<p>So bummed! The art teacher that taught glass torch work at D18’s high school retired without warning over the summer and the replacement teacher doesn’t do glass! She had already packed up the torches and everything when we went to meet her today. I asked what the Flame Throwers club (kids who do glass torch work at lunch and after school) were going to do and I don’t think she even knew about the club! Those kids are going to be so disappointed! Art glass was the main reason my son chose this school!</p>
<p>DD’18 just finished her second week of school. Last night was the first dance – mixed review, “the music was way too loud and boys are weird.” So it begins.</p>
<p>@3scoutsmom, ugh, what a disappointment! Is there any way the Flame throwers can keep going without the old teacher there? Maybe s/he could come in occasionally?</p>
<p>S’18 doesn’t have class until Sept 3 but has been going to school for the past 4 days for football tryouts. Every day next week he has orientation 8:30 to 3 and football 3:30 to 6. It’s going to be a killer week, but at least he won’t have homework.</p>
<p>First day of High School tomorrow. Lots of leadership activities going on. Tomorrow Unity games among all the four years. Today Practice for the games. Big debate in family if DD18 should join water polo team or not. We want her to, she is really good swimmer but she is scared of monthly issues… Can’t convince her to use alternative to what she uses. </p>
<p>Moved my S’14 into College this past weekend. We had a very long (11 hour) drive home! The house is very quiet with D’18. I’m trying very hard to let him text us first and not pepper him with questions! The adjustment is harder than I thought it would be. D had HS orientation yesterday and her sport practices begin today as she made it through tryouts. School doesn’t officially begin until next week for her. </p>
<p>Good luck with the transition MAsecondtimer. Dropped off my college sophomore last week. In some ways it is easier the second year (we know what to expect), but the house still feels emptier.</p>
<p>S’18 is adjusting to HS life. He seems to have figured out his friend group for lunch and is adjusting to having more homework and less time due to drum line. Life should become easier now that HS assigned the kids lockers yesterday. He’s very happy with his locker location, so that should make his day flow better. </p>
<p>DD’18 started HS last week and seems to have settled in well. She says the classes seem to fly by and she doesn’t find herself watching the clock as she did in middle school. We’ve been talking about which clubs she’d like to join. She’s most interested in volunteering in the community. She hopes to get a weekly volunteer position at our local hospital, work for our local parks and rec (scorekeeping and camps, etc.) as well as tutoring middle school students in math. At this point she says she’d like to be a teacher in the future. </p>
<p>DS’14 doesn’t move to college until September 15th. The last of his friends launched yesterday and he now seems very angsty. He misses his friends and also now has nothing to do. The past two summers he volunteered in cancer research about 35 hours/wk and never really had time off. This summer, for a first, we thought it’d be nice for him to have the summer off since he probably won’t have such an opportunity again for quite awhile. Well, it seems that was a big mistake! He’s so much more productive with structure. Frankly, he has too much time on his hands. The combination of boredom and anticipation of heading to college is causing a bit of anxiety for him (and me). </p>
<p>Hi all - Just thought I’d introduce myself. I’m new to CC, getting what appears to be a late start with DS’16! But I’m on this thread for DD’18 who started high school a couple of weeks ago. She seems to be settling in, meeting new people, and finding her place in band and maybe a couple of other clubs. She spends a lot of time dancing, so it’s unclear how many school activities she’ll get into/have time for, and also what the long-term college search will look like. Her other interest is creative writing. Looking forward to learning from you all and going through this journey with you!</p>
<p>Welcome blochhead. Never too late to gain a little knowledge and share the ride. Just don’t stress yourself out. It’s easy to do. </p>
<p>DD’18 made the varsity XC team. She has been running with the team all summer, so she has a nice group of friends. She is smiling a lot and doing her homework - what more can you ask for?</p>
<p>All, I didn’t realize HS sport takes so much my daughter’s time, she is in golf JV team, and I guess this is the season for match and tournaments. Basically she plays everyday on her 6th period. And sometimes with tournaments, she needs to miss 5th period. Golf is a time consuming sport so she doesn’t get home until late. And she just work on homework after dinner until 11ish… I’m very concern about her time management. And we are also struggle with the new common core math assessment where she has quiz everyweek basically 4-5 essay questions (short answers)xon how to do certain math problem. Andnif you miss one, its a B-, miss 2 will be D-. 
no time to work on her music and martial arts…</p>
<p>Similar issues here. It’s marching season and S’18 is in the drum line. Marching band practice, section practice and games consume a lot of time, meaning the remaining time is dedicated to school work, eating and sleeping. Tennis, his other major activity, is a complete loss for now. I don’t think he has hit a tennis ball since August. It seems to be the nature of the beast as my older son went through similar periods of intensive times during his HS career. I will say that S’18 has improved his time management skills significantly in the last couple of months as a result. </p>
<p>My son is way too committed to band too and says he has no free time but plays video games. He has not asked for teacher recommendations. He has not done any essays. He could play sports in college but does not want to call or email teams. I think he does not want to go to college if he has to try to get in. I do not think we will pay to send him to college he will have to get a job. Maybe a year will be good for him to decide to try again.</p>
<p>This group has been quiet recently! It’s nice to hear a few updates. My S’18 has also been very busy with drum line. When there’s a home football game, he’s spending about 20 hours per week on band. He’s managing to fit in sailing team because they only practice twice a week, which is reasonable. As a freshman, he’s not going to all of the regattas, some of which take the entire weekend. He’s happy, getting (almost) enough sleep and maintaining good grades, so I can’t complain, although I miss having him around! And, YES to improving time management skills and not having time for video games!</p>
<p>bookgeek - have you found that your time management abilities are taxed with drum line/band commitments? Our older son was not a band kid and we used to listen to other parents with some level of skepticism when they described not only the time commitments for their kids in the fall, but also their time commitment. I should have listened more closely because I am finding that my own time management skills are being tested due to time commitments/expectations for band parents.</p>
<p>I’m guessing this group won’t be too busy this year or maybe even next. But once we hit Junior year, and PSAT, SAT, ACT, more AP testing, college touring, leadership responsibilities and more.start happening, this group will become increasingly active. </p>
<p>dadotwoboys–no, the band parents here don’t have many obligations. I joined the music boosters association, and we just provide snacks for the band, help with fundraising efforts, etc. We live in a community where the kids can walk/bike to rehearsals, so there’s no carpooling involved. Our marching band doesn’t do competitions, and most of the the band members are also in a fall sport, so it’s only a time-consuming activity for the drum line. I’m curious to know what your obligations are as a band parent!</p>
<p>chaperoning games, passing out waters, helping lug stuff on and off the field, packing and unloading 2 24’ trucks for away games (here and there), parents hosted a bbq fundraiser this week, etc. A lot of the moving stuff is really just helping the kids, but it is mostly drum line related gear. Drum line section is from 3-4 and full band practice runs from 5:30 to 8:30 T and TH and while son could walk home, we prefer to pick him up so there is more time for dinner and homework. Competition season starts in a few weeks (long Saturdays is my understanding) and parents chaperone and help haul stuff. I hear there will be a drum line season to follow the marching band season. It just seems to add up in terms of time. At least more than we had with non-band son. I know this sounds like complaining, but it’s actually pretty fun (we’re meeting a lot of new people) and S’18 is very engaged and happy which, of course, is the goal, right? </p>
<p>First quarter grades came out today and I am thrilled that S18 made straight A’s on his very first report card (although Algebra II was only by the skin of his teeth!). The transition from homeschool to public school seems to be easier for him than it was for his sister (D16). He’s a bright kid and I knew he <em>could</em> make the grades but he can be a slacker at times and I wasn’t sure he <em>would</em> put in the effort. I just hope this keeps up!</p>
<p>He’s made new friends and so far seems to be making good choices about who he hangs around with. One of his new friends is really into robotics so S is considering taking robotics next year. He’s also joined the school anime club - I had no idea that would interest him!</p>
<p>His sister took the PSAT this past Saturday and will take her second SAT in Nov. S18 has seen how hard it is for her to get in time to prep with the heavy homework load she has as a Junior and wants to start studying for the PSAT/SAT now, Yeah! His sister has various study guides that she is more than happy to ‘gift’ him :-)</p>
<p>S18 just turned 15 so next week he will stat studying for his learners permit, I am so not ready for this!</p>
<p>So far Freshman year is going well here, his only complaint has been about having to attend pep rallies! Hows it going for you all?</p>
<p>Freshman year is going well with straight As here too. And my daughter is a cheerleader so she LOVES pep rallies!</p>
<p>1st quarter grades came back yesterday here as well. All A’s and one B, which is a great start for him and a big improvement over last year. The one B could have easily been an A but for one atrocious book test. Hoping he maintains this level for the 2nd quarter, as the semester grades will count towards GPA. It will be tough though because he got a lead role in the fall school play, and along with cross country he barely has time to crack a book most days before 9pm. We are discussing time management at lot in our house as well; and emphasizing that on the days he has both cross country and theatre practice, he needs to do homework during breaks, on the team bus, while waiting to be picked up, or whenever he can.</p>