</p>
<p>We still have a week of summer to go here, as evidenced by the fact S and D2 (class of '13) were up past 1AM - must nip that in the bud! S wanted to make a switch to his schedule but was at the beach last week so D2 went in for her own schedule change and managed to get his changed for him so he’s all set. He just told me he needs a new backpack but otherwise I think we are in good shape to start! He’s really looking forward to it so I am expecting a good start. </p>
<p>We did have chuckle though when they sent first day informtion - they sent 2 to S - one welcomed the class of 2015 and the other said “Dear Senior” - D2 (who got the “Dear Junior” letter) was not as amused as we were :)</p>
<p>
Haha! At least she wasn’t blowing off the assignment!<br>
We’re starting week three here and things are going surprisingly well. I have only had to wake my D15 once, while I am still waking up her big brother almost every day–he cannot hear an alarm. I have GOT to get him trained before he leaves for college next year.<br>
Classes are going well, knock on wood. Toddler starts preschool tomorrow (just T Th) and I cannot wait. I sure hope she likes it because I am not taking her out, she needs the socialization and I need some “me” time desperately, even if it is just volunteering at the HS.</p>
<p>wow wordworld you do have them spread out. 
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<p>We’ve tried to get back to school here but Irene has put a hold on classes. None tomorrow either. Our high school teachers also definitely more academically focused than MS thankfully. Lots of teachers who majored in their subject so think that makes a difference. Congrats to all the new high schoolers, and here’s to a great first year.</p>
<p>So are things getting back to normal there or still total chaos? It is still all over the news here in Cali. Scary stuff.
And yes, we do have them spread out, we call the 2 year old our “bonus baby.” Everyone assumes I had her with my second husband due to the age spread and/or assumes that she was an accident. Nope, she was planned (or at least hoped for) and we’ve been married almost 20 years. I’m just “plain crazy” is the consensus among my friends with kids the age of my older two! Aside from the typical issues involved with raising a 2 year old, we are enjoying her like crazy.</p>
<p>I am amazed how many parents here are also from the " awesome parents of the class 2015" thread. I always thought my four year age gap was a little long, but there seems to be a lot of us out there.</p>
<p>D1 launched at college and loving it. D2 on 4th week of HS. First 2 were a little rocky as she was starting a different high school from the feeder program she was in. She seems to be settling and we have seen lots of smiles this past week. ; )</p>
<p>She made the varsity softball team- which helped and hindered at the same time. Not many lower class-men on the team. </p>
<p>Just leaving for the game- when will this 90+ heat go away?</p>
<p>School is going well for D. She likes her teachers and enjoy the band. High school really seems to be a different environment compared to her middle school. It’s a good change.</p>
<p>Hello all. I thought I would jump on here. My S’15 has one week of summer left before high school starts. He is still fighting his way through his summer reading and writing assignments. (xbox cords are held hostage). Son is very math and science oriented so the reading and writing assignments are killing him. </p>
<p>S is a very introverted kid with LD’s. He is in an Honors program so it will be interesting to see how he holds up the the workload. I think he will do great. We are battling over involvement in school activities. He does not want to do anyting. Personally I dont care what he does, as long as it is something. He often has a hard time connecting to others so I feel strongly that he is going to have to do something.</p>
<p>D. is really enjoying her high school. The best thing is she loves biology, the science class in 9th grade. The teacher knows what she’s teaching (WOW!!) and she is fun. That is so encouraging. D. was quite discouraged by her middle school science teachers and disliked science for that reason, in spite of all our family efforts. Now she is fascinated by biology and looking forward to other science courses. she even said she wanted to do chemistry with CTY next summer. (So far all the CTY stuff she did, summer and online, are language and writing courses.)</p>
<p>herandhisMom- I can’t tell you about chemistry, but physics at CTY was a HUGE win with my D. Great class, and she had SO much fun. Her teacher was amazing, and the TA is actually a (newly minted) HS physics teacher. I was very impressed with what I saw. D’15 would like to return for chemistry next year, but we’ll have to see how the money works out, given that we’ll be paying college tuition by then. </p>
<p>D’15 is learning the advantages, as well as the disadvantages of a large high school. She’s been late to class several times because she got lost or forgot which class period it is. I don’t think this is a big deal YET since it’s only the second week.</p>
<p>She’s auditioning to be a musician in the early fall theatrical production. Instead of a pit orchestra, they have a small ensemble that is on stage almost all of the time interacting with the players. It sounds absolutely perfect for her, and a good way to make friends.</p>
<p>Her biology teacher is encouraging EC science, which is also right up her alley. She’s starting to freak about about the WIDE variety of options she has. And we’ve had our first late night up studying. The pre-lab on Thursday took until 1:30 am to complete. I trust that this will get better in time. The teacher warned that she was going to try to make sure that students were really committed to this class by front-loading the work this semester.</p>
<p>I think we’ll all be really ready for Labor Day and a rest!</p>
<p>My D15 and D16 always start school the Wednesday after Labor Day. D15 is also still slogging through summer reading, but this summer she was also preparing for a test that allows her to skip a year of Algebra and move up with the accelerated math group in Geometry in 9th grade (she made the required score - yay!). In the past couple of weeks she’s spent considerable time creating a detailed schedule of when she will study, when she will go to bed, and what activities she’ll do after school. Anyone else have a child who seems to enjoy PLANNING what she’ll do more than actually DOING it?</p>
<p>Hi all,school started this week.D15 is tierd from climbing the stairs for each class with her big bag.I think she will take a week or two to get used to Hs.</p>
<pre><code> Has anyone started on SAT coaching?Do you think it is too early?We were thinking about enrolling her in the EPGY writing classes but someone we know advised it is better to start her SAT coaching .Suggestions welcome
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<p>@IJustDrive, Thank you for telling me about CTY physics. I was thinking about pm you to ask about it. I thought taking a lab science with CTY might be a good experience. I’m trying to suggest D. do something else in the summer. But she begs and begs and begs to do CTY at least for one more time. If it can inspire her love to science, it’ll be really worth it. </p>
<p>My goodness, work until 1:30am! My children have never done that yet. Is it something we should be prepared for in HS? So far D. still goes to bed before 10:30.</p>
<p>My d. enjoys her AP gov. class. The teacher apparently is quite inspiring and fun. They have had some homework, but nothing requires too much time so far. Backpack has been extremely heavy though. </p>
<p>@tripleamom, I don’t know if SAT coaching is a good idea. But my D. took the SAT in 7th and 8th grades, just so we could assess her. The first time she didn’t review at all. Did well in reading, badly in math. Second time they learned algebra. Also she spent some time (not seriously) to do math. So her math went from 480 to 620. My impression is math is easy to improve, if they spend some time study with parents’ help. I think probably sophomore or junior is a good time to get serious about (P)SAT. </p>
<p>But other people here with older kids may have better ideas.</p>
<p>tripleamom – yes, it is too early for SAT coaching. The best SAT prep at this age is read, read, read!</p>
<p>IJustDrive – was the 1:30pm late night because your D procrastinated on starting HW? or was she working inefficiently? or is it truly because there is too much work? You really want to get to the root of the problem and nip it in the bud. Teenagers need 8~9 hours sleep each night, and if they don’t get enough it undermines their ability to learn. I am convinced that most “typical rotten teenage behavior” is actually caused by sleep deprivation.</p>
<p>Hi maxwellequations and mihcal1,Thank you for your inputs.D15 has not given an exam yet.I am encouraging her to read more classics.She has journalism and is applying for editor for news section.Hope that helps her.</p>
<pre><code> Mihcal1, has your daughterrs school started yet? I know some school districts in so.cal haven’t started .
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<p>Yikes! 1:30. I have a D who is a junior and we haven’t seen a late night yet. My kids are in an IB program and D has had a couple APs already. It could be that you child was over producing? Perhaps doing more than required? I have found that as time progresses in HS, children become more efficient. </p>
<p>Our school in NY has not started yet. A couple more days and my home will be clean again!</p>
<p>Michal-- Part of the issue was underestimating the amount of work, part was learning new material, a tiny part procrastination, but mostly a combination of the teacher intentionally giving a lot of work and being busy with other things. (she’s serious about her violin and has a performance coming up.)</p>
<p>They’ve had 3 labs this week, which is great, but means a lot of pre-lab and post-lab work. </p>
<p>She was not selected as a musician for the fall play, which is both good and bad.</p>