It’s hard to believe, but DD18 will begin the process of registering for 10th grade in another week or two. We actually sat down today and planned her classes out. Her tentative (but most likely) class schedule is:
Honors English 10
Honors Trig and Precal
Honors Chemistry II
AP Chemistry
French 3
French 4
Honors US Gov’t
Wellness II
Math and English are full year courses, and the balance are block courses. She’s pretty restricted due to the way her school schedules classes, so even though she’d prefer to take AP US Gov’t, she can’t due to scheduling issues. I’m sure it’s not the end of the world.
Does anyone have good spring break plans this year? We’re considering some college visits in the mid-Atlantic/Virginia area, but that’s still up in the air. Hope everyone is having a great year!
No college visits for us during spring break this year. With my older one, we visited colleges of interest if we were already in the area and waited until spring break of junior year to do the big college visit road trip. And that trip was just me and DS, which was much more productive. We could focus on what he was interested in and not have to drag around a younger sibling who was still in middle school and interested in different things anyway (she and DH spent spring break in London and I was a teensy bit jealous!). It was also nice to spend one on one time with DS since we spent so much time in the car.
We used the early visits (pre-junior year) to check out different types of colleges – big state universities, small private universities, mid-sized schools, schools in the midwest and west coast, etc. These weren’t necessarily schools that my son was interested in (as I said, we just happened to be in the area for something else), but we visited so he could get a sense of what each type of campus was like.
We are going to Mexico for spring break and definitely not doing any college visits then, LOL.
No spring break plans. Just looking forward to having older S home from college for a few days.
Anybody have any experience with AP Capstone? It’s the first year it is being offered at the local HS and we are attending a meeting for parents. It looks good on paper, but I thought somebody here might have some first hand experience.
DD got her freshman practice PSAT test back. She did better on math than she thought she would and not as well on the critical reading. She seems interested enough to start practicing some - this class will have the new SAT, are there any practice materials out yet? She will have to use her older siblings old College Board practice books until something is out there. I heard that Kahn Academy will have some free materials on the Internet, but we’ll have to look into that. I imagine College Board will publish a book as they did for the current SAT. Also, she made the track team. Spring is just around the corner everyone!
Tomorrow is Science Olympiad day here. Last year D pulled a first place in the county in the Middle School division in one event. As a freshman in the HS division, she probably won’t place this year, but here’s hoping!
@glido - my daughter took the PSAT also, and had the exact same result - 620 on math but only 480 on CR. She was disappointed in the result, but obviously understands she’s a freshman. We also struggle with how to prepare for the new test. My hope is there will be more options for study materials as the time approaches.
Have been away for couple months due to change of jobs, now I am much closer and feel I can support my DD1 better with adjusting high school. She was finally pulled up her math grade into A, but not with her Biology honor and English honor, both of those two classes ended with high percentage of B+ (over 88%), oh well, hope she will learn the lesson and do better on 2nd semester. I see @glido and @dadotwoboys were talking about summer jobs and @2014novamom talk about “personal finance” course requirements in her DD HS, I recalled reading a book about raising kids for financial awareness and not just get good grades, but our HS or neighborhood don’t offer this type of class. Sounds very interesting thou.
@GertrudeMcFuzz so awesome that your DD got first place at Science Olympiad in middle school, and at least continue participating in high school. I think thawill help a lot in college application process
@jjkmom - thanks! Unfortunately, the high school program is not nearly as organized & well-run as the middle school program was & D did not really enjoy it this year. I was hoping she’d place in something to keep her motivated, but she did not & is now saying she doesn’t want to do it next year. I won’t force her at all - if she changes her mind next year, great.
Re: Science Olympiad–my son loved participating in middle school, but doesn’t have time to really commit to the HS team. He is staying involved by coaching one event at the middle school. It’s been a great experience for him so far! He has to communicate with students, parents and teachers about the practice sessions, plan what to do each time they meet, etc. It’s a bit outside his comfort zone, but that’s ok! Anyway, don’t know if this might work for your D, @GertrudeMcFuzz. Just an idea.
It’s been some time since I’ve checked in but wondered if you have started to search for summer programs. S18 is looking at arts programs in New England. They are residential and I believe he is ready. I think it would be great preparation for when he goes away to college. Anyone else applying to summer residential programs?
@magnetnh Just suggested Snowfarm art camp to someone on the Parents of the Class of 2016 thread. My S18 has attended Snowfarm high school art camp for the past two summers and will be attending again this year. We are in TX and he flies to CT and they pick him up and drive him to western MA. He really likes it and will be returning this year.
@3scoutmom thanks for the camp details and I will research. The one that my son is interested in is the Center for Creative Youth at Wesleyan University. It is a great program that is pricey but in reviewing others in that category they all seem to be.
Yes they’re all expensive, the Center for Creative Youth at Wesleyan University looks very interesting too, lots of performance art. That Caribbean Steel Pan Orchestra sounds like fun!
Still thinking over summer school. DD is training with the school XC team over the summer and looking for a job. She just turned-in her wish list for sophomore classes.
Wow, can’t believe we are discussing summer plan now, I remembered that’s when I started join this thread and ask questions regarding high school classes. Last summer I put my DD1 attended Education Unlimited summer program at her dream school “UCLA”, its pricy and I thoughts she will be motivated in 9th grade. However, until today, I’m still frustrated that she doesn’t spend time to read books hence improve her reading and writing, she doesn’t go online to research college or career related topics, or not interested to participate clubs or community services… I’m really concerned when I learn so many CC high school students know what they wants and plan on achieve their dreams. I hope my DD1 will realize that she needs to prepare for college starting at 9th grade, she will be a sophomore after summer this year and that’s scary thought…
Relax @jjkmom - I can’t imagine that the typical 9th grader spends much if any time researching colleges and careers. The only way a 9th grader can truly prepare for college is to go to their classes, try to do well in them, and get involved in activities that they have a genuine interest in, not those that may impress a college. Not to mention its an important time to do things like learn to navigate the social world & learn a bit about who they are & who they want to be. Having just launched an older daughter to college, I can tell you that she was a far different person at 17 than she was at 14 & any decisions she might have made at that age would not have worked for her a few years later.
Got to agree with GertrudeMcFuzz - everything will be fine jjkmom. Many of posters on CC are very driven. Reading all of the posts can lead to questioning whether your DD or DS is way behind in the college admissions project. She is not. My DD is on the track team and many of the seniors are learning of their acceptances and the juniors are readying for college campus visits this spring break. So, DD has colleges on her mind - we are trying to get her to chill a little. It is a long process. Control what you can - time management, homework, study for tests and have some fun with friends.